A Belgian one-day race through the port and polders of Antwerp
Antwerp Port Epic / Sels Trophy
A Belgian one-day race where positioning, wind, and late accelerations decide who survives the final circuits.
- Location
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- When
- Fourth Monday in May
- Course
- One Day
- Most recent winner
- 🇳🇴 Per Strand Hagenes (2026)
- Category
- Men’s Continental
About Antwerp Port Epic / Sels Trophy
Antwerp Port Epic, also known as the Sels Trophy, is a men's one-day bike race on the Belgian continental calendar. The course runs through the industrial port zone and flat polder roads around Antwerp, typically finishing with local circuits that reward sharp positioning and tactical awareness.
This is Belgian racing stripped to its essentials: flat roads, crosswinds, tight corners, and a finale that punishes hesitation. The route through Antwerp's port infrastructure and surrounding polders creates opportunities for splits and late accelerations, and the race often comes down to who can hold position through the closing circuits. It rewards the kind of rider who thrives in kermesse chaos without the cobbles.
Antwerp Port Epic / Sels Trophy winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 🇳🇴Per Strand Hagenes |
| 2025 | 🇧🇪Timo Kielich |
| 2024 | 🇳🇴Alexander Kristoff |
| 2023 | 🇧🇪Dries De Bondt |
| 2022 | 🇧🇪Florian Vermeersch |
| 2021 | 🇳🇱Mathieu van der Poel |
2026 results
This edition is complete.
Antwerp Port Epic / Sels Trophy route
The course typically combines exposed stretches through the port zone with technical finishing circuits in or near Antwerp. Wind is the defining variable: on calm days, the race may hold together until a late sprint or small-group finish, but crosswinds can fracture the peloton early and turn the day into a positioning battle. The final circuits usually feature enough corners and roundabouts to keep the pace high and the front group selective. Riders who can accelerate out of turns, read echelon formation, and stay alert through repeated laps tend to emerge in the finale. This is not a race won by pure power or a single climb, but by tactical sharpness and the ability to handle repeated surges without losing contact.
What shapes the race
Flat Belgian sprint terrain
The race follows flat roads through Antwerp province, suiting sprinters and fast finishers who can handle nervous positioning.
Autumn calendar
Held in October, the race catches riders in late-season form or fatigue, which can produce unexpected results.
History
Iconic victories
Mathieu van der Poel
Won in 2021, lending WorldTour credibility to a continental race that benefits from attracting the sport biggest names.
Eras and records
A Belgian autumn race that rewards sprinters and opportunists on flat Antwerp roads.
Race origins
Originally known as the Sels Trophy, the race has been held under various names since 2017 in its current form.
Belgian sprint showcase
Belgian riders have won the majority of editions, reflecting the race position as a domestic autumn sprint event.