As it happened: Lorena Wiebes takes 99th career victory in Brugge - De Panne

Welcome to live coverage of the eighth edition of the women's Brugge - De Panne 

This race is one for the sprinter’s and all of the fastest riders in the women’s WorldTour are here including European Champion Lorena Wiebes as well as Charlotte Kool, 2024 winner Elisa Balsamo and Chiara Consonni. 

It’s a pan-flat course which in previous editions has seen crosswind action on the infamous De Moeren. Today, however, the sun is shining and there is very little wind meaning we are likely to see the race come down to a bunch sprint. 

The men's peloton faced similar conditions yesterday resulting in a crash-filled finale that took out many of the favourites. The women will be hoping to avoid a similar outcome today, but will teams be able to make it hard enough to thin down the field without any crosswinds? 

The riders are off for the neutral start, they have 8.5km before the official start in Bruges. 

After her victory at Sanremo women at the weekend, Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx - Protime goes into this race as the favourite having demonstrated the form she is in. Of course, the hills of Sanremo are very different to the flat and technical roads in Belgium but the Dutch rider has also shown herself to be pretty adept in a straight sprint, too. 

Charlotte Kool has been Wiebes' closest rival for some time, however the Team Picnic - PostNL rider has been unable to get the better of her compatriot so far this season, including in UAE Tour where she had previously managed to beat Wiebes. Can the 25-year-old find the speed to take her first De Panne victory today? 

Lidl - Trek's Elisa Balsamo is another fast finisher to watch today. The former World Champion has one Women's WorldTour victory under her belt already this season from Trofeo Alfredo Binda earlier this month but hasn't always been able to match the pure speed of Wiebes. The Italian does have a strong team around her, however, including new teammates Anna Henderson and Emma Norsgaard.

Official start

The flag has been dropped and the race is officially on!

Bright blue skies in Bruges! 

146 km to go

The peloton is still complete so far. 

"It's going to come down to a sprint finish today so we're prepared for a good day working around that" - Amber Pate of Liv AlUla Jayco before the race 

All together

After 20 km of racing the peloton are still all together. 

124 km to go

Still no sign of a breakaway after 30km of racing.

113 km to go

Maybe the sprinter's teams are controlling the race, or maybe nobody fancies a day in the breakaway but for whatever reason there has been no action out of the peloton after 40 km of racing. 

Maike van der Duin (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto) has a flat 

102 km to go

The peloton will soon pass through Veurne for the first time today before heading towards the first passage of the finish line and the start of three local laps. 

Crash

There has been a crash in the peloton on the approach to Veurne

90 km to go

The peloton will soon pass through the finish line in De Panne for the first time. They have two more laps of the local circuit to complete before the finish. 

First passage of the finish

The peloton have crossed the finish line for the first time. There was a flurry of attacks as they approached De Panne however they have now been neutralised.

Two more laps of the 42.9 circuit left. Will we see a break go or will the peloton remain together until the finish? 

Attack

We have an attack! Two riders have a small gap: Millie Couzens of Fenix - Deceuninck and Elena Pirrone of Roland 

The two riders have a 20 second gap to the peloton 

Breakaway

30 seconds now for the two leaders 

Human Powered Health, Lidl - Trek, and SD Worx - Protime are leading the peloton

The two breakaway riders are passing through Veurne for the second time 

Crash

Crash involving three riders: Franziska Koch of Team Picnic PostNL, Femke Beuling of VolkerWessels Women's Pro Cycling Team, and Britt de Grave of DD Group Pro Cycling Team.

Koch and Beuling are back on their bikes 

60 km to go

The gap for the two leaders (Couzens and Pirrone) is 36 seconds

Lidl - Trek, Liv AlUla Jayco, Uno - X Mobility, and Movistar are all present at the front of the peloton

Following the earlier crash, Britt de Grave of DD Group Pro Cycling Team has abandoned the race. 

Lorena Wiebes in the peloton. Can the European Champion take her 99th career victory today? 

FDJ SUEZ, Lidl - Trek, and Liv AlUla Jayco are controlling the peloton. 

The breakaway riders are on De Moeren 

The gap to the breakaway is now down to 28 seconds 

50 km to go

The two leaders have a gap of 23 seconds. Liv AlUla Jayco, Ceratizit - WNT, Lidl - Trek, and FDJ SUEZ are at the front of the peloton. 

The gap is now down to 14 seconds as the riders head towards the finish line for the second time

FDJ SUEZ and Lidl - Trek are setting a high pace on the approach to De Panne

Just 10 seconds now for the two breakaway riders 

The breakaway riders have passed through the feed zone and have now been caught 

All together

The peloton are now all together as they approach the second passage of the finish line.

Crash

Crash in the peloton for riders from Canyon//SRAM - zondacrypto

One lap to go

The peloton cross the line as the bell signals one lap to go

Chiara Consonni (Canyon//SRAM - Zondacrypto) is being led back into the peloton by teammate Zoe Backstedt after her crash 

UAE Team ADQ have come to the front of the peloton alongside FDJ SUEZ.

Nina Buijsman of FDJ SUEZ has abandoned the race 

40 km to go

FDJ SUEZ, Liv AlUla Jayco, and Ceratizit - WNT are setting a high pace at the front of the peloton

Attack

Attack from Floortje Mackaij of Movistar 

Mackaij is brought back by FDJ SUEZ

Attack

Mackaij has attacked again and has a small gap

Millie Couzens of Fenix - Deceuninck closes the gap to Mackaij.

Attack

Cat Ferguson of Movistar attacks 

Ferguson has a sizeable gap 

Fenix Deceuninck and FDJ SUEZ are chasing behind 

Ferguson has a 10 second lead 

SD Worx Protime have joined the chase in the peloton behind as Ferguson now has a 12 second lead 

30 km to go

Ferguson, who is junior time trial World Champion, now has a lead of 14 seconds as the peloton are spread across the road behind.

FDJ SUEZ have taken up the chase and Feguson's gap is now down to just 9 seconds 

Team Picnic - PostNL and Uno-X Mobility have joined the chase 

25 km to go

16 seconds now for Ferguson with 25 km to go

Team Picnic Post-NL are chasing alongside Team SD Worx Protime

The peloton are passing through Veurne for the final time 

Ferguson, who at 18 is the second-youngest rider in the race, is still holding off the peloton. Her gap is 18 seconds with 22 km to go. 

SD Worx Protime are leading the chase behind.

Lidl - Trek have now taken to the front 

Skylar Schneider leads the chase for SD Worx Protime as Ferguson maintains a 16 second lead.

Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto are now leading the peloton

Team Visma | Lease a Bike have also come to the front now as Ferguson holds onto a 9 second advantage.

16 km to go

Ferguson's lead is fluctuating between around 10 and 15 seconds 

SD Worx Protime are back on the front now working for Lorena Wiebes 

13 km to go

Ferguson is still holding onto her lead which is currently 14 seconds 

Ferguson is on De Moeren with an advantage of 20 seconds 

On the long, straight section the peloton can see Ferguson up ahead but will they catch her? 

10 km to go

Ferguson still holds on to a 14 second lead 

Crash

crash in the peloton for riders from Cofidis and DD Group Pro Cycling Team

Amalie Dideriksen of Cofidis and Yonna van Dam of DD Group Pro Cycling Team are the riders who crashed

Coming in to the final 7 km of racing and Ferguson still maintains a 20 second lead 

Uno-X Mobility have joined the chase to try and reel Ferguson back in 

Team Picnic PostNL and Uno - X Mobility are really working to bring the gap to Ferguson down but the British rider is holding on to a 15 second lead

5 km to go

10 seconds for Ferguson now with 5 km to go

Lidl-Trek and UAE Team ADQ are pulling in the peloton, Ferguson's lead has plummeted to eight seconds now 

3 km to go

The peloton are very close to catching Ferguson now as they head towards the finish.

crash

Huge crash in the peloton 

Abi Smith of Picnic PostNL is involved in the crash

All together

Ferguson is caught, all together on the approach to the line 

2 km to go

The crash caused a split in the bunch but the favourites remain towards the front 

Lidl - Trek and Uno-X Mobility lead

Lidl Trek lead into the final corner

Lorena Wiebes is latched into Elisa Balsamo's wheel 

Wiebes launches 

Finish

Lorena Wiebes wins!

Despite a late challenge from Chiara Consonni the European Champion was the fastest to the line and takes career victory number 99. Elisa Balsamo of Lidl - Trek claims third.

Top-10

Interview

Lorena Wiebes:

"I needed to start my sprint quite early so it was a bit of a gamble. It was a hectic day and I'm happy with the teamwork and how they brought me to the finish line." 

"The whole race was quite nervous and this final is always quite nervous but I had Barabara [Guarischi] in front of me and she brought me into a good position so that was good." 

"Actually that was better compared to yesterday tha oe team really took the lead. Lidl-Trek they had the full leadout still and then it's a bit more on one line so with the narrow roads it's better."

Did she know Consonni was coming?

"I felt someone coming back at me but I knew that I had to go full gas." 

Looking ahead to Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday: "I hope there will be a lot of wind."

Interview

Elisa Balsamo

"I really need to say thank you to all of my teammates, they did an amazing job it was honestly the perfect leadout. My legs today were not the best legs but the first two riders were stronger so it's ok i'm just really happy because today the team was perfect."

Was it hard to find the right moment to start the sprint? 

"No because I know the finish, the team did an amazing job so I knew where I needed to start my sprint."

On Wiebes:

"We said before she is really strong and today we saw that she is the strongest." 

"The final was really nervous but we were always in the front so it was easier." 

Interview

Chiara Consonni, second place:

"Really good. In the end a podium in this first part of the season, I'm really happy because when you change the team sometimes it's hard to work together and today we tried and I think we did out best. I also tried to sprint until the finish line but I am happy with my second place."

"It was really hard to pick the best position because we were in a big bunch and everyone wanted to stay in her [Wiebes'] wheel. I started the sprint maybe a bit back but I'm really happy about my feeling and I can't wait until the next time I can sprint with all these girls." 

Is she happy with her race? 

"In the end it was the best we could do but, as I said, next time we try again and why not one day I can put my hands up?"