2025 Gent-Wevelgem Race Preview
The details of this year's 2025 Gent-Wevelgem are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
Gent-Wevelgem used to be billed as a Flemish Classic for sprinters, but that characterization is outdated, as recent editions have not concluded in fast finishers' showdowns. In fact, the last bunch sprint took place in 2019. Who are the favorites to win Gent-Wevelgem?
The first part of the race occurs on flat and exposed roads before the riders enter a section featuring a series of hills and three unpaved roads over 63 kilometers. The last 34 kilometers unfold on exposed roads again, where crosswinds and echelons are likely.
In short, the weather plays an important role in Gent-Wevelgem, but it remains to be seen how significant that influence will be. According to forecasts, it won’t be completely windless, but it certainly won’t bring turbulent spring weather. Dry conditions and a westerly wind at force 3 on the Beaufort scale seem likely.
While weather conditions are beyond anyone’s control, teams can certainly influence the race’s intensity by taking the initiative. Defending champion Mads Pedersen, for example, would like his team to push the pace in the hilly zones and on the unpaved sections to tire out the pure sprinters. And should it come down to a sprint, Lidl-Trek always has Jonathan Milan as a backup option.
Last year, Pedersen and Mathieu van der Poel powered through the hills and on the plugstreets. Ultimately, they crested the final climb, the Kemmelberg, together, with Laurence Pithie as the first chaser. The young New Zealander was unable to bridge the gap, and the two former world champions sprinted in Wevelgem for the victory.
Active riders who have secured victories in Gent-Wevelgem include John Degenkolb (2014), Alexander Kristoff (2019), Mads Pedersen (2020, 2024), Wout van Aert (2021), Biniam Girmay (2022), and Christophe Laporte (2023). With three wins, Peter Sagan holds the record for the most victories, so a triumph by Pedersen would see him equal the Slovak.
It’s been some time since Gent-Wevelgem concluded with a bunch sprint – that last occurred in 2019 when Kristoff claimed victory.
This season’s Flemish Classics have seen successes from Søren Wærenskjold (Omloop Het Nieuwsblad), Jasper Philipsen (Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne), Nils Eekhoff (Nokere Koerse), and Sebastián Molano (Brugge-De Panne). European champion Tim Merlier has also been in fine form, winning two stages each in the AlUla Tour, UAE Tour, and Paris-Nice, while Jonathan Milan impressed with two stage wins in both the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico, along with a victory in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. Olav Kooij has also performed well, securing a stage win in Tirreno-Adriatico and two in the Tour of Oman. Defending champion Pedersen added a Paris-Nice stage win to his palmarès.
Last Wednesday, Merlier, Philipsen, and Kooij were involved in crashes during the finale of Brugge-De Panne. Their recovery and readiness for Gent-Wevelgem remain to be seen.
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