The organizers of the Ghent-Wevelgem classic, which traditionally takes place on the Sunday before the Tour of Flanders, have announced that the race will now start from Middelkerke, but will continue to arrive in Wevelgem at least until 2031.
Since 2003, the Belgian classic Ghent-Wevelgem no longer started from Ghent, but from Deinze (20km southwest of Ghent, until 2019) then from Ypres (80km from Ghent). But from 2026, and for at least ten years, the classic traditionally taking place on the Sunday before the Tour of Flanders (i.e. end of March) will have a new starting point. This will be Middelkerke, a town located 80km from Ghent, on the edge of the North Sea.
“This new chapter, with a ten-year contract and strong commitment from both sides, even inspired us to officially rename the race: In Flanders Fields – from Middelkerke to Wevelgem. Of course, we will continue to talk about Ghent-Wevelgem because of its history, but in this way we are highlighting the unique DNA of this race even more. A new chapter therefore, which we await with enthusiasm,” rejoices Tomas Van Den Spiegel, the boss of Flanders Classics, the organizer.
The course will keep its assets
Due to this change in starting city, the route will necessarily be modified, but the Moëres (marshy regions located below sea level), Mount Kemmel and the Plugstreets (narrow half-earth, half-gravel paths) as well as the passage through the center of Ypres and the historic sites of the First World War will be preserved, assure the organizers. As for Wevelgem, it will remain the arrival town of the classic at least until 2031.
The next edition will take place on March 29, 2026 and Mads Pedersen is the double title holder. On the French side, only Jacques Anquetil (1964), Bernard Hinault (1977), Philippe Gaumont (1997) and Christophe Laporte (2023) managed to win in Wevelgem. Note that the women’s version, created in 2012 and contested on the same day, will have its start and finish in Wevelgem, while the Ghent-Wevelgem Youth race (from U17 to U23), scheduled for May, will remain in Ypres.
