Gent-Wevelgem: New name and new route for the spring cycling classic

Organiser Flanders Classics is making a fundamental change to the Belgian spring classic Ghent-Wevelgem in 2026. The WorldTour one-day race will be called "In Flanders Fields - From Middelkerke to Wevelgem" and will start in Middelkerke on the North Sea coast instead of Ypres, which has held this function since 2020. Before Ypres, Deinze was the starting point of the traditional race. In future, the women's race will start and finish in Wevelgem, with both races taking place on 29 March 2026.

The name change to "In Flanders Fields - From Middelkerke to Wevelgem" reflects the geographical reorientation. The English title follows on from the existing name "Gent-Wevelgem - In Flanders Fields", which the race has been called for around ten years. The extension of the name is causing controversial discussions in the cycling scene about marketing strategies in professional cycling. Fields" refers to the former battlefields of the First World War, including the strategic hills of Hill 63 and Kemmelberg.

The new route

The new route is 240 kilometres long between Middelkerke on the North Sea coast and the finish in Wevelgem. There are twelve climbs along the way. The last chance to distance sprinters remains the Kemmelberg climb at kilometre 205, which is infamous from the war. The character of the race remains similar to the past, even if the first half of the race is likely to be more susceptible to wind than before.

Wevelgem has already extended its agreement with the organisers until 2031, ensuring continuity with the proven finish and final kilometres of the race. The combination of a new start location and established finish creates a geographical realignment from the coast to the inland.

Big names in the list of winners of Gent-Wevelgem

Mads Pedersen won the race in the last two years. Lorena Wiebes also won the women's race twice in a row, underlining her strength in the Belgian one-day races. This series of successes shows the enduring appeal of the race for top sprinters.

>> How the women's Ghent-Wevelgem 2025 went

>> How the men's Gent-Wevelgem 2025 went

The list of winners in recent years includes prominent names such as Wout van Aert (2021), Biniam Girmay (2022) and Christophe Laporte (2023). This variety of different types of winners underlines the open character of the race, which can favour both pure sprinters and all-rounders.

The details of the women's race

The women's race is 135 kilometres long and starts from the finish in Wevelgem. The cyclists have to cross five Hellinge (climbs). The Kemmelberg is also the last climb for them and, as with the men, is around 35 kilometres before the finish line.