Gent-Wevelgem 2023
Latest News from the Race
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Girmay confirms he will miss Tour of Flanders
Eritrean sticks to plan to head home: 'My family is the first thing, even more than the bike, so I have to take care of them' -
Winner with a human touch: Girmay finds a home from home at Intermarché
The post-E3 Harelbeke conversation that set up the Eritrean’s Gent-Wevelgem victory -
Alpecin-Fenix play chase blame game after missing out at Gent-Wevelgem
'I would've expected Groupama-FDJ to do a little bit more' says Philipsen
Gent-Wevelgem Overview
When is Gent-Wevelgem? One-day race on March 26, 2023
How long is Gent-Wevelgem? TBA
Where does Gent-Wevelgem start? Ypres
Where does Gent-Wevelgem finish? Wevelgem
Gent-Wevelgem 2023 Information
Gent-Wevelgem holds its 75th instalment as a historic Flandrien Classic on March 26, 2023. The WorldTour event is the second stop for 'Flemish Holy Week’, which begins at E3 Saxo Bank Classic two days before and is followed by Dwars door Vlaanderen and then Tour of Flanders.
Gent-Wevelgem rolls through Flanders Fields for the peloton, an area forever entwined with the First World War, to which the race pays homage to the victims of the ‘Great War’ each year.
Often harsh weather conditions, especially wind and rain, create havoc with the peloton before the finish, which culminates just beyond the final climb of the lung-busting cobbled Kemmelberg. Recent modifications to the course have added more climbs and made the race more closely resemble the Tour of Flanders.
The race finishes in Wevelgem but does not start in Gent. It used to start on the outskirts, in Deinze, but now starts west in the centre of Ypres. The race takes riders north through windswept De Moeren and over to the North Sea coast, rather than through the main Flemish Ardennes. It also includes some climbs in the very west of Flanders, the iconic and decisive one being the Kemmelberg. Reduced bunch sprints or small breakaways tend to contest for the victory.
The men’s race was first held in 1934, while a women’s race has been added to the calendar in 2012. Six riders share the prestige of having won the race three times, the most recent addition to the list was in 2018 when Peter Sagan took his third title, which was also a record with a sixth podium. Also in the three-time victory club are Belgians Robert Van Eenaeme, Rik Van Looy, Eddy Merckx and Tom Boonen, Italian Mario Cipollini. In recent years, strong sprinters like Alexander Kristoff (2019), Mads Pedersen (2020) and Wout van Aert (2021) have emerged from front selections to score victories.
Last year, Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) outsprinted Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) in the final 250 metres on Vanackerestraat for the biggest win of his young career. The 21-year-old was part of a four-rider lead group that formed across the final ascent of the Kemmelberg, with Dries van Gestel (TotalEnergies) taking third ahead of Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo). Girmay’s achievement gave him a place in the record books as the first African champion of the cobbled Classic.
Last year’s route of Gent-Wevelgem offered the men's peloton a 284.5km race between Ypres and Wevelgem. After a northward journey to the North Sea coast, the route turned south along the French border and tackled the nine main climbs: Scherpenberg, Baneberg, Monteberg, Kemmelberg (Belvedere), Monteberg, Kemmelberg (Belvedere), Scherpenberg, Baneberg and lastly, the Kemmelberg (Ossuaire). Following third and final ascent of the Kemmelberg, which is taken from its steeper western side, all that remained was the final 34km run-in westwards to the finish in Wevelgem.
Stages
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Gent-Wevelgem 202326 March 2023 | Gent | WorldTour
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Elite Men2023-03-26
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Latest Content on the Race

Girmay confirms he will miss Tour of Flanders
By Barry Ryan published
News Eritrean sticks to plan to head home: 'My family is the first thing, even more than the bike, so I have to take care of them'

Winner with a human touch: Girmay finds a home from home at Intermarché
By Barry Ryan published
Feature The post-E3 Harelbeke conversation that set up the Eritrean’s Gent-Wevelgem victory

Alpecin-Fenix play chase blame game after missing out at Gent-Wevelgem
By Daniel Ostanek published
News 'I would've expected Groupama-FDJ to do a little bit more' says Philipsen

Ben Turner: A complete package, perhaps the next Luke Rowe
By Patrick Fletcher published
Feature Ineos Grenadiers youngster shining in debut Classics campaign

Laporte endures a different kind of second at Gent-Wevelgem
By Barry Ryan published
News 'I came back a bit in the end, but it was too late' says Frenchman of close-run sprint finish

Girmay: Gent-Wevelgem victory is an important moment for African cycling
By Barry Ryan published
News Eritrean confirms he will miss Tour of Flanders due to planned trip home

Asgreen can't do it alone as QuickStep Classics woes continue
By Patrick Fletcher published
News 'We're coming back' insists Steels after misfortune strikes at Gent-Wevelgem

Tom Pidcock: I don't know when I'll be back to my normal self
By Patrick Fletcher published
News 'I finished which is good sign for what's to come' says Briton on comeback ride from illness
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Top News on the Race
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Asgreen can't do it alone as QuickStep Classics woes continue
'We're coming back' insists Steels after misfortune strikes at Gent-Wevelgem -
Tom Pidcock: I don't know when I'll be back to my normal self
'I finished which is good sign for what's to come' says Briton on comeback ride from illness -
Van Aert: We raced how we wanted to at Gent-Wevelgem
'It seems like he's taking steps every day' Belgian says of winner Girmay
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Pidcock: Hard, fast Gent-Wevelgem is not going to end in a bunch sprint
Briton returns to action in Belgium after stomach issues -
Gent-Wevelgem start line quotes: Van Aert, Pidcock, Campenaerts, Pedersen
The main favourites speak ahead of the 249km cobbled Classic -
How to watch Gent-Wevelgem – Spring Classics live streaming
Van Aert, Vos, Sagan, Balsamo, Bennett, Kopecky, Ganna, Wiebes, Asgreen tackle the Kemmelberg
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Trentin regrets gear choice in Gent-Wevelgem sprint
'Wout is already fast enough to win without me making stupid moves' says third-placed UAE Team Emirates rider -
Michael Matthews halted by cramps in Gent-Wevelgem finale
'I guess you have these problems but hopefully the next time I don’t' -
Nizzolo takes first career Classics podium at Gent-Wevelgem
'I don't know if I made the best decision in the sprint' says Italian runner-up
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