Pau Miquel sprints to 2nd place at Antwerp Port Epic
# Pau Miquel Shines with Second Place at Antwerp Port Epic
In a thrilling display of endurance and strategy, Pau Miquel of Bahrain Victorious sprinted to an impressive second place at the Antwerp Port Epic, held on May 25, 2026. Finishing just behind Per Strand Hagenes of Visma | Lease a Bike, Miquel’s performance highlighted the team’s recent success on Belgium’s challenging roads. Dries De Bondt from Jayco AlUla rounded out the podium in third.
The race, spanning 195 kilometers, posed formidable challenges with its blend of gravel sectors and cobblestones, compounded by unusually warm temperatures for the region. Set against this demanding backdrop, Miquel joined a nine-rider leading group approximately 50 kilometers from the finish, making a decisive move that demonstrated his tactical prowess.
In the final moments of the race, as attacks escalated, Hagenes exploited an opportune moment, launching a decisive attack with just 600 meters remaining. Despite a valiant effort from the chasing peloton, spearheaded by Tim Merlier, they were unable to reduce the 30-second gap to the lead group.
Reflecting on his performance, Pau Miquel stated, “Today I was feeling super good from the start, so I knew I had to take the opportunity to fight for the win. Once we got into that group of eight riders, I tried to stay smart and not waste too much energy because I really trusted my sprint. Hagenes was simply stronger today. I want to thank the whole team – riders and staff – for their confidence in me. The team is in a really good moment, with strong results, and you can truly feel that positive energy.”
Bahrain Victorious’ Sports Director, Nikolas Maes, commended the team’s tactical execution. “The guys did a really good job today. We decided to be a bit less active early on and focus mainly on surviving the key moments of the race. Pau’s move was ideal because we knew the race would explode after that point. He anticipated perfectly and made the right group.”
Maes further acknowledged Hagenes’ performance, stating, “Hagenes was extremely strong and honestly deserved the victory. The attacks from Van Moer also pushed everyone to the limit, and combined with Hagenes’ effort, it made the difference. Still, second place for Pau is a great result and a really strong performance.”
With four riders competing in the final stages and Matevž Govekar finishing just outside the top ten, Bahrain Victorious can take pride in their overall team performance at this prestigious event. The Antwerp Port Epic solidifies Bahrain Victorious’ growing momentum in the cycling world as they head into the next challenges of the season.
