The victory was a record-equalling third for the Danish rider, who beat Mathieu van der Poel in 2024 and claimed his first win in Gent-Wevelgem in 2020.
A tailwind and Lidl-Trek disrupting the chase meant the peloton was fighting for the final two podium spots, with Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) out-pacing Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) for second and third.
Often harsh weather conditions, especially wind and rain, create havoc with the peloton before the finish that 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.
While the race finishes in Wevelgem, it does not start in Gent. It used to start on the outskirts, in Deinze, but now takes off 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 decide the victory.
Lyne has been involved in professional cycling for more than 15 years in both news reporting and sports marketing. She founded Podium Insight in 2008, quickly becoming a trusted source for news of the North American professional cycling world. She was the first to successfully use social media to consistently provide timely and live race updates for all fans. She is proud to have covered men's and women's news equally during her tenure at the helm of the site. Her writing has appeared on Cyclingnews and other news sites.
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