General News Thread

[KoopaCycling]

Just think of what the 2022 TdF would have been: "Tour de France, also some days in Denmark, Belgium, and Switzerland."

Or this year's Giro: "Giro d'Italia, also some days in Albania. Slovnia and the Vatican City also features."

Not quite the same though. At it's core TdF remained TdF. Meanwhile Gent-Wevelgem core is Flanders & WW1 Battlefields, ... . So name change at least makes some sense since Gent has not been the start place for some time.

Meanwhile the Dakar Rally keeping it's name is only for commercial/marketing/historical value.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Will next the tour of Flanders change it's name to the 'Lotto loops of oudenarde'??

 

[KoopaCycling]

Will next the tour of Flanders change it's name to the 'Lotto loops of oudenarde'??

Probably not. It does not have a location name in it's name.
Though if some billionaire (company) came along, and said we'll give you a boatload of cash to change the name to
Something Something Tour of Flanders, they would probably take it.


Also In Flanders Field was added since 2015 or so, they basically just dropped Gent-Wevelgem from it now.

Gent- Wevelgem, In Flanders Fields, became In Flanders Field from Middelkerke to Wevelgem.
It has Dedecker finger prints all over. Would have preferred if they had settled for In Flanders Fields without the Middelkerke part. But as previously said Dedecker wants to promote Middelkerke and it's casino.

Mind you not many mentioned the In Flanders Field part that's been added last decade, it was just a commerical gimmick.

 

[Berniece]

I see the reason, but at some point, a race name just starts to become a brand in itself, and is not dependent on the exact location of the start or finish anymore.

That's true, but there comes a time you just have to bite the bullet if you ever want to change it. Now it's more appealing to other cities to buy the start/end place.

 

[KoopaCycling]

It comes down to money & i'm purely guessing Dedecker only willing to hand over the cash if Middelkerke is 'properly' promoted.

Given the date tomorrow, i'm not surprised the news came out today.

 

[Netserk]

Omloop (Het Volk)
E3 (Harelbeke)
Gent - Wevelgem

Never going to call it Saxo Classic or Middelwhatever.

 

[Berniece]

Omloop (Het Volk)
E3 (Harelbeke)
Gent - Wevelgem

Never going to call it Saxo Classic or Middelwhatever.

Omloop and E3 are still part of the name, so everyone keeps calling it that... If you have a generic name it works better.

 

[RedheadDane]

Omloop (Het Volk)

Well, 'Omloop Het Nieuwsblads' isn't exactly a new name. Though, the moving the 'het' part is, as it was only done this year.

 

[awavey]

Voxwomen have paused (aka ceased) all operations. They were a media organisation Ant Mccrossan founded back in 2015 i think, launched at the Women's Tour that year, to promote women's cycling and boost media coverage of women's pro cycling.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The Tour should obviously be renamed to From somewhere to Paris, unless the Olympics takes place there.

I doubt the new name will catch on right away, but at least they keep some of the words from the current one, unlike the Dauphiné.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Gent-Wevelgem has a new name, and start location (Middelkerke) for the next 10 years. The new name is "In Flanders Fields. From Middelkerke to Wevelgem. I like the first part of the name "In Flanders Fields", but the second part "From Middelkerke to Wevelgem" is a bit ridiculous. Apparently Middelkerke demanded that their name would be part of it. I get why for publicity reasons, but I hope everyone will just eventually say "In Flanders Fields".

Besides that the route stays very much the same. A bit more wind is in play because they start in Middelkerke.

Gent-Wevelgem wordt omgedoopt tot "In Flanders Fields. From Middelkerke to Wevelgem", Middelkerke is de nieuwe startplaats | sporza

Zeg vanaf 2026 niet langer Gent-Wevelgem, wel "In Flanders Fields. From Middelkerke to Wevelgem.". De klassieker krijgt dus niet alleen een nieuwe naam, want de start verhuist ook van Ieper naar Middelkerke. Er is een overeenkomst voor 10 jaar afgesloten, zo maakte organisator Flanders Classics...

sporza.be

Our continued gratitude to the good burghers of Compiegne, for not insisting on renaming that annual race from there to Roubaix.