Gent-Wevelgem start moved to Gistel

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Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) won Gent-Wevelgem for the third time in his career (Image credit: Photopress.be)

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Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) powers to the win in Gent-Wevelgem ahead of Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Matti Breschel (Rabobank) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

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A sea of colour at the 2012 Gent-Wevelgem in Belgium (Image credit: Gruber Images)

Gent-Wevelgem will definitely go ahead on Sunday after race director Frank Hoste did a reconnaissance of the course on Saturday. However the WorldTour race will start from Gistel, to the north-west of Gent, shortening the parcours by 45km.

Gent-Wevelgem organisers play weather waiting game

Gent-Wevelgem race preview

Hoste met with teams on Saturday afternoon, announcing the changes.

With more snow forecast to fall from around 10pm on Saturday evening and with temperatures plummeting to around -3, a decision will be made on Sunday morning before the race over the inclusion of the two ascents of the Casselberg.

"We will not make the mistake of Milan-San Remo" Hoste told Nieuwsblad. "The health and safety of the riders have priority."

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