Steigenga fifth in Antwerp Port Epic

Steigenga fifth in Antwerp Port Epic

Our team was again in the thick of the action on home turf, at the third edition of the one-day race.

Nicole Steigenga racked up her fourth top-ten result of the season after a solid display in Antwerp Port Epic, the 125km-long race held around the city known as being one of the world’s major seaports.

AG Insurance – Soudal produced another impressive collective ride, animating the day from the beginning as our riders attacked numerous times, trying to be part of the day’s breakaway. As the race progressed and the peloton split into numerous groups on the cobbles and gravel roads that made up most of the course, Steigenga booked a place in a select group which made it to the finish with a small gap on the chasers.

The 27-year-old, a member of our team since 2023, still found enough energy after this fast and wearing race to sprint to fifth behind winner Susanne Andersen (Uno-X Mobility), a result that left sports director Stijn Steels satisfied at the end of the day, especially as it was backed by a great squad effort: “We were up there from the start, placing four riders in the first group. We tried to control the race together with others and then attacked several times, hoping to make the difference. It didn’t work, so it all came down to a small sprint, and we had Nicole there, who was strong enough to be in the top five. It’s a good result that gives us more confidence for the next races.