Gent - Wevelgem 2026
29.03
Jasper Philipsen sprinted to victory in the fastest ever Gent Wevelgem after Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert were caught in the final kilometre, despite animating the race with a late attack, before Philipsen sealed it in a bunch sprint.
How to watch?
Curious about how to watch the 2026 In Flanders Fields - from Middelkerke to Wevelgem Discover it in our complete how-to-watch guide, featuring a full overview of all broadcasters and streaming options.
Route
The 240 kilometre route from Middelkerke to Wevelgem begins with a long, flat opening phase along the Belgian coast, where positioning and wind exposure already play a key role. The first major danger comes at De Moeren, just before 80 kilometres, where crosswinds on open roads can split the peloton early. From there, the race shifts into the hill zone with the Scherpenberg, Baneberg and Monteberg, gradually increasing the intensity.
The decisive section centres around the Kemmelberg, tackled multiple times. The cobbled Belvedere side features gradients above 13 percent, while the final ascent via the steeper Ossuaire side exceeds 16 percent and often proves decisive. Before that, riders must navigate the Plugstreets, rough farm tracks that add chaos and positioning battles. From the final summit, around 35 kilometres remain, offering a tense run in where attackers must resist organised chases or risk being caught before Wevelgem.
Read more about the route in our preview.
Favourites
Mads Pedersen will not return as defending champion after back to back victories due to illness. As a result, Alpecin–Deceuninck and Visma | Lease a Bike are the main favourites with their line ups.
Alpecin–Premier Tech fields a powerful duo with Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen, combining attacking strength with sprint speed. Visma | Lease a Bike counters with Wout van Aert, Christophe Laporte and Matthew Brennan, offering multiple tactical options depending on how the race unfolds.
Lidl-Trek adds depth with Pedersen supported by strong engines like Vacek and Kragh Andersen, while Jonathan Milan provides a sprint alternative. Laurence Pithie leads Red Bull Bora hansgrohe as an emerging threat, with Jordi Meeus as a backup finisher.
Riders like Filippo Ganna, Biniam Girmay and Florian Vermeersch could benefit from selective racing, while outsiders such as Mihkels and Andresen continue to rise. Much will depend on wind and race dynamics, likely favouring aggressive classics specialists over pure sprinters.
Read more about the favourites in our preview and explore the start list via this link.
