Results In Flanders Fields - In Wevelgem WE 2026 | Lorena Wiebes makes it a hat-trick in attacking display

Lorena Wiebes turned expectation on its head to win the 2026 In Flanders Fields, attacking on the Kemmelberg before finishing it off from a reduced group to secure a third consecutive victory at the race.

The Dutch rider had been marked as the clear favourite for a sprint, but instead took control on the final climb, forcing a decisive selection that ultimately shaped the outcome.

A four-rider breakaway had set the tone early after the start in Wevelgem, with Idoia Eraso, Lea Lin Teutenberg, Yonna van Dam and Heidi Antikainen building a lead that stretched to around five minutes as the peloton allowed the move space.

The advantage began to fall approaching the Plugstreets, where positioning intensified but the expected splits never came. Hill 63, Christmas Truce and The Catacombs were negotiated without major disruption among the favourites. The peloton stretched at times, but the leading contenders effectively held position, allowing the race to continue in a controlled pattern.

Attempts to animate the race did follow. UAE-ADQ and Liv-AlUla-Jayco combined to launch a counter move behind the breakaway, but with Lorena Wiebes, Elisa Balsamo and others able to bridge across, the structure of the race remained largely intact.

Crashes and mechanicals added tension rather than separation. Several riders were brought down in early incidents, while Nina Berton was caught up twice before eventually abandoning after a second fall. Arlenis Sierra and Mackenzie Coupland were among those delayed by mechanical issues.

The race began to fracture more noticeably once the climbs approached. The early breakaway was gradually reduced under pressure, while probing moves from riders such as Célia Gery and Elise Chabbey failed to gain traction as the peloton maintained control.

On the first ascent of the Kemmelberg, the expected battle never fully ignited. Instead, the key sprint contenders, including Wiebes, Balsamo and Charlotte Kool, remained firmly in position, ensuring the race stayed together over the top.

The first real selection came on the Baneberg, where UAE-ADQ lifted the tempo and reduced the front of the race to a smaller group. Balsamo briefly lost contact but managed to return, keeping the main sprint threats in contention, while earlier attackers such as Georgia Baker and Laura Molenaar were reeled in.

Crashes continued to disrupt the rhythm, with Nienke Veenhoven, Franziska Koch and Alison Jackson among those involved in incidents as the tension increased ahead of the final climb.

The race finally broke open on the final ascent of the Kemmelberg, and it was Wiebes who made the decisive move. Rather than being put under pressure, the Dutch rider surged to the front and set a pace that immediately split the group. Even riders expected to attack, including Elise Chabbey, were unable to respond as Wiebes briefly distanced the field.

Over the top, a select group formed with Wiebes joined by Chabbey, Aurela Nerlo Moors, Eleonora Gasparrini and Karlijn Swinkels, while several key contenders, including Balsamo, were left behind.

The composition of the leading group created an immediate tactical imbalance. UAE-ADQ placed multiple riders in the move, while Wiebes found herself isolated despite being the fastest finisher present. Cooperation was hesitant, with riders increasingly aware of Wiebes’ sprint threat.

That hesitation allowed the gap to grow. The leaders pushed their advantage towards 40 seconds, and with limited organisation behind, the peloton was left with too much to do in the closing kilometres.

Inside the final 10 kilometres, the race tilted decisively in favour of the leaders. Although teams such as Movistar, Liv-AlUla-Jayco and Canyon//SRAM attempted to organise a chase, the gap stabilised at around 45 to 50 seconds, with the peloton unable to make meaningful inroads. Any remaining chasers were absorbed, confirming that the winner would come from the front group.

In the final kilometres, the attacks came, but none were able to break the deadlock. Gasparrini launched the clearest move, but Wiebes anticipated it immediately, closing the gap without hesitation and shutting down the attempt.

Repeatedly forced to the front, Wiebes controlled the pace despite visible frustration as her rivals refused to contribute, each waiting for the sprint. That stalemate ensured the race would be decided in a reduced sprint.

When the sprint finally opened, Wiebes finished the job. The Dutch rider proved fastest from the select group to take victory ahead of Fleur Moors, with Karlijn Swinkels completing the podium. Elise Chabbey and Eleonora Gasparrini rounded out the top five.

After a day that never fully exploded until the final climb, it was Wiebes who forced the decisive move and then confirmed her status as the fastest finisher in the race. A third consecutive victory, delivered in a very different way.