Filippo Ganna spoils Van Aert's great performance at Dwars door Vlaanderen after a thrilling finish

Dwars door Vlaanderen 2026 once again demonstrated why it is one of the most unpredictable classics on the calendar. When everything pointed to a victory for Wout van Aert after a long-range attack, Filippo Ganna, who had suffered a handlebar break and a flat tire, appeared in the final meters to pull off a spectacular comeback and take the win in Waregem.

Van Aert's great performance in Dwars door Vlaanderen 2026 and Filippo Ganna's victory in the final meter

The race, contested over 184.6 kilometers between Roeselare and Waregem, started at a very high pace from the first moments. Breakaway attempts were constant during the first 40 kilometers, with no group managing to consolidate until entering the first key area of the route.

The first serious major move came around the 100-kilometer mark, coinciding with the passage through Berg Ten Houte. A large group formed there with high-level riders, including names like Mads Pedersen and Christophe Laporte, forcing several teams to reorganize the chase from behind.

The race progressively hardened in the chaining of climbs and cobbled sectors, with constant accelerations on Knokteberg and Hotond that began to select the peloton. At that point, the race was already taking its toll with significant withdrawals, such as Arnaud De Lie, who could not withstand the strain of the course.

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The key moment came about 45 kilometers from the finish, at Eikenberg. It was there that Van Aert launched a powerful attack that definitively broke the race apart. Only a few riders managed to react initially, but the Belgian insisted until he consolidated a front group that would eventually reduce even further.

In the last third of the race, Van Aert definitively selected the breakaway and was accompanied by a small group that also included riders like Romain Grégoire and Niklas Larsen. However, the accumulated fatigue and constant pressure from behind kept the uncertainty completely open.

With about 10 kilometers to go, the Belgian changed pace again at Nokereberg, leaving his breakaway companions behind and launching solo towards the finish. For several kilometers, he maintained a lead that seemed sufficient, with differences hovering around 10-15 seconds against a chasing group in full reorganization.

Behind, the race did not stop. Filippo Ganna, who suffered a flat tire and a handlebar break, overcame it and was one of the most active in the chase, first trying to close gaps and then becoming the main threat to the leader. His persistence eventually broke the dynamic of the chasing group and allowed him to dangerously close in the final kilometers.

In the last kilometer, with Van Aert still holding on at the front, Ganna completed the comeback. The Italian, after a sustained chase, managed to connect and surpass the Belgian in the final meters to secure a victory of great merit.

Van Aert, who had come close to victory after a display of strength, had to settle for second place again in a race that continues to elude him. Behind, a small group arrived in a rush, confirming the toughness of an edition that was once again decided by minimal details.