Wout van Aert wins Belgian road race title, Evenepoel third, on weekend of National Championships

Wout van Aert confirmed his form after having his appendix removed last month by winning the Belgian national road race championships ahead of Trek-Segafredo's Edward Theuns, with Remco Evenepoel taking third place.

Van Aert and Evenepoel had attacked on a descent in the closing kilometres, finishing only five seconds ahead of the chasing group as their collaboration faltered,  the Jumbo-Visma man opening up his sprint early to distance Evenepoel and pip Theuns on the line to take his first-ever Belgian elite men's road race champion's jersey.

Elsewhere, on a weekend when many national titles were settled, Sonny Colbrelli became Italian road race champion for the first time in his career, while Rémi Cavagna won the French title with a solo attack.

Omar Fraile will wear the Spanish champion's jersey this coming year, as Timo Roosen picked up the Dutch title, Mathieu van der Poel not finishing the race after attacking off the front on his own, and Max Schachmann successfully defended his German title.

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Peter Sagan won the Slovakian road race for the first time since 2018, ensuring he'll be wearing a distinctive jersey at the upcoming Tour de France, while Matej Mohorič won in Slovenia, Tadej Pogačar fifth.

Elisa Longo Borghini picked up both the road race and time trial titles for the second consecutive year, as Amy Pieters won the Dutch road race, Lotte Kopecky the Belgian, Mavi García the Spanish and Évita Muzic the French.

In the time trial, Matteo Sobrero won the Italian title, Filippo Ganna finishing outside the medals in fourth, as a resurgent Tom Dumoulin captured the Dutch jersey.

Yves Lampaert beat Remco Evenepoel and Victor Campenaerts to the Belgian title as Tony Martin won the German time trial for a record tenth time.

Kopecky and Garcia also doubled up on national titles, winning their time trial races, while Anna van der Breggen took the Dutch race against the clock, beating Ellen Van Dijk and Lucinda Brand.