Will Lorena Wiebes and Mads Pedersen break the record?
On Sunday 29 March, the pelotons will once again arrive in West Flanders for a new edition of In Flanders Fields – From Middelkerke to Wevelgem. On the Vanackerestraat in Wevelgem, where the women will start their race, we will be looking for the successors to Lorena Wiebes and Mads Pedersen, who could become sole record holders with a third and fourth victory respectively. From this year on, the men will start their race in Middelkerke.
From this year on, Wevelgem will not only serve as the finish location for both races; the women will also start their In Flanders Fields – From Wevelgem there. With a team presentation and plenty of side activities in the “Fan zone in the park”, cycling fans will be able to enjoy a full day on site. Jan Seynhaeve, Mayor of Wevelgem, is looking forward to the classic: “Happy that Via Vanackere is now both the start and finish of our sacred cycling day.”
Programme Wevelgem
> 10:00 | Opening "Fan zone in het park"
> 10:45 | Balance bike race
> 12:30 | Team presentation Women Elite
> 14:10 | Unofficial start Women Elite on Vanackerestraat
> 14:30 | Official start Women Elite in Moorsele
> 16:20 | Finish Men Elite
> 16:40 | Podium Men Elite
> 17:45 | Finish Women Elite
> 18:00 | Podium Women Elite
Given the new start location, the women no longer head to De Moeren. They pass through the Wevelgem districts of Gullegem and Moorsele to reach the official start. From there, the riders go through Zonnebeke, Langemark-Poelkapelle, and Ypres, towns and municipalities where the In Flanders Fields spirit is strongly felt. Before tackling the traditional climbs in Heuvelland, the women will, for the first time this season, face the three Plugstreets. They will be followed by Monteberg, Kemmelberg Belvedère, Scherpenberg, Baneberg, and Kemmelberg Ossuaire. The race finale remains unchanged, and moreover, the final 80 kilometers, starting from the Plugstreets, are identical to the men’s course.
To watch the start of the men’s race, fans will need to go to Middelkerke this year. On the Epernayplein, in the shadow of Silt, the riders will be presented to the public one by one before the starting gun sounds at 11:00.
Programme Middelkerke
> 9:20 | Team presentation Men Elite
> 11:00 | Start race Men Elite
Via the Zeedijk, the 9 districts of Middelkerke, and Diksmuide, the men ride toward De Moeren. The combination of hill zones – Plugstreets, and the finale to Wevelgem, including a passage through the center of Ypres and under the renovated Menin Gate, is identical to previous editions.
Mayor Jean-Marie Dedecker is also counting down to the start of the race in his town of Middelkerke. “Our staff are currently fully engaged in the preparations, and we are leaving nothing to chance. We guarantee an unforgettable start to the race, with a beautiful setting and a safe passage. On that day, our villages will be completely immersed in the spirit of the race. I notice an exceptionally strong eagerness to send off the riders and the caravan in a deafening way, from Epernayplein all the way to Vanackerstraat.”
Teams
In addition to all the UCI Women’s WorldTeams, 7 UCI Women’s ProTeams will make their appearance in Wevelgem: Cofidis Women Team, Laboral Kutxa – Fundación Euskadi, Lotto Intermarché Ladies, Ma Petite Entreprise, Mayenne Monbana My Pie, St Michel – PREFERENCE HOME – Auber93, and VolkerWessels Cycling Team.
For the men, all UCI WorldTeams head to the Belgian coast. They are joined by Cofidis, Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, and Tudor Pro Cycling Team, three teams that automatically received a wildcard. These teams will also participate on Sunday, 29 March: Burgos-Burpellet-BH, Team Flanders – Baloise, TotalEnergies, and Unibet Rose Rockets.
