For Anna Vanderaerden, 2026 is going to be a year to remember! On Sunday, she was crowned Belgian Road Champion in the U23 category, after crossing the finish line fourth in the Elite race.
“I am incredibly happy with the result,” said Vanderaerde in a post race interview. “It was a sprint where everyone was completely exhausted. I know I have a sprint on my legs, but at a National Championship, everything obviously has to go right. Because the race was very hard, I was completely wrecked when the sprint started. But I still managed to secure that fourth place… After numerous second places at National Championships, I wanted to score this time. Look at me standing here now.”
The 20-year-old rider of Fenix-Premier Tech Development Team stepped on the highest step of the podium next to her teammate Olivia Vercruysse, who took second place.
