Discover the provisional start lists for In Flanders Fields – From Middelkerke to Wevelgem
On Sunday 29 March, we kick off the sacred Flemish Cycling Week with In Flanders Fields – From Middelkerke to Wevelgem. In both races, records could be broken. In the Men Elite race, which will start in Middelkerke this year for the first time , Mads Pedersen will take on Van Aert and Van der Poel. From this season onwards, Wevelgem will serve as both the start and finish location for the Women Elite peloton, where Wiebes will go head-to-head with, among others, the Italian riders Balsamo and Longo Borghini.
Men Elite participants
With another victory, Mads Pedersen could become the sole record holder of In Flanders Fields – From Middelkerke to Wevelgem. Not only would he be the only rider to claim four wins in the classic, he could also become the first to win the race three years in a row. The Dane from Lidl-Trek will be supported by Milan, who finished third last year. They will face a strong Team Visma | Lease a Bike line-up featuring former winners Van Aert (2021) and Laporte (2023), as well as young talent Brennan.
With Girmay (2022) and Degenkolb (2014), NSN Cycling Team and Team Picnic PostNL respectively also bring a former winner to the start. Alpecin-Premier Tech has never won the classic, but aims to change that with Van der Poel or Philipsen. Soudal Quick-Step, for their part, are fielding their French talent Magnier and the experienced Stuyven at the start.
Many other big names feature on the provisional start list. INEOS Grenadiers will rely on Ganna, while Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe puts forward the fast-finishing Meeus, third in 2024. Trentin (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) also knows what it takes to reach the podium of this classic. Lotto Intermarché heads to Middelkerke with De Lie. Also set to start are F. Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious), Lund Andresen (Decathlon CMA CGM Team), Fretin (Cofidis), Asgreen (EF Education – EasyPost), Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) and Kubis (Unibet Rose Rockets).
After the teams are presented one by one to the public from 9:20 a.m. onwards in the shadow of Silt at Epernayplein, the starting gun will sound at 11:00 a.m.
Women Elite participants
In the Women Elite race, all eyes will be on Wiebes (Team SD Worx - Protime), winner of the past two editions, who could become the sole record holder of In Flanders Fields – In Wevelgem with another victory. The Dutch champion will face Balsamo, winner in 2022 and runner-up each time Wiebes claimed victory. At Lidl-Trek, the Italian will be supported by the Belgian duo Moors and Vanpachtenbeke. With Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) also lining up, last season’s entire podium will return to the start.
At Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto, Consonni, third in 2024, will join forces with Backstedt and Dygert. Movistar Team features a former winner in Mackaij, with fellow Dutch rider Ferguson alongside her. UAE Team ADQ will also be one to watch with Longo Borghini and Gillespie. Bossuyt (AG Insurance - Soudal Team) and the Chabbey–Koch duo (FDJ United - Suez) will likewise take the start in Wevelgem.
Schedule Wevelgem
- 10.00 u. | Opening of the fan zone in the park
- 10.45 u. | Kids’ balance bike race
- 12.30 u. | Women’s team presentation
- 14.10 u. | Unofficial start – women
- 14.30 u. | Official start – women in Moorsele
- 16.20 u. | Men’s finish
- 16.40 u. | Men’s podium ceremony
- 17.45 u. | Women’s finish
- 18.00 u. | Women’s podium ceremony
- 18.45 u. | Performance by Willy Sommers
