Race Report: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) repeated his Gent-Wevelgem win of last year. The Dane started a solo with 56 kilometres to go and held his own against the peloton. European champion, Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) sprinted from the chasing group to second place, and Pedersen’s Lidl-Trek teammate, Jonathan Milan, was third.
*** The full Gent-Wevelgem ‘PEZ Race Report very soon. ***
The 2025 Gent-Wevelgem finale
Parcours
The start of Gent-Wevelgem is not in Gent, the West Flemish town of Ieper (Ypres) has been the start point of the cobbled Classic since 2020. With its history, its connections with the first World War and the iconic Menin Gate, Ieper is the perfect place to start Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields. The name refers to the famous war poem ‘In Flanders Fields’, written by the Canadian John McCrae. The name is also a reference to the route, which passes through a number of important locations of ‘The War to End all Wars’. The main thing about the course is that there is no rest. The first 100 kilometres are almost flat, but the wind is the biggest obstacle. It’s a long way to the finish, but your race could be over early if you miss an echelon. After the first 100 kilometres, the race passes through De Moeren, where the wind always has something to say.
Gent-Wevelgem’25 map
This is where the race can split for the first time. Next up, there will be tough racing in the first real hilly section. The passage through the Heuvelland has the climbs of the Scherpenberg and the Baneberg. Then, at about 85 kilometres from the finish, there is the Monteberg and Kemmelberg, the cobbled Kemmel is ridden up the longer, but less steep eastern side of Belvedère.
Gent-Wevelgem’25 profile
After these hills, the race leaves West Flanders for a loop through Hainaut and three gravel strips: Hill 63, Christmas Truce and The Catacombs. The peloton then returns to West Flanders for the finale. First there is the Monteberg and Kemmelberg for the second time. Via the Scherpenberg and the Baneberg, the Kemmel is then climbed for the third time. This time via the steeper western side, Ossuaire, this is where the race will be won or lost. This is probably the most important part of the Gent-Wevelgem route. After the top of the Kemmel, there 34 kilometres to the finish in Wevelgem. The road isn’t easy, the section just after the passage through Ieper is always a crucial point. There are no real climbs before the finish on the Vanackerestraat in Wevelgem, but the race can be won, or worse lost on the run-in.
The teams sign on next to the The Cloth Hall (Lakenhalle), which now houses the ‘In Flanders Fields Museum’
The peloton leaves Ieper through the Menenpoort
Last year’s winner, Mads Pedersen was the top favourite, but if it came down to a sprint, then Jasper Philipsen, Olav Kooij, Jonathan Milan and Tim Merlier will be the main contenders.
The early break
Lidl-Trek were working for one of the favourites, Mads Pedersen
Early in the race, a leading group of nine escaped: Rui Oliveira (UAE Emirates XRG), Max Walker (EF Education-EasyPost), Sam Maisonobe (Cofidis), Jasha Sütterlin (Jayco AlUla), Emils Liepins (Q36.5), Marco Haller (Tudor), Victor Vercouillie (Flanders-Baloise), Samuel Leroux and Alexys Brunel (TotalEnergies) and took 4 minutes.
In Flanders Fields
The wind will play its part in the race
The peloton split into several pieces due to the wind on de Moeren. The first group was of just over 30 riders, including Kooij, Milan and Mads Pedersen. Other favorites such as Philipsen and Merlier were in group two and Arnaud De Lie was even further back. Thanks to the work of Alpecin-Deceuninck, the second echelon came back to the first group after about 25 kilometres of chasing. But there was more echelon action to come.
Victor Campenaerts managed to cross to the break
With a 110 kilometres to go, Visma | Lease a Bike put the pressure on. Again it split, again Philipsen and Merlier missed the move and again the two fast men had to return. In the peloton it went quiet again. Johan Jacobs and Victor Campenaerts took advantage of this situation and jumped away.
The winning break?
There was a crash in the peloton with Matteo Trentin and others, while at the front, Campenaerts dropped his companion Jacobs. The Belgian then closed the gap with the early escapees on his own. The leading group reached Kemmelberg for the first time with a lead of 1:30 at 90 kilometres from the finish. But, after some relative calm, the peloton accelerated.
Campenaerts looked strong on the Kemmelberg
Mads Pedersen pushed hard and several riders were able to follow, including Jasper Philipsen and Paul Magnier. More riders joined, but the group fell apart due to the high pace. Biniam Girmay, Matteo Jorgenson and Florian Vermeersch were riding hard at the front. Nevertheless, everything came together again in the gravel sections, until Pedersen attacked again. Kooij, Philipsen and Arjen Livyns sat on the wheel of the Dane, but Philipsen punctured and Kooij crashed.
The battle would be on the Kemmelberg
Mads Pedersen made his first move on the Kemmelberg
Heading for the break
Pedersen made it across
The Dane then made his second move again on the Kemmelberg
Pedersen went solo with more than 55K to go
Mads Pedersen’s third Gent-Wevelgem and his 50th pro win
The sprint for 2nd place went to Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) was third
# All the news from Gent-Wevelgem, and everything else, in EUROTRASH Monday. #
Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields Result:
1. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek in 5:30:21
2. Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step at 0:49
3. Jonathan Milan (Ita) Lidl-Trek
4. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
5. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Israel-Premier Tech
6. Davide Ballerini (Ita) XDS Astana
7. Biniam Girmay Hailu (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty
8. Jenno Berckmoes (Bel) Lotto
9. Jordi Meeus (Bel) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
10. Laurenz Rex (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty.
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