Bredene Koksijde Classic 2026: Groenewegen, Jakobsen, and Molano sprint on the Belgian coast

The 2026 Bredene Koksijde Classic is a coastal ProSeries one-day race on March 20, and the sprint hierarchy has shifted late in race week. With Tim Merlier sidelined, the race opens up for Dylan Groenewegen, Fabio Jakobsen, Sebastian Molano, and Sam Bennett on exposed roads where pure speed still matters, but only if the sprinters survive the wind in the right part of the peloton.

Bredene almost never rewards a passive sprint train. The North Sea roads and constant positioning pressure mean the strongest finisher is not always the fastest rider on paper. Groenewegen now looks like the clearest reference if the race lands in a traditional bunch sprint, while Jakobsen and Molano both gain ground if the final is fast but slightly more selective than a clean drag race.

The useful update is that Merlier should no longer be treated as the default favorite. That changes the shape of the race. Instead of one obvious Belgian benchmark, the field looks flatter and more vulnerable to wind and chaos. If the echelons never form, it should still end at top speed. If the race breaks apart, the winner is more likely to come from whoever reaches the last ten kilometres with the best balance of resilience, teammates, and timing.