The Belgian National Road Race Championship is a cycling race which decides who will become Belgian national champion for the year to come. The men's record for most wins is currently held by one of the most successful Belgian sprinters, Tom Steels, who managed to take four road championship titles.
The winners of each event are awarded with a symbolic cycling jersey, which is black, yellow and red, like the national flag. These colours can be worn by the rider at other road racing events to show their status as national champion. The champion's stripes can be combined into a sponsored rider's team kit design for this purpose.
Multiple champions
The following riders that have managed to win the Elite race more than once.
Men Wins Riderev Years 4 Tom Steels 1997, 1998, 2002, 2004 3 Rik Van Steenbergen 1943, 1945, 1954 Stijn Devolder 2007, 2010, 2013 2 Henri Luyten 1895, 1896 Henri Bertrand 1897, 1898 Francois Verstraeten 1907, 1908 Jules Vanhevel 1920, 1921 René Vermandel 1922, 1924 Félix Sellier 1923, 1926 Joseph Wauters 1929, 1930 Émile Masson Jr. 1946, 1947 André Vlayen 1956, 1957 Rik Van Looy 1958, 1963 Walter Godefroot 1965, 1972 Roger De Vlaeminck 1969, 1981 Michel Pollentier 1977, 1978 Johan Museeuw 1992, 1996 Wilfried Nelissen 1994, 1995 Tom Boonen 2009, 2012 Philippe Gilbert 2011, 2016 Tim Merlier 2019, 2022
Women Wins Rider Years 5 Nicolle Van Den Broeck 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977 4 Jolien D'Hoore 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 Lotte Kopecky 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 3 Yvonne Reynders 1962, 1963, 1976 Mariette Laenen 1971, 1972, 1975 Agnes Dusart 1986, 1987, 1988 2 Maria Herrijgers 1978,1979 Nele D'Haene 1980, 1984 Kristel Werckx 1991, 1993 Heidi Van De Vijver 1994, 1998 Sonja Vermeylen 1996, 1997 Evy Van Damme 2000, 2001 Ludivine Henrion 2007, 2009 Liesbet De Vocht 2010, 2013
Men Elite
Year Gold Silver Bronze 1894 Léon Houa Alexei Schmidt Leon Chisoigne 1895 Henri Luyten Jean Walrant 1896 Henri Luyten (2) Henri Marnette 1897 Henri Bertrand Maurice Virlee Jozef Berchmans 1898 Henri Bertrand (2) Maurice Virlee Georges Luyten 1899 Jules Degeetere Alphonse Seys Fritz Vanderstuyft 1900 Mathieu Quoidbach Hubert Meura Williot 1901 Paul Burger Van Horenbeek Arthur Vanderstuyft 1902 Jules Defrance 1903 Arthur Vanderstuyft Julien Lootens François Dhaen 1904 Jules Sales Arthur Vanderstuyft Théodore Sales 1905 Dieudonné Jamar Henri Devroye Joseph Achten 1906 colspan=3 1907 Francois Verstraeten Camille Haeck Robert Wancour 1908 Francois Verstraeten (2) Cyrille van Hauwaert Eugène Platteau 1909 Cyrille van Hauwaert Dieudonné Jamar Fons Spiessens 1910 Henri Hanlet Michel Debaets Marcel Buysse 1911 Odile Defraye Jules Masselis Cyrille van Hauwaert 1912 Omer Verschoore Henri Devroye 1913 Joseph Van Daele Jean Rossius 1914 Victor Dethier Joseph Van Daele Louis Mottiat 1915–1918 colspan=3 1919 Jean Rossius Joseph Van Daele Louis Mottiat 1920 Jules Vanhevel Louis Mottiat René Vermandel 1921 Jules Vanhevel (2) René Vermandel Louis Mottiat 1922 René Vermandel Philippe Thys Félix Sellier 1923 Félix Sellier Maurice De Waele René Vermandel 1924 René Vermandel (2) Félix Sellier Denis Verschueren 1925 Gerard Debaets Auguste Verdyck Denis Verschueren 1926 Félix Sellier (2) Julien Delbecque Maurice Depauw 1927 August Mortelmans Julien Delbecque Leopold Matton 1928 Joseph Dervaes Félix Sellier Raymond Decorte 1929 Joseph Wauters Georges Ronsse Alfred Haemerlinck 1930 Joseph Wauters (2) Joseph Dervaes Alfred Haemerlinck 1931 Alphonse Schepers Émile Joly Gustaaf Van Slembrouck 1932 Georges Lemaire Gustaaf Van Slembrouck Michel Van Vlockhoven 1933 Louis Duerloo Jozef Vanderhaegen Constant Huys 1934 Louis Roels Emile Bruneau Jozef Vanderhaegen 1935 Gustave Danneels Jef Demuysere Félicien Vervaecke 1936 Jean Aerts Louis Hardiquest Michel D'Hooghe 1937 Karel Kaers Maurice Raes Adelin Van Simaeys 1938 Petrus Van Theemsche Hubert Deltour Marcel Kint 1939 Marcel Kint Roger Vandendriessche Albertin Disseaux 1940 Odiel Van Den Meersschaut André Maelbrancke Gustaaf Van Overloop 1941 André Defoort Gustaaf Van Overloop Achiel De Backer 1942 André Maelbrancke Albert Sercu Lucien Vlaemynck 1943 Rik Van Steenbergen Georges Claes Robert Van Eenaeme 1944 colspan=3 1945 Rik Van Steenbergen (2) Odiel Van Den Meersschaut Jean Bogaerts 1946 Émile Masson Jr. Briek Schotte Maurice Van Herzele 1947 Émile Masson Jr. (2) Jacques Geus Maurice Meersman 1948 Achiel Buysse Briek Schotte Ernest Sterckx 1949 Valère Ollivier Raymond Impanis Prosper Depredomme 1950 Albert Ramon Briek Schotte Valère Ollivier 1951 Lode Anthonis Edward Peeters Emmanuel Thoma 1952 Jozef Schils Robert Vanderstockt Marcel De Mulder 1953 Alois Vansteenkiste Florent Rondelé Stan Ockers 1954 Rik Van Steenbergen (3) Roger Decock René De Smet 1955 Emiel Van Cauter Germain Derycke Jan Storms 1956 André Vlayen Frans Schoubben Karel Clerckx 1957 André Vlayen (2) Roger Verplaetse Karel Clerckx 1958 Rik Van Looy Jef Planckaert Frans Aerenhouts 1959 Petrus Oellibrandt Jan Adriaensens Daniel Denys 1960 Frans De Mulder Willy Vannitsen Arthur Decabooter 1961 Michel Van Aerde Arnould Flecy Jos Hoevenaers 1962 Jef Planckaert Guillaume Van Tongerloo Emile Daems 1963 Rik Van Looy (2) Louis Proost Frans Aerenhouts 1964 Edward Sels Willy Bocklant Frans Melckenbeeck 1965 Walter Godefroot Eddy Merckx Arthur Decabooter 1966 Guido Reybrouck Robert Lelangue Jos Huysmans 1967 Jozef Boons Willy In 't Ven Émile Bodart 1968 Julien Stevens Ferdinand Bracke Guido Reybrouck 1969 Roger De Vlaeminck Walter Godefroot Alfons De Bal 1970 Eddy Merckx Herman Vanspringel Jean-Pierre Monseré 1971 Herman Vanspringel Jozef Spruyt Willy Van Neste 1972 Walter Godefroot (2) Eddy Merckx Albert Van Vlierberghe 1973 Frans Verbeeck Eddy Merckx Willy Planckaert 1974 Roger Swerts Ludo Van Staeyen Johan De Muynck 1975 Willy Teirlinck Willy Planckaert Eddy Merckx 1976 Freddy Maertens Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke Willy Teirlinck 1977 Michel Pollentier Joseph Bruyère Paul Wellens 1978 Michel Pollentier (2) Willy Teirlinck Marcel Laurens 1979 Gery Verlinden Eddy Schepers Marc Renier 1980 Jos Jacobs Dirk Heirweg Eddy Schepers 1981 Roger De Vlaeminck (2) Gery Verlinden Benjamin Vermeulen 1982 Frank Hoste Eddy Vanhaerens Alfons De Wolf 1983 Lucien Van Impe Marc Sergeant Michel Dernies 1984 Eric Vanderaerden Eddy Planckaert Frank Hoste 1985 Paul Haghedooren Claude Criquielion Rudy Dhaenens 1986 Marc Sergeant Hendrik Devos Etienne De Wilde 1987 Ferdi Van Den Haute Jean-Pierre Heynderickx Herman Frison 1988 Etienne De Wilde Herman Frison Jean-Philippe Vandenbrande 1989 Carlo Bomans Eddy Planckaert Alfons De Wolf 1990 Claude Criquielion Edwig Van Hooydonck Frank Van Den Abeele 1991 Benjamin Van Itterbeeck Jim Van De Laer Wilfried Peeters 1992 Johan Museeuw Johan Capiot Johan Devos 1993 Alain Van Den Bossche Guy Nulens Carlo Bomans 1994 Wilfried Nelissen Michel Vanhaecke Peter Verbeken 1995 Wilfried Nelissen (2) Tom Steels Johan Museeuw 1996 Johan Museeuw (2) Geert Van Bondt Johan Bruyneel 1997 Tom Steels Ludo Dierckxsens Kurt Van De Wouwer 1998 Tom Steels (2) Carlo Bomans Peter Van Petegem 1999 Ludo Dierckxsens Michel Vanhaecke Axel Merckx 2000 Axel Merckx Frank Vandenbroucke Rik Verbrugghe 2001 Ludovic Capelle Fabien De Waele Michel Vanhaecke 2002 Tom Steels (3) Ludovic Capelle Gert Vanderaerden 2003 Geert Omloop Jurgen Van Goolen Sven Vanthourenhout 2004 Tom Steels (4) Geert Omloop Geert Verheyen 2005 Serge Baguet Kevin van Impe Nico Sijmens 2006 Niko Eeckhout Philippe Gilbert Tom Boonen 2007 Stijn Devolder Tom Boonen Philippe Gilbert 2008 Jürgen Roelandts Sven Vanthourenhout Niko Eeckhout 2009 Tom Boonen Philippe Gilbert Kristof Goddaert 2010 Stijn Devolder (2) Philippe Gilbert Frederik Veuchelen 2011 Philippe Gilbert Gianni Meersman Jelle Wallays 2012 Tom Boonen (2) Kristof Goddaert Sven Vandousselaere 2013 Stijn Devolder (3) Gianni Meersman Jan Bakelants 2014 Jens Debusschere Roy Jans Tom Boonen 2015 Preben Van Hecke Jürgen Roelandts Greg Van Avermaet 2016 Philippe Gilbert (2) Tim Wellens Greg Van Avermaet 2017 Oliver Naesen Sep Vanmarcke Jasper Stuyven 2018 Yves Lampaert Philippe Gilbert Jasper Stuyven 2019 Tim Merlier Timothy Dupont Wout van Aert 2020 Dries De Bondt Iljo Keisse Pieter Serry 2021 Wout van Aert Edward Theuns Remco Evenepoel 2022 Tim Merlier (2) Jordi Meeus Jasper Philipsen 2023 Remco Evenepoel Alec Segaert Jasper Stuyven 2024 Arnaud De Lie Jasper Philipsen Jordi Meeus 2025 Tim Wellens Remco Evenepoel Jasper Philipsen 2026 Rune Herregodts Jonas Rickaert Fabio Van den Bossche
Amateur / elite without contract
The first amateur championship was contested in 1882. In 1947 it absorbed the former junior category (19 to 22 years). In 1966 this category took the name "international amateurs" when the category of independents disappeared. The "Elite without contract" category replaced the international amateurs in 1996. From that date, riders aged 19 to 22 contest the Under-23 championship, also called "espoirs".