Belgian one-day racing in the June calendar
Brussels Cycling Classic
Brussels Cycling Classic is a mid-June test of positioning, timing, and the kind of tactical sharpness that separates sprinters from opportunists.
Next edition Jun 6, 2027
- Location
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- When
- First Sunday in June
- Course
- One Day
- Most recent winner
- 🇧🇪 Jordi Meeus (2026)
- Also known as
- Paris-Brussels
- Category
- Men’s 1.Pro
About Brussels Cycling Classic
Brussels Cycling Classic is a men's one-day race on the ProSeries calendar, held each June in Belgium. The route combines urban circuits with rolling roads that favor riders who can handle repeated accelerations and late-race positioning battles.
Also known as: Paris-Brussels · Paris-Bruxelles
This is a race that sits in the calendar's mid-season lull and often delivers the kind of racing that rewards attentiveness over raw power. The Belgian terrain and the ProSeries field create conditions where positioning mistakes get punished quickly, and the finale can shift from controlled to chaotic in the final circuits. It is the kind of day where a well-timed move or a perfectly judged sprint can define a rider's early summer.
Brussels Cycling Classic winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 🇧🇪Jordi Meeus |
| 2025 | 🇧🇪Tim Merlier |
| 2024 | 🇳🇴Jonas Abrahamsen |
| 2023 | 🇫🇷Arnaud Demare |
| 2022 | 🇳🇱Taco van der Hoorn |
| 2021 | 🇧🇪Remco Evenepoel |
| 2020 | 🇧🇪Tim Merlier |
2027 edition
Jun 6, 2027.
Brussels Cycling Classic route
The course typically features a combination of urban circuits around Brussels and rolling roads that string together short climbs and technical sections. The repeated nature of the finale circuits means positioning becomes critical in the closing kilometers, and teams that lose contact or miss a key acceleration rarely get a second chance. The race can end in a reduced bunch sprint if the pace stays high enough to discourage breakaways, or it can fracture into a small group finish if the accelerations come early and often. Weather and wind can amplify the selective nature of the route, but even on calm days the combination of technical corners, short climbs, and nervous positioning makes this a race where tactical awareness matters as much as fitness. Riders who can read the rhythm of the finale and place themselves in the right wheels at the right time tend to feature in the results.
What shapes the race
Race type
One-day race finishing in Brussels, historically the last surviving Paris-Brussels classic.
Finish identity
A fast finish in the Belgian capital that typically rewards sprinters, though breakaways have succeeded.
Typical winner
A fast finisher who can survive the approach into Brussels, or an opportunistic attacker who reads the race correctly.
Signature landmarks
The approach to Brussels and the city-center finish define the course.
- Finish
Brussels finish
A fast boulevard finish in the Belgian capital.
- Terrain
Flemish Brabant approach
The rolling roads approaching Brussels can split the field before the sprint.
History
Memorable editions
- 2021
Evenepoel solos to victory
Remco Evenepoel attacked from distance and soloed to victory in Brussels, showing the race can reward more than a sprint.
- 2024
Abrahamsen surprises
Jonas Abrahamsen won from a late move, demonstrating the unpredictability of the race.
Iconic victories
Tim Merlier
Two victories (2020, 2025) established him as the defining modern sprinter in Brussels.
Remco Evenepoel
Won in 2021 from a solo attack, proving the race can suit different tactical approaches.
Caleb Ewan
Won in 2019 at peak sprinting form, confirming the race as a sprinters target.
Eras and records
The race traces its lineage to the Paris-Brussels classic, first run in 1893.
Heritage
Descended from the historic Paris-Brussels race, one of the oldest one-day classics first held in 1893.