The 2021 Tour of Belgium (known as the 2021 Baloise Belgium Tour for sponsorship purposes) was the 90th edition of the Tour of Belgiumroad cyclingstage race, which took place from 9 to 13 June 2021. The category 2.Pro event formed a part of the 2021 UCI Europe Tour and the 2021 UCI ProSeries.[1] After being upgraded from a category 2.HC event after the 2019 season, the race was set to feature in the inaugural edition of the UCI ProSeries, but after the cancellation of the 2020 edition, this edition was its UCI ProSeries debut.[2][3]
Eight of the nineteen UCI WorldTeams, nine UCI ProTeams, and four UCI Continental teams made up the twenty-one teams that participated in the race. [4] UCI WorldTeam Israel Start-Up Nation were originally invited, but they withdrew due to a COVID-19 outbreak among their staff members.[5]Trek–Segafredo, with six riders, was the only team to not field a full squad of seven riders. Of the 146 riders who started the race, 137 finished.[6]
On stage 2, Jan-Willem van Schip, who was second in the combativity classification, wore the white jersey, because first placed Robbe Ghys wore the red jersey as the leader of the points classification.
On stage 3, Gianni Marchand, who was third in the points classification, wore the red jersey, because first placed Remco Evenepoel wore the blue jersey as the leader of the general classification and second placed Robbe Ghys wore the white jersey as the leader of the combativity classification.
After stage 3, Jan-Willem van Schip, who led the combativity classification, was disqualified by the UCI's technical committee for having a handlebar set-up in contravention of UCI technical regulations, overruling an early decision by commissaires that allowed van Schip to use such handlebars. As a result, on stage 4, Cédric Beullens, who is second in that classification, will wear the white jersey.[23]
On stage 4, Robbe Ghys, who was second in the points classification, wore the red jersey, because first placed Remco Evenepoel wore the blue jersey as the leader of the general classification.