Irish cyclist Sam Bennett made his return to competitive cycling at the 2026 Nokere Koerse just four months after undergoing heart surgery.
Racing for Pinarello Q36.5 Pro, Bennett finished 122nd in the 186.4km Belgian semi-classic from Deinze to Nokere having undergone surgery in November, as he described to RTÉ Sport.
The race was won by Jasper Philipsen who denied a fine effort from Alec Segaert who was caught close to the line by the peloton having surged ahead during the race.
It was a first win of the season for Philipsen of the Alpecin-Premier Tech team, with the eventual winner being caught in crashes and being forced to change shoes during an eventful ride.
Irish rider Seth Dunwoody, riding for Bahrain Victorious, finished 86th.
