Kool sprints to Omloop van het Hageland victory after late breakaway caught

TIELT-WINGE, Belgium – Charlotte Kool of Fenix-Premier Tech claimed her first victory of 2026 at the Omloop van het Hageland on Sunday, demonstrating a decisive turn of speed in the sprint finish. The Dutch rider outpaced a challenging field, securing the win after a late surge nearly saw a breakaway succeed.

Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) finished closely behind Kool, taking third place, while Belgium’s Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal) rounded out the podium in third. The race was marked by aggressive riding from the outset, with multiple attacks and a determined effort from a three-rider breakaway that kept the peloton on edge for much of the day.

The race took a dramatic turn when pre-race favorite Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) crashed on a corner exiting the final cobbled climb, effectively ending her chances at victory. Balsamo fell with approximately 5 kilometers remaining while her team was actively pursuing the breakaway.

A breakaway consisting of Marta Lach (SD Worx-Protime), Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ), and Flora Perkins (Fenix-Premier Tech) animated the race for a significant portion of the second half. The trio initially established a lead by attacking and joining an earlier move. While they managed to extend their advantage on the final Kerkstraat climb, the peloton ultimately reeled them in during the final kilometer.

The 141km race began with a flurry of attacks, as riders attempted to establish a breakaway. After approximately 12 kilometers, a group of five riders – Idoia Eraso (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi), Léa Rondel (Mayenne Monbana My Pie), Nienke Dullemond (Cyclingteam Belco / Van Eyck), Virginia Bortoli, and Sara Luccon (both Top Girls Fassa Bortolo) – managed to open a gap. Dullemond was the first to be dropped from the break on the Roeselberg with 100km remaining, followed by Bortoli and Luccon with 74km to go as the repeated climbs took their toll.

Further attacks emerged from the bunch on the subsequent ascent of the Roeselberg, prompting a response from Lidl-Trek. This led to the formation of a recent leading group featuring Lach, Perkins, Swinkels, and Sophie von Berswordt (VolkerWessels), who eventually caught Eraso and Rondel with 64km remaining. A crash involving Rondel and Eraso left only Lach, Swinkels, and Perkins at the front of the race.

With 57km to go, the breakaway held a lead of nearly a minute over the chasing peloton. Lidl-Trek increased the pace, steadily closing the gap. On the Kerkstraat climb, the peloton appeared poised to make the catch, but a momentary hesitation allowed the leaders to briefly extend their advantage. However, the breakaway’s efforts were ultimately thwarted as they were absorbed by the peloton with just 2 kilometers left.

The final kilometers saw a frantic pace as the sprint teams positioned their leaders for the finish. Kool, well-placed, launched her sprint and proved unbeatable, taking a clear victory. The win marks Kool’s first with her new team, Fenix-Premier Tech, after transferring from Picnic-PostNL during the previous season.

The Omloop van het Hageland served as a challenging early-season race, featuring cobbled sections and undulating terrain. The aggressive racing and late-race drama provided a compelling spectacle for fans, setting the stage for the upcoming Spring Classics.