Belgium is a football country that is genuinely a cycling country first, and the calendar shows it.
Spring belongs to the classics. The Ronde van Vlaanderen and Liège–Bastogne–Liège are national events in a way no league fixture is, and the cobbled races through East Flanders shut down whole towns. Belgian riders are followed race by race through the Tour, the Vuelta and the World Championships, and cyclocross in winter is a mainstream televised sport here and almost nowhere else.
Then football. The Red Devils are covered as a national project rather than a team, with the golden generation's near-misses still the reference point for every squad since. Domestically the Jupiler Pro League runs a play-off system that splits the table and confuses everyone who did not grow up with it, and Anderlecht, Club Brugge, Genk, Standard and Union carry followings that do not track their current form.
Beyond both: the Belgian Cats, one of the best basketball sides in Europe; Nafi Thiam and Belgian athletics; hockey's Red Lions; and the tennis and Formula 1 results a country of this size follows closely because Spa is here.
Each result summarised to 60 words in English — what happened, the score, what it means for the standing. Written for someone who wants to know the outcome without reading a match report in Dutch.
The Santiago Bernabéu will host the season’s opening marquee fixture, with José Mourinho on the Real Madrid bench. Sixteen years after leaving Inter, the Portuguese coach will face the Italian club, w…
Kevin De Bruyne (35) has so far been getting little playing time at Napoli, appearing for about half an hour. This is unexpected, as coach Massimiliano Allegri had previously shown great appreciation …
Tadej Pogacar’s withdrawal has revived the Vuelta a España after a week of racing. On Sunday in Granada, Enric Mas, Félix Gall and Primož Roglič will battle for overall victory in sweltering heat. Wou…
Visma-Lease a Bike has rewarded Tim Rex with a contract extension through the end of 2029. The announcement comes on August 1, when cycling teams are officially allowed to announce transfers for the f…
Prince Aymeric took part in his first motor race last weekend, where he showed his driving skills. The young member of Belgium’s royal family spoke about the experience and said his parents were stres…
Dylan Groenewegen was hit by a motorcycle while cycling during training. The incident occurred outside a race, while the Dutch cyclist was training. Groenewegen said the accident could have ended much…
The league match between Sporting Charleroi and Cercle Brugge, scheduled for September 19, will be played without spectators. The measure follows incidents during Charleroi’s away match at Standard la…
Jasper Stuyven won the 21st edition of the Derny Festival in Wetteren. The Belgian rider finished ahead of compatriot Jasper Philipsen and French rider Paul Magnier. The race started later than schedu…
Elise Mertens and Russia’s Diana Shnaider qualified for the women’s doubles quarterfinals at the US Open on Monday. The pair, seeded No. 8, will continue its run at the New York tournament. Mertens is…
Zheng Qinwen eliminated Iga Swiatek in the US Open round of 16 on Monday after rallying from 5-0 down in the first set. The Chinese player beat the Polish world No. 8, 7-5, 6-3. After injuries dropped…
Alexander Blockx has lost the second set to Francisco Cerúndolo at the US Open, leveling the match. The Argentine made it 1-1 in sets after a less smooth set for the Belgian. The match continues live,…
The Belgian Cats have reached the quarter-finals of the Basketball World Cup. The Belgian team will have Thursday afternoon off ahead of the game, where they will face either Germany or South Korea. T…
At the Women's Basketball World Cup, 30-year-old Julie Allemand set the all-time record for assists. The Liège native is a key figure for the Belgian Cats as point guard and is described as the team's…
Ferrari endured a disappointing Formula 1 weekend at Monza. Charles Leclerc crashed, while Lewis Hamilton finished sixth. The teammates also nearly collided at the first corner, visibly frustrating Ha…
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