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Gallery: On the startline at Gent-Wevelgem

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Snow, Gilbert's ear-warmers and start delays

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Peter Sagan bundled up against the frigid air in Belgium

Peter Sagan bundled up against the frigid air in Belgium (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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The Cannondale team compares gloves

The Cannondale team compares gloves (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Taylor Phinney was the dark knight in Deinz

Taylor Phinney was the dark knight in Deinz (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Filippo Pozzato didn't want to come out of his coat

Filippo Pozzato didn't want to come out of his coat (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Who was that masked man?

Who was that masked man? (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Philippe Gilbert (BMC)

Philippe Gilbert (BMC) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Snow settles on the Astana team car

Snow settles on the Astana team car (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Fabian Cancellara's win in E3 has lifted the spirits at RadioShack

Fabian Cancellara's win in E3 has lifted the spirits at RadioShack (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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RadioShack riders do their best to keep warm

RadioShack riders do their best to keep warm (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Philippe Gilbert (BMC) played up for the media ahead of Gent-Wevelgem

Philippe Gilbert (BMC) played up for the media ahead of Gent-Wevelgem (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Fabian Cancellara does his best to keep out of the cold

Fabian Cancellara does his best to keep out of the cold (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Stars and stripes for Taylor Phinney at Gent-Wevelgem

Stars and stripes for Taylor Phinney at Gent-Wevelgem (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Fabian Cancellara heads to the start of Gent-Wevelgem

Fabian Cancellara heads to the start of Gent-Wevelgem (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Philippe Gilbert (BMC) was in good spirits at the start

Philippe Gilbert (BMC) was in good spirits at the start (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Team Sky keep warm before the start of Gent-Wevelgem

Team Sky keep warm before the start of Gent-Wevelgem (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Alessandro Petacchi didn't look to happy

Alessandro Petacchi didn't look to happy (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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The World Champion's bike

The World Champion's bike (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Former Paris-Roubaix winner Frédéric Guesdon

Former Paris-Roubaix winner Frédéric Guesdon (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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IAM cold: Heinrich Haussler at the start of Gent-Wevelgem

IAM cold: Heinrich Haussler at the start of Gent-Wevelgem (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Andreas Klier (Garmin-Sharp)

Andreas Klier (Garmin-Sharp) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Johan Vansummeren (Garmin-Sharp)

Johan Vansummeren (Garmin-Sharp) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Defending chamion Tom Boonen (Omega-Pharma QuickStep)

Defending chamion Tom Boonen (Omega-Pharma QuickStep) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Mark Renshaw (Blanco)

Mark Renshaw (Blanco) (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Sep Vanmarcke's knee is recovering nicely ahead of next week's Tour of Flanders

Sep Vanmarcke's knee is recovering nicely ahead of next week's Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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The Blanco team will head into Gent-Wevelgem with a number of options

The Blanco team will head into Gent-Wevelgem with a number of options (Image credit: Daniel Simms)
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Greg Van Avermaet wraps up ahead of Gent-Wevelgem

Greg Van Avermaet wraps up ahead of Gent-Wevelgem (Image credit: Daniel Simms)

Gent-Wevelgem felt the effects of Europe’s cold weather snap with a change of start location and course cuts on Sunday morning. Traditionally the race starts in Deinze but with snowfall in the last 24 hours organisers were forced to cut the first 50 kilometres of the race and begin the race in Gistel.

The race started at cafe Tourmalet which is a pub that was once founded by cycling legend Sylveer Maes. The riders will not have time to hop in for a drink as the race would be hectic right from the start. Team director Eric Van Lancker (Garmin-Sharp) referred to crosswinds right after turning away from the coast into the flatlands De Moeren.

The majority of the course remains the same but with a few climbs under threat as the race heads north towards the coast and then south to Wevelgem.