OPENING206.3 km from Etterbeek to a finish in Brussels for the 106th edition of the ProSeries one-dayer. After a quiet opening, the day's main breakaway formed with Titouan Fontaine, Casper Pedersen, Sebastien Grignard, Marius Mayrhofer and Henrik Pedersen. TotalEnergies' Alexys Brunel tried to bridge across but was brought back before contact, and the leaders built an advantage of around three and a half minutes.

UNFOLDSThe race turned on three passages over the Muur van Geraardsbergen, Bosberg and Congoberg. The climbs gradually ate into the break's lead and also splintered the peloton: Mayrhofer and then Fontaine lost contact up front, while behind a front group of around 30 riders formed with Girmay, Fretin and Jonas Abrahamsen. Crucially, Meeus initially missed that selection, leaving Red Bull's plan in jeopardy until Team Flanders - Baloise helped drag the peloton back together before the run to Brussels.

DECIDEDGiven a second chance, Red Bull took control. Laurence Pithie and Danny van Poppel drove the chase over the Rosweg cobbles, bringing the breakaway into sight before the last escapees were caught on the Heiligekruiswegstraat with around 145 km raced. Uno-X Mobility tried repeatedly to break up a sprint — Abrahamsen attacked at 13 km to go, Rasmus Tiller followed and Erik Resell briefly opened a gap — but each move was shut down, and Abrahamsen's renewed dig inside the final six kilometres also came to nothing.

FINALEA crash with four kilometres remaining brought down several riders, including Team Flanders - Baloise's Ferre Geeraerts, who continued, but the favourites stayed safely at the front. Red Bull kept Meeus protected into the final kilometre and delivered a strong lead-out. Fretin and Girmay both surged in the closing metres, but Meeus had the speed to hold his line and take the win, with all three Belgians-and-Girmay finishing on the same time.