Live - 2026 Gent-Wevelgem – Jasper Philipsen takes it in nail-biting finish!

Hello everyone and welcome to Domestique's live coverage for the 2026 Gent-Wevelgem. 

A great start list lines up in West Flanders from Mathieu van der Poel, fresh off os his spectacular E3 win, to his long time competior Wout van Aert. It's not only those but also some top sprinters inlcluding the likes of Jonathan Milan, Jasper Philipsen and Biniam Girmay.

The menu for the race ahead:
Date -  Sunday 29 March
Distance - 240 km
Start Location - Middelkerke
Finish Location - Wevelgem
Start time (CET) - 11:07
Expected finish (CET) - 16:30

A total of 240 kilometres separates Middelkerke on the Belgian North Sea coast from the finish in Wevelgem. The opening phase is completely flat, but the first real danger comes at De Moeren, just before the 80-kilometre mark. The exposed roads here have split the race countless times in the past and could do so again if the wind plays its part.

Read the full preview here: Can somebody stop Mathieu van der Poel? - 2026 Gent-Wevelgem preview

Here's a weather update provided on X by Eritropoetina with the wind speeds teetering on the edge of echelons possibilities. Belgian broadcaster Sporza will be broadcasting De Moeren exclusively.

Twelve months ago, Mads Pedersen powered to victory with a commanding 56-kilometre solo, finishing 49 seconds ahead of a chasing group led by Tim Merlier.

Gent-Wevelgem was renamed 'In Flanders Fields - From Middelkerke to Wevelgem' from 2026 onwards, with the race start moved from Ypres to Middelkerke as part of a 10-year agreement announced by organiser Flanders Classics. 

Looking to watch the 2026 Gent-Wevelgem (since this year: In Flanders Fields - From Middelkerke to Wevelgem) featuring Mathieu van der Poel, Mads Pedersen, Van Aert, and De Lie? This guide tells you exactly where to tune in - wherever you are in the world. From TV schedules and live broadcasters to VPN tips, here’s how to follow the race.

Guide: How to watch the 2026 Gent-Wevelgem: Streaming and TV by country

It's one battle after another for Mads Pedersen this spring. A broken wrist on his first race day of 2026 put his Classics campaign in doubt, but he returned and impressed at Milan-Sanremo last weekend. A cold, however, has now ruled him out of Gent-Wevelgem, where he was seeking a record-breaking fourth win.

Full story: Illness forces Mads Pedersen out of Gent-Wevelgem

Visma directeur sportif Arthur van Dongen told Domestique, “We saw in Tirreno that he became better and better day by day, and we saw more of that in Sanremo,” Van Dongen said. “We think he’s ready and we’ll see it on Sunday at Gent-Wevelgem, and hopefully next week. All signs are good. We will see.”

Full story: 'All signs are good' - Van Aert returns to the fray at Gent-Wevelgem

Who, beyond the top favourites, could make an impact at Gent-Wevelgem? Here are five riders who might surprise. 

Full feature: Five riders who might surprise at Gent-Wevelgem

Oliver Naesen states that the team's goal is to bring and work Tobias Lund Andresen to the finish in Wevelgem. Most recently, the Dane finished 6th in the E3 Saxo Classic.

Data from Van der Poel’s effort shows that over the final 90 minutes of E3, he averaged 446 watts, the highest sustained output he has ever recorded over that duration. 

Full story: Van der Poel hits career best numbers in E3 Saxo Classic win

There are just over 20 minutes until the 2026 In Flanders Fields will get underway for the 240 kilometres!

Biniam Girmay made history in 2022, becoming the first black African to win a major classic after his victory at Gent-Wevelgem. Here are his thoughts ahead of the race today

Mathieu van der Poel is in the mixed zone, and he, too, looks ready for the race ahead, but he is still wearing the bandage on that damaged finger.

Speaking to Sporza, Van Aert had no regrets about skipping E3, "No, I wasn't disappointed. Unless it was for my teammate Per (Strand Hagenes), who just missed out on the win."

The neutralised start is scheduled for 11:00 CET in Middelkerke; it will be a brief one, as the riders get underway on the 240 kilometres shortly after.

Iljo Keisse, Team Manager Soudal Quick-Step, stated before the day, "We start the day with Paul Magnier as team leader."

Quick-Step's lineup also contains Yves Lampaert, Jasper Stuyven, Laurenz Rex, Fabio van den Bossche, Jonathan Vervenne and Bert Van Lerberghe.

Here are some of the last editions of Gent-Wevelgem and how they were won. Mads Pedersen had the chance to make it four from seven until a cold ruled him out...

Over the years, there have been some absolute classics in West Flanders. It was a hard choice, but in our opinion, here are the five best editions.

Full feature: The five best editions of Gent-Wevelgem in the 21st century

3.3 kilometres of the neutralised start is on the cards for the riders as that is underway at the moment.

Christophe Laporte decided it was time for a change of clothing as he took off his bodywarmer before the race kicked off. 

The race is underway, and immediately, Picnic PostNL launches an attack with a rider! 

A group of riders had escaped up the road, but they were brought back almost instantly at the relaxed tempo.

A Flanders Baloise rider is the next to try a move, and he has a slight gap over the peloton.

Julius Johansen (UAE), Victor Vercouille (Flanders Baloise), a Unibet Rose Rockets rider and a Cofidis rider have 12 seconds over the chasing peloton.

The riders mentioned in the break, but unidentified, were Camille Charet (Cofidis) and Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets).

The peloton can see the four riders ahead, who are cooperating well, with their gap out to 20 seconds to the peloton behind.

Here's the moment the peloton rolled off for the neutral in Middelkerke.

Camille Charet (Cofidis), Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets), and Julius Johansen (UAE), Victor Vercouille (Flanders Baloise) are clear of the peloton with 228 kilometres to go.

Reactions from behind with a group 2 containing Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Jules Hesters (Flanders Baloise) and Hartthijs De Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets). 

That group is 26 seconds down on the front group and 20 seconds ahead of the peloton.

Julius Johansen pushes on with the front group, who have taken 1:30 over the peloton with 223 kilometres to go.

Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Jules Hesters (Flanders Baloise) and Hartthijs De Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets) have nearly made the connection to the front group as they are 14 seconds behind.

The pace in the peloton is pretty relaxed to say the least.

It's safe to say that we amateurs will be able to keep up in the peloton! It would be over shortly after, though, as De Moeren is approaching with the potential, as always, for echelons to form.

Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Jules Hesters (Flanders Baloise) and Hartthijs De Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets) join Camille Charet (Cofidis), Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets), and Julius Johansen (UAE), Victor Vercouille (Flanders Baloise).

The eight-man group has 3:09 and is growing over the peloton with 220 kilometres to go.

Still over 100 kilometres until the first Belgian berg of the race, which is the Scherpenberg, just after the 130 kilometre mark.

Alpecin is dictating the peloton once more with Silvan Dillier, with the gap held steady at 3:20. The Belgian team has six riders in a line at the front of the peloton.

Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Jules Hesters (Flanders Baloise), Hartthijs De Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets), Camille Charet (Cofidis), Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets), and Julius Johansen (UAE), Victor Vercouille (Flanders Baloise) hold 3:45 over the Alpecin lead peloton with 211 kilometres to go.

A really lovely spring day in Belgium as the break pushes on!

The opening proceedings in the peloton have been controlled by Alpecin-Premier Tech, who have controlled the gap to the eight rider break at just over the four-minute mark.

Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Jules Hesters (Flanders Baloise), Hartthijs De Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets), Camille Charet (Cofidis), Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets), and Julius Johansen (UAE), Victor Vercouille (Flanders Baloise) hold 4:20 over the Alpecin lead peloton with 200 kilometres to go.

The pace is held steady for the time being, but in 30 minutes, De Moeren will arrive. Will we see any echelons?

Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel are pictured as their team continues to work hard on the front of the peloton, especially Silvan Dillier.

What a lovely view the riders enjoyed at the start today! 

Speaking pre-race to the media, the Lidl-Trek sprinter said, "I was sick after Tirreno-Adriatico. I am not one hundred percent, but I do feel confident."

His best result in Gent-Wevelgem was a third in 2025.

The eight-man group ahead has built up a hefty margin and the gap now sits at over five minutes to the peloton behind.

The peloton’s passage through De Moeren will be available exclusively on Sporza. We’ve partnered with two VPN providers so you can watch from anywhere. By using these offers, you also support us in keeping our content free.

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Can you spot Wout van Aert? He's taking the time to hydrate as he sits in a comfortable position in the peloton.

As the riders approach De Moeren, Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Jules Hesters (Flanders Baloise), Hartthijs De Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets), Camille Charet (Cofidis), Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets), and Julius Johansen (UAE), Victor Vercouille (Flanders Baloise) holds 5:35 over the peloton with 170 kilometres to go.

After a brief break, the live images are back, just in time for potential chaos.

A crash occurs in the back of the peloton, and down go Timo Kielich (Visma | Lease a Bike), Laurenz Rex (Soudal Quick-Step), and Max Kanter (XDS-Astana). All look quite shaken with Rex in a ditch.

Images of the breakaway who continue to cooperate with a steady pace, their advantage is 5:30 over the Alpecin lead peloton.

The break is now in the open and exposed De Moeren with the windspeed sitting at 17km/h. 

Peloton is not far behind, and with the wind on the cusp of echelon territory, will we see any upping of the tempo?

Tudor, Bahrain Victorious, and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe have all sent riders to the front of the peloton as the break's gap is slashed by a minute.

Nothing really happened there! The race is back to relative calmness as no team was able to force a split.

We will now have to wait another 45 minutes until live images are provided once more, for more information on the broadcast, find it here: How to watch the 2026 Gent-Wevelgem: Streaming and TV by country

Julius Johansen is setting the pace in the breakaway, who have 4:35 over the peloton; it was a minute more before De Moeren. 

The break and peloton are about to traverse a minor cobbled sector, Veurnestraat, which is 1.3 kilometres in length. Should be no issues.

Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Jules Hesters (Flanders Baloise), Hartthijs De Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets), Camille Charet (Cofidis), Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets), Julius Johansen (UAE) and Victor Vercouille (Flanders Baloise) hold 5:05 over the peloton with 145 kilometres to go.

As a result of the earlier crash, Laurenz Rex has had to abandon the race, a big shame considering the immense form the Belgian was in.

Again, as a result of the earlier crash, Max Kanter has had to abandon the race.

There are potential splits within the peloton; there is a lack of information so far on caught-out riders.

Here's a close-up of the peloton as they hammered it through De Moeren a few kilometers earlier, but no splits were caused then!

The eight-man group ahead is having its advantage slashed! It has fallen over 1:10 in the last kilometers. First berg in 20 kilometres. 

130 kilometres to go.

Around 40 riders are reported in the front split as the gap to the break between that group and the break is now 3:20!

Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Jules Hesters (Flanders Baloise), Hartthijs De Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets), Camille Charet (Cofidis), Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets), Julius Johansen (UAE) and Victor Vercouille (Flanders Baloise) hold 2:55 over the peloton with 122 kilometres to go.

Group three is around a minute behind the peloton.

A flurry of climbs is approaching, first is the Scherpenberg, followed by the Baneberg, Monteberg and the Kemmelberg over the next 20 kilometres.

The breakaway's advantage is now only 1:45 over a front split, which contains riders including Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel, Jasper Philipsen, amongst others.

Some notable riders caught out include Tobias Lund Andresen and Filippo Ganna, who are in a split, 30 seconds behind.

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are pushing the front split as the group is now less than a minute behind the break.
 

100 kilometres to go.

The riders are onto the Baneberg and Soudal Quick-Step now, and send a rider to the front as a Red Bull and Visma rider obtains a minuscule gap.

Christophe Laporte and Gianni Vermeersch are the two riders who have taken a marginal gap over the peloton with the group 30 seconds behind the eight-man group.

The split in the peloton and the attack of Vermeersch and Laporte were close, as the next obstacle is the Monteberg.

Mathieu van der Poel is situated right at the front.

Brady Gilmore (NSN Cycling Team) takes the entertaining last stage in Barcelona while Jonas Vinegaard seals the GC.

Read the race report via this link.

A beast of a climb, and this is the easier side... Riders are dropping from the breakaway, the first being Jules Hesters.

Ben Turner (Ineos) has sent it up the Kemmelberg and has taken a gap over the peloton.

The peloton was not messing around and quickly caught Ben Turner. Florian Vermeersch worked hard to reel him in.

25 seconds separate the peloton from the breakaway, and the pace is relentless in the peloton behind as more moves follow.

Plugstreet's time and the fight for position is on! The pace has slightly calmed in the group.

After a brief period of relaxation, the pace is back thanks to the efforts of Gianni Vermeersch and Jasper Stuyven. Splits happening.

Paul Magnier had a mechanical issue and required a swift bike change.

Paul Magnier is back on his own bike after he switched bikes with his teammate just a kilometre earlier. Yves Lampaert, his teammate, also had a mechanical issue.

Look at the way the riders power up the Kemmelberg! Next time up, it will be the more difficult side...

Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Frits Biesterbos (Picnic PostNL), Hartthijs De Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets), Camille Charet (Cofidis), Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets), Julius Johansen (UAE), and Victor Vercouille (Flanders Baloise) hold 48 seconds over the peloton with 64 kilometres to go.

The fight for position is on in the peloton as the two ascents of the Monteberg and Kemmelberg are up next for the second time.

Ronan Augé is doing wheelies up the Kemmel!

Wout van Aert drives the pace up the Kemmel and Van der Poel and a few others are on the wheel!

Van der Poel and Van Aert have caught the break and are joined by Vermeersch.

Van der Poel and Van Aert are cooperating well with the break, but their gap is around 10-15 seconds.

Jonathan Milan has made it back onto the team after good work from his Lidl teammates. Meanwhile, Ben Turner had a nasty crash, and it was a rather horrible and tangled one.

The front group containing the likes of Van der Poel, Vermeersch, and Van Aert has 22 seconds of an advantage over the Decathlon lead peloton.

The final ascents of the Monteberg and Kemmelberg are coming in the next kilometres with the front group 35 seconds ahead. with 43 kilometres to go.

Aime De Gendt (Pinarello Q36.5) has attempted to bridge across to the break with 40 kilometres to go.

Here we go, the Kemmel for the final time. Who will launch the first move? Back behind, Decathlon is trying to control the gap at 58 seconds.

Van der Poel vs Van Aert atop the Kemmel!! Wow, they launched it, Vermeersch 10 seconds behind.

Lovely to see this again!

The famed duo is cooperating well and could be about to compete for victory today.

In their last 34 one day races together, Mathieu van der Poel came out on top 23 times, compared to 11 for Wout van Aert.

Van der Poel and Van Aert have 11 seconds over Vermeersch behind, with the peloton a minute down on the front two.

Red Bull drives the pace behind, and it's a fast run in all the way in for the final 30 kilometres now. Peloton trails by 1:02.

The peloton has got a move on, and the gap is 55 seconds to the elite duo ahead. Can they catch them?

The peloton passes through the Menin Gate, officially the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing. It is a war memorial in Ypres, Belgium, dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient. 

The chase behind has been taken over by Decathlon CMA CGM with Oliver Naesen, and the gap is coming down more, down to 42 seconds.

Van der Poel and Van Aert are 19 seconds ahead of Vermeersch, with the pair 40 seconds ahead of the peloton. The chase is on!

Not to be for Florian Vermeersch, as he is about to be caught by the Red Bull lead peloton and it appears the front two will be caught by them as well.

The gap is now just 22 seconds! The gap is stabilising ever so slightly.

Van Aert and Van der Poel now have just 15 seconds over the peloton as Red Bull drives the pace for Jordi Meeus.

The gap is just 12 seconds, and it's looking ever more likely that the win is coming from the peloton!

Are we going to get Deja Vu from E3? Let's see if the chase sticks this time.... Alec Segaert attacks!

Segaert is making slight progress, Decathlon works the peloton, but the gap remains at 12 seconds!

Segaert bridges across as two becomes three! Let's see the cooperation at the front here...

Ganna is on the front of the peloton, and it's into single digits; it's nip and tuck!

They are mere metres behind! Ganna digs deep, and the catch is made... Who will take it? Segaert launches.

Wow, perfect timing, Jasper Philipsen wins In Flanders Fields!

The 2026 In Flanders Fields was the fastest ever edition!

Jasper Philipsen, with victory today, has made it the 60th victory of his career!

Just take a watch and enjoy this thrilling finale!

1st: Jasper Philipsen
2nd: Tobias Lund Andresen
3rd: Christophe Laporte

A great day for 23-year-old Brit, Robert Donaldson (Jayco AlUla), who took a brilliant 5th!

Teamwork makes the dreamwork as Mathieu van der Poel congratulates Jasper Philipsen!

The Belgian sprinter proved to be the quickest in the finish to win the fastest edition of Gent-Wevelgem as Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert went head-to-head in the finale. 

Full report: Philipsen storms to Gent-Wevelgem victory after late catch of Van Aert and Van der Poel.

Speaking to the Media post-race, Van der Poel said, "I could still feel the effort from Friday; I wasn't feeling the freshest. I indicated that too. Great that Jasper wins. Now off to Spain to train well some more ahead of the Tour of Flanders. I feel good, but beating Pogacar will be tough."

Well, what a race that was! A top win for Jasper Philipsen and solid podiums for Tobias Lund Andresen and Christophe Laporte.

Thanks, everyone, for joining us today. We will see you on Wednesday for Dwars Door Vlaanderen!