Gent-Wevelgem men - Live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Gent-Wevelgem.

Cloudy skies and a breeze in the air this morning in Gent as the riders sign-on ahead of 249km of racing.

Not long until the peloton rolls out to start the day. Here's a look at the race map.

We have Patrick Fletcher and Barry Ryan at the race today grabbing the interviews and news at the start and finish. More to come...

How to watch Gent-Wevelgem – Spring Classics live streaming

The riders are about to roll out for the start of the race now.

The race has begun and the riders will head through the neutral zone to start.

Simone Consonni stopped with an early bike problem in the neutral zone. No other problems to report yet.

Two riders haven't taken the start today – Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) and Tom Van Asbroeck (Israel-Premier Tech).

Race favourite Wout van Aert speaks at the start...

"There's not a lot of wind, but that's not necessary for something to happen in De Moeren. The hill zone is also a lot heavier than a couple of years ago. We're a team that wants to make the race hard today.

"It's a nice race because it's unpredictable. We are going to try to make the race hard – that is to our advantage."

A 10.3km neutral zone to kick things off today.

The neutral zone was a bit longer than that, though. The racing has just got underway now.

245km to go

Attacks flying at the start of the race but nothing has gone yet.

Still no breakaway at the front with riders attempting to get out of the peloton.

Here's what Lotto Soudal co-leader Victor Campenaerts said at the start...

"There's not a lot of wind today, so I'm thinking the Kemmelberg and Plugstreets will be decisive for the race.

"I'm feeling good. I hope I'll get to show myself during this race after I failed to do so on Friday."

235km to go

Still no breakaway after 15km of racing.

Some quotes from Tom Pidcock at the start today...

"I'm not 100 per cent but I feel good. Today the aim is just to have fun, enjoy the race and get stuck in really. Finish with a good feeling.

"I'm happy to be back racing in Belgium. Today the wind is a big part in this race. I don't know how strong it will be. It'll probably pick up later. I've never raced here so I think I'll look to the experience of other guys in the team. For sure, the race will be fast and hard and it won't be a bunch sprint."

A shot of the peloton rolling out at the start in Ypres.

Our compilation of quotes from the start is up.

Gent-Wevelgem start line quotes: Van Aert, Pidcock, Campenaerts, Pedersen

224km to go

A very high pace at the start of the race so far. Still no moves.

Seven men at the front of the race now...

Jelle Wallays (Cofidis), Alexander Konychev (BikeExchange-Jayco), Nikias Arndt (DSM), Ludovic Robeet (Bingoal-Pauwels Sauces-WB), Lindsay De Vylder (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) and Lars Saugstad (Uno-X) on the attack.

218km to go

1:10 between that group and the peloton. We have our breakaway!

The gap is only growing at the moment as the peloton are happy with the move.

2:20 is the latest time gap to the breakaway.

Lutsenko suffers fractured collarbone, shoulder in training crash

Kazakhstani rider hit by gust of wind descending Mount Teide

212km to go

4:20 for the breakaway now.

Edoardo Affini working at the head of the peloton for Jumbo-Visma.

A look at the break of the day.

Jumbo-Visma and QuickStep-AlphaVinyl among the teams controlling things at the head of the peloton

Five minutes between break and peloton at the moment

Colbrelli transferred to Italy for further heart tests

Bahrain Victorious rider stable but cause of arrhythmia still unknown

Tom Pidcock in the peloton during the early stages of the race. It's his first day back since he suffered stomach issues at Milan-San Remo.

197km to go

The race situation remains the same – five minutes between the break and peloton.

QuickStep accompanied at the front of the peloton by Bora-Hansgrohe and Alpecin-Fenix at the moment.

Pidcock: Hard, fast Gent-Wevelgem is not going to end in a bunch sprint

Briton returns to action in Belgium after stomach issues

Six minutes is the gap between the break and peloton now.

Not long now until the break hits the windswept De Moeren section of road.

150km to go

Ineos Grenadiers and TotalEnergies control the peloton. Four minutes to the breakaway.

Trek-Segafredo also represented at the front.

4:45 for the break now as the gap goes out a little again. No worries in the peloton.

141km to go

5:15 now for the breakaway.

Tony Martin auctions Olympic medal for children in Ukraine

'I also want to do my small part and help' says German ex-pro

All calm in the race at the moment. The riders have only tackled flat roads so far as the hills and cobbles await them.

Riders avoiding a cobbled sector here and racing on the bike path. It's illegal per UCI rules but with so many doing it, they won't all be DSQed.

Actually, checking the UCI regulations – it's legal to race on a bike path so long as the path isn't separated from the road by a 'kerb, verge, level change, or other physical feature'.

134km to go

Five minutes between the break and peloton now. A stable gap.

Check out our live coverage of the women's Gent-Wevelgem here

127km to go

4:30 for the break as the riders edge towards the 'hill zone'.

The final stage of the Volta a Catalunya is drawing to a close soon. We'll have the report, results, gallery and news coming soon.

118km to go

4:10 for the break now.

Peter Sagan: I think QuickStep never wanted me

'I was not created, I did it myself. The way I see it, Evenepoel is created by QuickStep'

2km to go in Catalunya.

Here it's still the same group of riders out front...

Jelle Wallays (Cofidis), Alexander Konychev (BikeExchange-Jayco), Nikias Arndt (DSM), Ludovic Robeet (Bingoal-Pauwels Sauces-WB), Lindsay De Vylder (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) and Lars Saugstad (Uno-X)

Check out what happened on the final stage of the Volta a Catalunya here

109km to go

We're approaching the final 100km of the race now. 3:10 to the break. Several riders chase back to the peloton after mechanical problems, including Marco Haller (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Bahrain Victorious working in the peloton now. The gap is only coming down as the riders speed towards the first climb of the day, the Scherpenberg.

A crash in the middle of the peloton and some riders have fallen into the grass ditch at the side of the road. Nobody looking too badly hurt, though.

102km to go

Vanmarcke among those chasing on after being held up in the crash.

Bahrain and Jumbo on the front pushing the pace.

Tom Pidcock was also caught out in the crash and is among the chasers.

97km to go

The riders have hit the Scherpenberg now. Jumbo and Bahrain still lead at 1:40 down on the break.

Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates) also among the chasers with Pidcock. They're still trying to get back to the peloton.

Affini leading the way in the peloton.

The Pidcock-Trentin group is back in the peloton now.

Daniel Oss is out of the race after he was caught in the crash.

A shot of the carnage following that crash.

92km to go

Now the riders reach the Baneberg. 1:35 to the break.

Narrow roads here on the run-in.

Wout van Aert takes to the front to lift the pace!

Timo Roosen also on the front for Jumbo-Visma as they put the pressure on.

Plenty of big names staying attentive at the front.

1.4km of the Baneberg starts now. It's narrow and twisting with an average of 5.5 per cent. 14 per cent maximum gradient.

Riders losing contact at the rear.

Roosen, Van Aert, Asgreen at the front. Laporte, Mohorič just behind. Pidcock moved up to around seventh place, too.

Kamil Gradek (Bahrain Victorious) and Brent Van Moer (Lotto Soudal) involved in a crash after the top of the climb.

Gradek has plenty of painful-looking road rash under his torn jersey and shorts.

Our full report for stage 7 of the Volta a Catalunya is up

Jumbo-Visma continue to push on after the descent. 

Monteberg next, then Kemmelberg.

86km to go

Monteberg now for the breakaway – it's 1.5km at 3.9 per cent.

Ineos up front with Groupama-FDJ and QuickStep-AlphaVinyl now on the Monteberg. 

84km to go

Saugstad out of the break as the group hits the Kemmelberg. His chain dropped right at the start of the climb.

Narváez crashes in the peloton just as the group turns onto the Kemmelberg.

Asgreen leads the way up with Van Aert in his wheel.

All the big names intact at the front over the top. It's strung out as they hit the descent.

Ryan Mullen (Bora-Hansgrohe) stops near the top of the climb with a chain problem.

40 seconds between break and peloton now.

Some splits in the peloton after the descent but things are coming back together here.

Peter Sagan is off the back, though.

79km to go

Mohorič leading the way and talking on his radio now. A few more attacks fly but it gets chased down at the front.

Davide Ballerini (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl) stops with a puncture.

And now Timo Roosen (Jumbo-Visma) has stopped with a dropped chain.

A group of around 15 off the front here.

Sprint teams trying to chase it down.

Girmay, Van Avermaet, Teunissen, Van Baarle, Mohorič, Campenaerts are up in that move.

76km to go

33 seconds from break to the attackers, another 24 back to the peloton.

Van Aert is back in the peloton but he has Teunissen and Benoot in that attack group.

The – incomplete – makeup of that attacking group...

Girmay, Pasqualon (Intermarche), Van Avermaet, Dewulf (AG2R), Teunissen, Van Hooydonck (Jumbo), Van Baarle, Turner (Ineos), Mohorič (Bahrain), Dillier (Alpecin), Asgreen (QuickStep), Démare & teammate (FDJ), Campenaerts, De Lie, Beullens (Lotto), Theuns, Kirsch (Trek)

Robeet punctures out of the brekaway and it passed by the attacking group.

The riders are on the gravel Plugstreets now.

20 seconds to the break, another 40 or so back to the peloton.

The attackers in full...

Kasper Asgreen (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Biniam Girmay, Andrea Pasqualon (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert), Greg Van Avermaet, Stan Dewulf (AG2R Citroen), Mike Teunissen, Nathan van Hooydonck (Jumbo-Visma), Dylan Van Baarle, Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers), Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious), Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Fenix), Arnaud Démare, Olivier Le Gac (Groupama-FDJ), Victor Campenaerts, Arnaud De Lie, Cedric Beullens (Lotto Soudal), Edward Theuns, Alex Kirsch, Otto Vergaerde (Trek-Segafredo)

Jacobs attacks the break to go solo.

Now the riders head onto the second of the three Plugstreets.

67km to go

Groenewegen with a font wheel puncture.

Jacobs almost runs too wide on a corner. He's the last man remaining from the breakaway now.

The attack group continues to plough onwards. They catch Jacobs.

65km to go

About 30-40 seconds back to the peloton.

TotalEnergies lead the chase in the peloton. Jumbo-Visma lined up behind but they have two men up front. 

25 seconds is the official gap.

Boasson Hagen is pushing on for the French team. It's unclear whether they're just working for Turgis, or if Sagan has made it back.

Maciej Bodnar joins the work in the chase.

The peloton is strung out under the high pace being set here as they head back towards the climbs.

Only about 10 seconds between groups now.

Le Gac attacks on the front.

Now the attack group has been caught by the peloton. Le Gac still out front.

Kasper Asgreen led the way up the Kemmelberg the first time

56km to go

Now Le Gac is brought back. All together.

Trek-Segafredo take over at the front.

Up the Monteberg for the second time now.

Arjen Livyns (Bingoal-Pauwels Sauces-WB) on the attack.

Trek-Segafredo accelerate at the front of the peloton.

52km to go

Livyns leads it back to the Kemmelberg. The peloton comes 10 seconds later.

Kirsch leads the peloton up the cobbled climb.

Asgreen to the front now. Van Aert following.

Pedersen, Démare and Campenaerts just behind.

Livyns is caught.

Asgreen, Van Aert, Pedersen lead over the top. A group of around 10 detached at the front.

Bennett, Jakobsen, Groenewegen were off the back up the climb.

Now Laporte attacks from the lead group.

49km to go

Campenaerts and Turgis follow the Frenchman.

Pidcock chasing behind having missed that move.

Van Aert, Turner, Kirsch on the attack behind the lead trio.

The group is brought back to the peloton now. All together again.

Just the Baneberg and Kemmelberg to go after this  last ascent of the Scherpenberg.

Søren Kragh Andersen (Team DSM) makes a move but goes nowhere.

Van Aert on the front now as they head up the Scherpenberg. FDJ and Trek also there.

44km to go

Tiesj Benoot and Greg Van Avermaet off the front.

The pair are brought back.

Turgis has a go, too. Jacobs from the original break goes with him.

The attackers have a 25-seconds gap. Trek-Segafredo, Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert and Groupama-FDJ are on the front of the peloton.

Tiesj Benoot rides on the grass to move to the front on the approach to the Baneberg. Olivier Le Gac follows him.

Le Gac goes.

Benoot accelerates past Le Gac.

39km to go

Benoot keeps it going over the top.

Benoot, Küng, Le Gac, Girmay, Van Aert all at the front after the descent.

The riders race towards the final ascent of the Kemmelberg, up the harder Ossuaire side, now.

Naesen, Pidcock, Terpstra chasing on in a second group here.

35km to go

20 seconds between the groups.

Trek-Segafredo lead the peloton with three men.

Laporte, Turner, Mohorič, Kristoff also up at the front.

Mohrorič and Laporte lead it onto the Kemmelberg.

800 metres at 9.4 per cent!

Van Aert accelerates and flies to the front!

Laporte behind with Asgreen and Pedersen.

One-by-one behind as they head down the narrow descent.

No distinct groups behind but Van Aert has a gap.

No information on a time gap or splits behind Van Aert yet.

Asgreen, Laporte, Mohorič, Pedersen, Asgreen, Kragh Andersen make it up to Van Aert now.

Benoot and Van Baarle coming across.

31km to go

Out front...

Wout van Aert, Christophe Laporte, Tiesj Benoot (Jumbo-Visma), Kasper Asgreen (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl), Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Søren Kragh Andersen (DSM), Dylan Van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers) 

Three Jumbo-Visma men in that front group.

Two more groups of around 6-7 riders each chase behind. More groups following.

Three groups behind have merged now. Around 20-25 men there. Girmay, Merlier, Lampaert, Campenaerts among them.

28km to go

The front group working OK together so far. The next chase is not far back.

Girmay leading the second group in the chase at the moment.

Van Aert jumps at the front as the second group approaches.

Now the two groups are together. Asgreen attacks.

The Lampaert-Merlier group is off the back. 

Van Aert, Benoot, Laporte, Asgreen, Mohorič, Pedersen, Van Baarle, Kristoff, Girmay, Philipsen, Küng, Démare, Valgren all in that front group.

24km to go

Laporte and Girmay attack. A few more men chase.

Stuyven and Dries Van Gestel (TotalEnergies) go with them.

Girmay, Benoot, Van Gestel, Stuyven in the move. Two more chasers.

Tiller (Uno-X) and Van Avermaet (AG2R) chasing.

The riders race through Ypres once more.

Girmay leads it under the Menin Gate, where the race started this morning.

Time gap is around 15 seconds to the chase, another 5-10 to the main group.

The group containing Merlier and Lampaert has merged with the main chasing group containing Van Aert.

FDJ and Alpecin lead the chase.

Campenaerts tries a move.

20km to go

11 seconds between the two front groups. The main chase group around 25 off the front.

Van Avermaet and Tiller are caught

17km to go

Kevin Geniets pulling the chase group for Arnaud Démare.

30 seconds between the groups.

15km to go

The chase isn't making much headway here. Still 30 seconds...

Van Aert during his attack on the final ascent of the Kemmelberg.

Johan Jacobs now working at the front of the chase. He was in the early break!

32, 33, 34, 35 seconds. It's going up a touch.

A look at this attacking group. Van Gestel, Stuyven, Laporte with Girmay just out of view.

38 seconds now...

Laporte, Girmay and Stuyven are all quick finishers so a sprint would be hard to call should they stay away. 

Van Gestel is perhaps less well-known but he's also a good finisher. He was top 10 at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and Le Samyn and won the Profonde van Drenthe two weeks ago. 

11km to go

37 seconds now. QuickStep have taken to the head of the peloton with Asgreen and Lampaert.

And now Groupama-FDJ are back on the front. Sprinter Arnaud Démare is working!

9km to go

36 seconds. It's not coming down!

8km to go

Van Aert at the rear of the chase group. No problems, he's just hanging back there. 

The riders are racing into a headwind now.

7km to go

34 seconds.

6km to go

32 seconds now. This could be touch-and-go.

6km to go

The gap dips under 30 seconds for the first time in a while. Küng driving the chase.

Alpecin-Fenix also contributing.

5km to go

26 seconds.

They're not bringing the gap down quickly enough here.

4km to go

21 seconds is the gap. 

The front group still working together at this point, all rolling through.

3km to go

20 seconds. Movistar and Groupama-FDJ work behind.

2km to go

This is very tense.

Alpecin-Fenix pushing it now. The chasers can see the leaders on the road now!

Kragh Andersen attacks from the chase.

1.5km to go

Nobody went with him.

Kragh Andersen has a gap.

Still the lead quartet up front.

1km to go

Final kilometre! Laporte accelerates and looks around.

They're slowing down.

Still a big gap though.

This is so tense.

Laporte leading it still.

Laporte ahead of Van Gestel, Stuyven, Girmay.

Girmay goes at 250 metres!

Oh this is close. Has he got it???

It was him or Laporte

Girmay took it at the line!

Girmay wins Gent-Wevelgem!!

A huge result.

Laporte second, Van Gestel third.

Here's what Girmay said after the finish...

"It's unbelievable, amazing. I cannot expect this. We just change my plan a few days ago on Friday. We just came for a good result. This race is amazing. Unbelievable.

"I don't think [I'll stay for Tour of Flanders]. I stayed here a long time – three months. I miss  my wife and daughter so I go back home.

"Of course I feel much better but also there's really strong guys with me so I'm a bit afraid. But I felt confident in the last 250m. It's unbelievable, yeah.

"It changed a lot in the future, especially for all African riders.

"I lost many place, especially on the first section and on the first cobblestone. I felt a bit uncomfortable. But after i felt better and better, rode smart, followed. Then in the end you know everybody is waiting for Van Aert so I played it a bit easy."

What a race.

Biniam Girmay takes historic Gent-Wevelgem victory

Eritrean outsprints Laporte from four-man late attack

Here's the top 10...

1 Biniam Girmay (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert
2 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Jumbo-Visma
3 Dries Van Gestel (Bel) TotalEnergies
4 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
5 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team DSM
6 Tim Merlier (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
7 Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
8 Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Movistar Team
9 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain Victorious
10 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ

Girmay is the first-ever African rider to win a Classic. Huge achievement from the Eritrean, who moved from Delko to Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert in the middle of last year.

Now the top three are taking to the podium. Van Gestel, Laporte and Girmay.

Girmay holds his 3D-printed trophy aloft and celebrates his victory.

A look back at that historic sprint finish.

The final podium, with Girmay taking that history making win.

Here's what Wout van Aert had to say after the finish. His teammate Laporte just missed out in that final sprint...

"I think we raced how we wanted. Maybe I didn't have the legs of Friday. But still we raced aggressively, and we tried to go for the win all together.

"Setting up Christophe in the final in a small group was actually our game plan or Tiesj or someone else. It was a perfect situation and it's just a pity we missed out on the win."

What a day...

Check out our full report on the day's action here

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

Gent-Wevelgem Women is into the final 10km.

You can follow the action there live here

We'll have more news coming in from both races today courtesy of our men on the ground Patrick Fletcher and Barry Ryan. Stay tuned!

Check out what happened at Gent-Wevelgem Women here

Champagne for the podium trio

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

More news coming in from the races through the evening will include reaction from Biniam Girmay, Elisa Balsamo, QuickStep-AlphaVinyl, Christophe Laporte, and Marianne Vos.

There's been more racing going on today beyond Belgium and Spain.

Check out our report on the GP Industria e Artigianato here

Higuita: A win like this Volta a Catalunya is out of this world

Consistent Colombian easily fends off attacks on final stage in Barcelona

Asgreen can't do it alone as QuickStep Classics woes continue

'We're coming back' insists Steels after misfortune strikes at Gent-Wevelgem

Girmay: Gent-Wevelgem victory is an important moment for African cycling

Eritrean confirms he will miss Tour of Flanders due to planned trip home

Marianne Vos on song for cobbled Classics despite lack of racing

Dutchwoman second at Gent-Wevelgem in second race of 2022 road season

Laporte endures a different kind of second place at Gent-Wevelgem

'I came back a bit in the end, but it was too late' says Frenchman of close-run sprint finish

That's all from us today, almost 12 hours later. We'll have more news coming through the night and the morning.

Look out for news and reaction from: Elisa Balsamo after her win, Ineos rider Ben Turner on a strong day at the front of the race, SD Worx's attacking outing, Alpecin-Fenix's two sprinters, Trek-Segafredo's Quinn Simmons, and Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert's Aike Visbeek.