Cyclist Gent-Wevelgem 2024: Route, riders, TV and all you need to know Despite its name, the one day Gent-Wevelgem classic no longer starts in Gent (or Ghent, if you prefer), but at the Menin Gate in Ypres, commemorating the First World War. The official name of the race also references the Great War: ‘Gent Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields’. The men’s race covers 253.1km, the women’s race 171.2km on Sunday 24th March 2024. Taking place a week before the Tour of Flanders on Sunday 31st March, the race has a different character to De Ronde due to the comparative paucity of cobbled climbs, the last of which is the Kemmelberg, the highest point in West Flanders. The weather can make the difference too; much of the early racing is on flat, exposed roads towards the Belgian coast. Crosswinds can break up the field too. In 2015 they were fierce enough to result in riders being blown into ditches as only 39 finished the race. The inaugural men’s race was back in 1934 and won by Gustave Van Belle. The women’s race held its first edition in 2012, with Lizzie Deignan the winner. In 2023, Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease a Bike) and teammate Wout van Aert launched a successful 50km attack. The pair would decide the win between them, with it ultimately going to Laporte, and in doing so set off lengthy debates about ‘gifts’ in cycling. Marlen Reusser (SD Worx-Protime) won the women’s race with a 40km solo attack, a wrong turn in the final five kilometres ultimately not deterring her from victory. Related Posts A star is born: Biniam Girmay profile Classic climb: Kemmelberg, the jewel of Gent-Wevelgem Cycling spring Classics 2024: Race dates, Monuments, cobbles and live TV guide Gent-Wevelgem 2024: Key information Date: Sunday 24th March 2024Start: Ypres/Ieper, BelgiumFinish: Wevelgem, BelgiumDistance: Men’s – 253.1km; Women’s – 171.2kmUK television coverage: Discovery+, Eurosport2023 winners: Men’s – Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease a Bike); Women’s – Marlen Reusser (SD Worx-Protime) Gent-Wevelgem 2024: Men’s route Gent-Wevelgem is a purely West Flanders race, remaining close to the French border for a majority of the route. Departing from Ypres, the peloton will ride 156km before hitting the first climb of the day: Scherpenberg. They’ll cover nine climbs in total, the final coming 35km and in the shape of the Kemmelberg. From there, it’s a relatively straight and flatter run-in to the finish in Wevelgem. The so-called ‘Sprinters Classic’ has seen winners such as Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Alexander Kristoff (then UAE Team Emirates, now Uno-X) over the years. Gent-Wevelgem 2024: Women’s route The women’s Gent-Wevelgem also departs from Ypres, heading north towards Veurne. The first climb of the day (Scherpenberg) hits after 106km in the saddle, with six more climbs to follow. The final hill is the Kemmelberg, just like the men’s race. A flatter 35km follows to the finish in Wevelgem. Hopefully with no wrong turns this year. Gent Wevelgem 2024: How to watch The Gent-Wevelgem 2024 races will be available to watch in the UK on Discovery+ for £6.99 per month with the basic package, which includes cycling and all other Eurosport programmes. It will also be shown on the TV channel Eurosport 2 in the UK. If it’s not being shown in your country, you may be able to watch coverage using a VPN – Virtual Private Network – which allows users to mask their IP address and watch geo-blocked content, provided they don’t need to pay for a subscription. This is also helpful for watching paid-for coverage while travelling abroad in countries without access.   One such example is ExpressVPN, which is very well reviewed, helps users to find way to watch cycling without having to pay for broadcasters services, and costs £5.36 per month, with three months free. Other options include NordVPN, Surfshark and Kapersky. Men’s Gent-Wevelgem 2024Discovery+: 12:40 – 16:15Eurosport 2: 14:15 – 16:45 Women’s Gent-Wevelgem 2024Discovery+: 15:00 – 17:25Eurosport 2: 16:45 – 18:00 Men’s Gent-Wevelgem 2024: Start list Data powered by FirstCycling.com Women’s Gent-Wevelgem 2024: Start list Data powered by FirstCycling.com Women’s Gent-Wevelgem: Previous winners 2023: Marlen Reusser 2022: Elisa Balsamo 2021: Marianne Vos 2020: Jolien D’Hoore 2019: Kirsten Wild 2018: Marta Bastianelli 2017: Lotta Henttala 2016: Chantal van den Broek-Blaak 2015: Floortje Mackaij 2014: Lauren Hall 2013: Kirsten Wild 2012: Lizzie Deignan Men’s Gent-Wevelgem: Previous winners 2023: Christophe Laporte 2022: Biniam Girmay 2021: Wout van Aert 2020: Mads Pedersen 2019: Alexander Kristoff 2018: Peter Sagan 2017: Greg van Avermaet 2016: Peter Sagan 2015: Luca Paolini 2014: John Degenkolb 2013: Peter Sagan 2012: Tom Boonen 2011: Tom Boonen 2010: Bernhard Eisel 2009: Edvald Boasson-Hagen 2008: Óscar Freire 2007: Marcus Burghardt 2006: Thor Hushovd 2005: Nico Mattan 2004: Tom Boonen 2003: Andreas Klier 2002: Mario Cipollini 2001: George Hincapie 2000: Geert Van Bondt 1999: Tom Steels 1998: Franck Vandenbroucke 1997: Philippe Gaumont 1996: Tom Steels 1995: Lars Michaelsen 1994: Wilfried Peeters 1993: Mario Cipollini 1992: Mario Cipollini 1991: Djamolidine Abdoujaparov 1990: Herman Frison 1989: Gerrit Solleveld 1988: Sean Kelly 1987: Teun van Vliet 1986: Guido Bontempi 1985: Eric Vanderaerden 1984: Guido Bontempi 1983: Leo van Vliet 1982: Frank Hoste 1981: Jan Raas 1980: Henk Lubberding 1979: Francesco Moser 1978: Ferdi Van den Haute 1977: Bernard Hinault 1976: Freddy Maertens 1975: Freddy Maertens 1974: Barry Hoban 1973: Eddy Merckx 1972: Roger Swerts 1971: Georges Pintens 1970: Eddy Merckx 1969: Willy Vekemans 1968: Walter Godefroot 1967: Eddy Merckx 1966: Herman Vanspringel 1965: Noel De Pauw 1964: Jacques Anquetil 1963: Benoni Beheyt 1962: Rik Van Looy 1961: Frans Aerenhouts 1960: Frans Aerenhouts 1959: Leon Van Daele 1958: Noël Foré 1957: Rik Van Looy 1956: Rik Van Looy 1955: Alberic Schotte 1954: Rolf Graf 1953: Raymond Impanis 1952: Raymond Impanis 1951: André Rosseel 1950: Alberic Schotte 1949: Marcel Kint 1948: Valère Ollivier 1947: Maurice Desimpelaere 1946: Ernest Sterckx 1945: Robert Van Eenaeme 1944: No race 1943: No race 1942: No race 1941: No race 1940: No race 1939: Andre Declerck 1938: Hubert Godaert 1937: Robert Van Eenaeme 1936: Robert Van Eenaeme 1935: Albert Depreitere 1934: Gustave Van Belle The post Gent-Wevelgem 2024: Route, riders, TV and all you need to know appeared first on Cyclist.