Among the really big races in Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem is the race with the fewest climbs, which has led to classic sprinters such as Mario Cipollini triumphing alongside Tour de France winners like Jacques Anquetil in the past. The race has also offered everything from bunch sprints to solo victories with a lead of almost three minutes in the women's race.
Ghent-Wevelgem 2024: the most important facts in brief
- Date: 24 March 2024, estimated finish time ~ 16:20 (men) or ~ 17:36 (women)
- Distance253 kilometres (men), 171 kilometres (women)
- Start: Ypres, GoalWevelgem
- Profileflat, hilly second half
- UCI category: (Women's) World Tour
- OrganiserFlanders Classics
- Premiere: 1934 (men), 2014 (women)
- Last year's winnerChristophe Laporte, Marlen Reusser
- Favourites & start list
Gent-Wevelgem is unique in that it focusses on one climb in particular: the Kemmelberg. The slip road is not only cycled several times, but also from different sides. The Belvedere side is 550 metres long and has an average gradient of 9.2 percent. It is more difficult from the direction of Ossuaire. Although the ascent is only slightly steeper at 9.6 per cent, it is significantly longer at 730 metres.
The route of Ghent-Wevelgem 2024
The race has not started in Ghent for a long time. The last time the classic started there was in 2003. Deinze was the starting point for a few years, but since 2020 it has been Ypres, as it has always been for the women. While the women's race heads north towards Veurne via Diksmuide, the men's race takes a loop to the east, which brings them close to the finish line.
After reaching the northernmost point of the route in Adinkerke, which is also a hub in Bruges-De Panne, both sexes follow the same route along the Belgian-French border via Leisele and Poperinge back south to the municipality of Heuvelland, where the core of the race takes place. The men have already covered a good 150 kilometres, the women just over 100 kilometres, almost all of which are flat, where two cobbled sections and windy roads around De Moeren could be the first spoilers.
But then it's off to the races. Men and women first complete the four climbs Scherpenberg, Baneberg, Monteberg and Kemmelberg (Belvedere) within 13 kilometres before the route splits. While the women immediately set course for the Scherpenberg again, also riding the Monteberg and then the Kemmelberg again, but this time from Ossuaire, and then back to Ypres, the second extra loop awaits the men.
These are the Hellingen (men)
- KM 156.6 - Scherpenberg
- KM 161.2 - Baneberg
- KM 167.2 - Monteberg
- KM 169.0 - Kemmelberg (Belvedere)
- KM 199.5 - Monteberg
- KM 201.3 - Kemmelberg (Belvedere)
- KM 208.8 - Scherpenberg
- KM 213.5 - Baneberg
- KM 218.8 - Kemmelberg (Ossuaire)
These are the Hellingen (women)
- KM 106.8 - Scherpenberg
- KM 111.6 - Baneberg
- KM 117.6 - Monteberg
- KM 119.4 - Kemmelberg (Belvedere)
- KM 126.9 - Scherpenberg
- KM 131.6 - Baneberg
- KM 136.9 - Kemmelberg (Ossuaire)
This takes them further south to the municipality of Comines-Warneton and thus to the last corner of Belgium, which is surrounded by France on three sides. It's not far to Lille and Roubaix. But instead of more cobblestone roads, there are three gravel sectors, which have been part of the Gent-Wevelgem programme for several years.
The approximately five kilometre-long sections are called Hill 63, Christmas Truce and The Catacombs, all of which are associated with the First World War and, like large parts of the route, the starting location of Ypres and the nickname of the race, Flanders Fields, are intended to contribute to the culture of remembrance of the horrors of that time.
From there, it's back to Heuvelland for the climbs. Monteberg and Kemmelberg (Belvedere) are ridden over for the second time, followed by Scherpenberg and Baneberg, before the Kemmelberg from Ossuaire is tackled for the grand finale, just like for the women. The men will then also ride back to Ypres - and from there, like the women, to Wevelgem on the Vanackerestraat. From the last crossing of the Kemmelberg, it is another 35 kilometres without any serious topographical difficulties to the finish line.
Ghent Wevelgem 2024 today: TV coverage and live stream
Both the women's and men's races of Gent-Wevelgem will be held in the Free TV as well as in a live stream. Discovery+ (via paid subscription) will even show both races in parallel at times. While the men's broadcast will start at 13:40 on 24 March and end at around 17:15, there will be live pictures of the women's race between 16:00 and 18:30.
Eurosport 1 goes live with the men's race from 15:30 and broadcasts the women's race after they cross the finish line until around 18:00. On Eurosport 2, the programme starts at 14:15.
