• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

84th Gent-Wevelgem: 27 March, 2022

In spite of its name this classic will start for the third time in Ieper (Ypres) at the Menenpoort, an important World War I monument. Over a distance of 249 km the riders will face the "Moeren" at sea level, the "plugstreets" in Ploegsteert and nine hills. The Kemmelberg is often the breaking point. The final 34 km are flat. Sometimes a strong sprinter can win here, but attrition warfare with echelons is also possible. The weather will be dry with a light northeast wind. They start at 10 AM.

route.jpg


Recent winners:
2012 Tom Boonen
2013 Peter Sagan
2014 John Degenkolb
2015 Luca Paolini
2016 Peter Sagan
2017 Greg Van Avermaet
2018 Peter Sagan
2019 Alexander Kristoff
2020 Mads Pedersen
2021 Wout Van Aert

Multiple winners:
3x Van Eenaeme, Van Looy, Merckx, Cipollini, Boonen, Sagan

The women's race will take place for the eleventh time. They start at 13.50 PM, and will finish after the men.

83c55618-ab6f-11ec-b07d-02b7b76bf47f.png


Former winners:
2012 Lizzie Armitstead
2013 Kirsten Wild
2014 Lauren Hall
2015 Floortje Mackaij
2016 Chantal Blaak
2017 Lotta Lepistö
2018 Marta Bastianelli
2019 Kirsten Wild
2020 Jolien D'hoore
2021 Marianne Vos

Another date to look forward to!
 
  • Like
Reactions: postmanhat
So, I have a bit of a question; Blume Levy, Gudmestad, and Wærenskjold are all on the startlist for the U23 race. However, the ride for the Uno-X ProTeam. What if something had happened during the week to cause Uno-X to find themselves several riders short? Could management at Uno-X have asked the Danish and/or Norwegian National Team(s) if any of those three riders could swap over?
 
Hopefully, Van Aert will feel yesterday's race in his legs, and won't be able to attack on Kemmelberg and do the same as in E3. That will give a more open race.

Tomorrow, I'm especially expecting more from Danish guys like Pedersen and Kragh Andersen. The latter showed in MSR that his form is good, and given his big engine, he should be candidate for an attack on the last flat 30 km. The same applies for Pedersen, and he should also be a favorite if it comes to a sprint in a bigger group of 20-30 riders.

And what has happened the last couple of years to a rider like Politt? After his performances in the 2019 season, I expected him to be one of the most dominating cobble riders in the coming years. That has been really far from the case.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pantani_lives
Tomorrow, I'm especially expecting more from Danish guys like Pedersen and Kragh Andersen. The latter showed in MSR that his form is good, and given his big engine, he should be candidate for an attack on the last flat 30 km. The same applies for Pedersen, and he should also be a favorite if it comes to a sprint in a bigger group of 20-30 riders.

I too, expect more from SKA!

It's the Classic CQ Game!
 
Jumbo will make the race hard to drop sprinters like Merlier, Jakobsen, Groenewegen and Démare. The other opponents are the same as two days ago. Pedersen will probably do better than Friday.

The women's event might be another confrontation between Balsamo and Wiebes; but in a selective race Vos, Kopecky and Bastianelli will also be candidates.
 
he didn't fell sick but abandoned because of a concussion after his crash. Afterwards he didn't train for a while, but says he is feeling better every day now.
Ah, ok thanks. I missed that. I just assumed that as it had record number of DNS's due to sickness that the same thing happened to him.
He was going well again so far this season, especially with that win in Le Samyn, so hoping he can be in the mix tomorrow again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: search
I'm going for a 20 -ish sprint but with all the pure sprinters out of it..
Senechal to win.
Possible, but if Sénéchal is still there Pedersen will probably still be there as well, and Van Aert will still have people to launch his sprint. Another scenario is that Benoot or Laporte attacks on the final flat part and no one reacts.

In a group sprint Merlier, Jakobsen, Groenewegen and Ballerini would have a chance, but they will probably be dropped by Jumbo on the Kemmel.
 

TRENDING THREADS