On the 27th of March the peloton will have another round of cobbles in Flandres as they prepare for Gent-Wevelgem, one of the longest races of the season and one where many riders will be ambitioning a big win, right before reaching the cobbled monuments.
Most of the race is flat, not a hard profile which is the reason why in most years it is a reduced group sprint fighting it out for the win. The race is flat except for a hilly section which is based on three ascents of the Kemmelberg. It will be ridden three times via two different roads, the first of which may see attacks with 85 kilometers to go as some teams attempt to split the race. The plugstreets follow, gravel sectors with just over 4 kilometers distance in total, that have it's end with 66 kilometers to go.
The second time up the Kemmelberg via Ossuaire will be with 52 kilometers to go and
in this time up attacks are certain as the classics riders will want to push on
the pace to definitely drop the fast men, and make a definitive difference, it comes with 34.5 kilometers to go. From there on though there will be relief as much of the approach to
Wevelgem is mostly flat. There will be time to reorganize, put on a chase
for both smaller and bigger groups. The race has a very interesting dynamic
where the specialists and the sprinters try to balance the race towards their
preferred direction, and it’s a race that usually sees different types of
scenarios that lead to the win.
Read also
The final startlist includes Greg van Avermaet, Oliver Naesen, Matej Mohoric, Rasmus Tiller, Sep Vanmarcke, Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven, Tim Merlier, Jasper Philipsen, Dylan Groenewegen, Timothy Dupont, Taco van der Hoorn, Alexander Kristoff, Dylan van Baarle, Jhonatan Narváez, Sam Bennett, Nils Politt, Stefan Bissegger, Michael Valgren, Soren Kragh Andersen, Cees Bol, Arnaud de Lie, Florian Vermeersch, Wout van Aert, Tiesj Benoot, Christophe Laporte, Kasper Asgreen, Davide Ballerini, Fabio Jakobsen, Yves Lampaert, Florian Sénéchal, Pascal Ackermann, Matteo Trentin, Stefan Küng, Alex Aranburu, Iván Cortina, Peter Sagan and Anthony Turgis.
You will be able to keep up with the race here on CyclingUpToDate as we bring you the race report and interviews surrounding Gent-Wevelgem.
Ypres - Wevelgem, 248Km
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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