Gent - Wevelgem: March 31st, 2019

[Pantani_lives]

The riders are still licking their wounds from Friday, but it's already time for the next Flemish classic. In spite of its name Gent-Wevelgem will start in Deinze for the seventeenth time. Between the two ascensions of the Kemmelberg there will be the "plugstreets" in Ploegsteert, as a tribute to the victims of World War I in this region. The final 34 km are flat, which can lead to a final with echelons or a sprint with a reduced bunch.

Climbs:
1. Catsberg (113 km)
2. Kokereelberg (110 km)
3. Le Vert Mont (107 km)
4. Mont Noir/Zwarteberg: Côte de Ravel Put (105 km)
5. Mont Noir/Zwarteberg: Côte de la Blanchisserie (100 km)
6. Baneberg (82 km)
7. Kemmelberg (Belvedère) (74 km)
8. Monteberg (70 km)
9. Baneberg (38 km)
10. Kemmelberg (Ossuaire) (34 km)

Recent winners:
2009 Edvald Boasson Hagen
2010 Bernhard Eisel
2011 Tom Boonen
2012 Tom Boonen
2013 Peter Sagan
2014 John Degenkolb
2015 Luca Paolini
2016 Peter Sagan
2017 Greg Van Avermaet
2018 Peter Sagan

 

[Mavic]

Most excited to see Mathieu and Wout in this one tbh, reunited for the first time since the CX season ended, and both with the talent to win this bike race. Aside from that I hope Sagan shows some form leading up to RVV. Sunday can't come soon enough.

 

[RedheadDane]

Yeah, I know this is about the Elite Men's race, but I just love the fact that all-in-all there are seven races.

Elite Men, Elite Women, U23 Men (Kattekoers-Ieper), U19 Men (GP André Noyelle), U19 Women, and - I'm guessing - U17 Men, and U17 Women.
And probably a kiddie's push-bike race at the finish line too.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Wouldn't it be nice if DQSt could win for a change? Viviani will be there instead of Jungels.

 

[Velolover2]

Depends on whether QuickStep are riding for Viviani or not.

If QS try to sabotage every move made by the attackers because Viviani is the captain.. it could potentially lead to a Groenewegen victory.

 

[tobydawq]

Viviani will not win this bike race.

It was nice seeing Sagan here last year after a horrendous E3 performance. I think that was maybe his best sprint ever. It was not so nice seeing him here in 2017, acting silly.

Please stop the Deceuninck show.

 

[DNP-Old]

Mathieu will win.

 

[THEORYY]

Groenewegen as bookies favorite. Thats weird.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Groenewegen is sick and will not start unfortunately

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

Viviani will not win this bike race.

It was nice seeing Sagan here last year after a horrendous E3 performance. I think that was maybe his best sprint ever. It was not so nice seeing him here in 2017, acting silly.

Please stop the Deceuninck show.

It was a great sprint. He saw that Viviani was stuck and started his sprint early. Viviani had to go around the other guys and couldnt get there in time for the finish. Wasnt enough road left.

Was a nice tactical move from Sagan to see that and start the sprint early.

 

[Gigs_98]

Really like this race. It kinda feels like the only cobbles classic other than the ronde and PR with it's own unique character instead of being looked at as a pure preperation race for next week. E3 for example might produce better racing but at the end I usually have the feeling I only watched an appetizer for the ronde. GW isn't like that

 

[Screecher]

With Groenewegen not riding, will QS feel confident enough to ride for Viviani again?

 

[Robert5091]

With Groenewegen not riding, will QS feel confident enough to ride for Viviani again?

I would expect QS to have had multiple options.

 

[Velolover2]

With Groenewegen not riding, will QS feel confident enough to ride for Viviani again?

I wouldn't when Gaviria (who has been training for this by being in a breakaway in De Panne ) is in the race.

They are about equal in a sprint, so it's kind of a lottery.

 

[Poursuivant]

GVA for sure

 

[Laplaz]

Wind could be a factor here. Should be pretty strong in the last part of the race. Probably cross/headwind.

 

[Robert5091]

One weather forecast gives - winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. It's about time for some proper wet and windy Spring weather!

 

[Pantani_lives]

It will certainly be dry. Wednesday will probably be rainy.

 

[Robert5091]

Map - the elite men start at 11.08 CET (NOTE - Summer time starts on Sunday in Europe - which means the clocks go forward one hour)

 

[Keram]

Please be windy. I dont want 50 men bunch sprint. Not necessarily 2015 edition but some proper wind

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Please be windy. I dont want 50 men bunch sprint. Not necessarily 2015 edition but some proper wind

It should be quite windy. Headwind on the last section but that means plenty of crosswinds earlier. It won't be a large bunch sprint, I don't think. Too many people want to avoid that.

 

[Koronin]

With crosswinds it could be an even more interesting race.

 

[Robert5091]

Echelons for the ladies -
https://twitter.com/GentWevelgem/status/1112280291907944448

The wind does it’s job, as do the riders from @CCCLivTeam. The peloton has broken into three pieces already after 34km

 

[Robert5091]

People are crashing in the neutralized zone? Not a good start guys!

 

[DNP-Old]

Women’s race already in shambles because of the wind.