Ghent-Wevelgem

The race was first run in 1934 and is also called the Sprinters' Classic because of its flat finishing terrain.

course

Since 2004, the race doesn't start in Ghent anymore, but in Deinze, and continues immediately towards the Belgian coast. The true race very often starts near Veurne (at the height of the "Moeren"). The Kemmelberg is the most important obstacle that the cyclists have to cope with : it's a climb which has not to be underestimated and which has to be done twice. It is especially known for its dangerous descent where a lot of cyclists crashed in the past. Very often, the race is decided at the heigth of the Monteberg-Kemmelberg. The course continues mainly in a flat way, which often results in a (massive) sprint.

Since the 2008 edition, the course was considerably modified : since then, the cyclists don't drive until the coast anymore, but make a detour by the Steenstraat (Bovekerke-Werken) to approach Veurne by the polders instead of approaching the town by the coast. After which the main climb start :   Vidaigneberg, the Rodeberg (Belgium), the Monteberg (upto the top, and then they take left), and to reach the Kemmelberg, which is approached by the centre of the village of Kemmel. The descent is taken with a small detour, that was thinked out especially for the race, in order to avoid the difficult descent and eventual crashes. The entire hill part is taken twice, after which the race continues until Wevelgem. Thris new course was approved by the majority of the cyclists. However, a minority thought the start of the Kemmel climb is now more nerveus Kemmelberg se présente plus nervous. But according to the race director, Hans De Clercq, this part does not make an exception to the difficulty rate of the course.

Since 2010, other considerable changes were made to the course. It was not only moved on the cycling calender from the Wednseday between the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix to the Sunday preceding the Tour of Flanders, but also a lot of climbs were added to the program. They came before the Kemmelberg ascent : the  Scherpenberg, Catsberg, Berthen, Zwarteberg, Baneberg, Rodeberg, and afterwards the Monteberg and the Kemmelberg. This series were also taken twice by the cyclsts before they continued until  Wevelgem.

Ghent-Wevelgem is part of the ProTour - that since 2011 is called the UCI World Tour.

Edition 2016

The 78th edition of Ghent-Wevelgem takes place on Sunday, March 27 2016. The race covers a distance of 239 km and passes along the following climbs :
Casselberg after 120-126 km
Catsberg after 143 km
Baneberg after 152-193 km
Kemmelberg after 160-201 km
Monteberg after 205 km

Here, you'll find the details about edition 2016 of Ghent-Wevelgem.

List of honour :
1945 - Robert VAN EENAEME (BE)
1946 - Ernest STERCKX (BE)
1947 - Mauriece DEIMPELAERE (BE)
1948 - Valère OLLIVIER (BE)
1949 - Marcel KINT (BE)
1950 - Albéric SCHOTTE (BE)
1951 - André ROSSEEL (BE)
1952 - Raymond IMPANIS (BE)
1953 - Raymond IMPANIS (BE)
1954 - Rolf GRAF (CH)
1955 - Albéric SCHOTTE (BE)
1956 - Rik VAN LOOY (BE)
1957 - Rik VAN LOOY (BE)
1958 - Noël FORE (BE)
1959 - Leon VAN DAELE (BE)
1960 - Frans AERENHOUTS (BE)
1961 - Frans AERENHOUTS (BE)
1962 - Rik VAN LOOY (BE)
1963 - Benoni BEHEYT (BE)
1964 - Jacques ANQUETIL (FR)
1965 - Noël DE PAUW (BE)
1966 - Herman VANSPRINGEL (BE)
1967 - Eddy MERCKX (BE)
1968 - Walter GODEFROOT (BE)
1969 - Willy VEKEMANS (BE)
1970 - Eddy MERCKX (BE)
1971 - Georges PINTENS (BE)
1972 - Roger SWERTS (BE)
1973 - Eddy MERCKX (BE)
1974 - Barry HOBAN (UK)
1975 - Freddy MAERTENS (BE)
1976 - Freddy MAERTENS (BE)
1977 - Bernard HINAULT (FR)
1978 - Ferdi VANDENHAUTE (BE)
1979 - Francesco MOSER (IT)
1980 - Henk LUBBERDING (NL)
1981 - Jan RAAS (NL)
1982 - Frank HOSTE (BE)
1983 - Léo VAN VLIET (NL)
1984 - Guido BONTEMPI (IT)
1985 - Erik VANDERAERDEN (BE)
1986 - Guido BONTEMPI (IT)
1987 - Teun VAN VLIET (NL)
1988 - Sean KELLY (IRL)
1989 - Gerrit SOLLEVELD (NL)
1990 - Herman FRISON (BE)
1991 - D.ABDOUJAPAROV (Ouz)
1992 - Mario CIPOLLINI (IT)
1993 - Mario CIPOLLINI (IT)
1994 - Wilfried PEETERS (BE)
1995 - Lars MICHAELSEN (DK)
1996 - Tom STEELS (BE)
1997 - Philippe GAUMONT (FR)
1998 - Frank VANDENBROUCKE (BE)
1999 - Tom STEELS (BE)
2000 - Geert VAN BONDT (BE)
2001 - Georges HINCAPIE (USA)
2002 - Mario CIPOLLINI (IT)
2003 - Andreas KLIER (DE)
2004 - Tom BOONEN (BE)
2005 - Nico MATTAN (BE)
2006 - Thor HUSHOVD (NW)
2007 - Marcus BURGHARDT (DE)
2008 - Oscar FREIRE (ES)
2009 - Edvald BOASSON HAGEN (NW)
2010 - Bernahrd EISEL (AUT)
2011 - Tom BOONEN (BE)
2012 - Tom BOONEN (BE)
2013 - Peter SAGAN (SLW)
2014 - John DEGENKOLB (DE)
2015 - Luca Paolini (IT)
2016 - Peter Sagan (CZ)