Race Report: Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) won Gent-Wevelgem. In the sprint from a large peloton she was by far the fastest after a long lead-out by Lotte Kopecky. Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) came second, Charlotte Kool (Team Picnic PostNL) third.
The result of the women’s Gent-Wevelgem could come from any corner. In De Moeren, echelons could form, then there was the climbs, including the Kemmelberg twice and then the final, which was flat for the last 34 kilometres, so a bunch sprint was also a possibility. SD Worx-Protime had the favourites. The Dutch team had sprinter Lorena Wiebes, who could take her hundredth professional victory, and World champion Lotte Kopecky.
2025 Gent-Wevelgem map
2025 Gent-Wevelgem profile
Long before the first climbs, an early break consisting of seven riders: Franziska Brauße (CERATIZIT), Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Health), Mia Griffin (Roland), Beatrice Caudera (BePink-Imatra-Bongioanni), Cleo Kiekens (DD Group Pro Cycling Team), Britt de Grave (DD Group Pro Cycling Team) and Maaike Boogaard (VolkerWessels).
The two top favourites at the start: SD Worx-Protime’s Lorena Wiebes and Lotte Kopecky
The peloton has learned from the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad mistake, because the escapees were caught before the hills. This high pace in the large group caused a number of crashes. One of the favourites, Elisa Longo Borghini came down and Nienke Veenhoven went off the road. The Dutch rider of Visma | Lease a Bike was taken to hospital and her bike had to be pulled out of a ditch.
The early break
The high speed and nervousness in the peloton had everything to do with the wind. After just over 60 kilometres, the echelons started. The peloton split into two, but within a few kilometres there was another regrouping. But the calm never returned, because the climbs broke it up again.
Nienke Veenhoven was taken to hospital and her bike had to be pulled out of a ditch
Lidl-Trek in particular was very active in the hills. The team of Lucinda Brand and Ellen van Dijk, clearly wanted to make the race hard. At about 45 kilometres from the finish, Brand attacked. She had some strong fellow escapees with her, but the group of favourites didn’t let the six go and came to the front on the Baneberg.
At least the weather was nice
On the last passage over the Kemmelberg, it was World champion Kopecky who pushed hard. Only her teammate Wiebes, Longo Borghini and Elise Chabbey (FDJ-SUEZ) were able to hold her wheel. After the descent, Chloé Dygert, Giada Borghesi and Letizia Borghesi also joined them, while Chabbey had dropped back to the chasing peloton.
World champion, Kopecky was strong on the Kemmelberg
Lidl-Trek led the chase with Ellen van Dijk for Elisa Balsamo. The fast Charlotte Kool was also still in that first chase group. But with the fast Wiebes at the front, the co-operation was not good. And so the first peloton caught the attackers 27 kilometres from the finish. It looked like there would be a bunch sprint finish. Anneke Dijkstra (VolkerWessels) made an attack and later there was one from Floortje Mackaij (Movistar), but nothing came of them. The control of Lidl-Trek and SD Worx-Protime was too much. Dropped riders also came back, so a large peloton started the finale.
Echelons… of course
In the last few hundred meters Kopecky took the lead, with Wiebes on her wheel. The World champion did an extremely long lead-out. At about 250 meters from the finish line it was Wiebes, who had a strong jump. She immediately took the lead and kept the rest behind her with apparent ease. She took her hundredth professional victory. Elisa Balsamo was able to hold her wheel, but couldn’t come round. The Italian was second, ahead of Charlotte Kool.
The favourites couldn’t work together
Race winner, Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime): “This is a great win that the whole team contributed to. Then you are happy that you can also finish it. On the Kemmelberg, Lotte Kopecky placed her attack as we had planned beforehand. I tried to block, but when I saw several riders jumping, I joined in too. Eventually we ended up with five in front, but there was little cooperation. That was to be expected, but Lotte and I tried to keep up the pace anyway. When two groups came back, we decided to pull my card. Marta Lach, Femke Markus and Elena Cecchini kept the pace in the group very high the last 15 kilometres to prevent possible attacks. With Mischa Bredewold and Lotte Kopecky, we still had two pawns left for the lead-out. I follow Lotte blindly through a peloton. The trust we have in each other is really great. At one kilometre from the finish, Lotte was already coming full into the wind, but she really pulled through for a long time. She did a fantastic job and I’m glad I managed to finish it off. A back-to-back victory like that is always nice. It’s a special week for me with three WorldTour wins in a row. I wasn’t so much about that hundredth win or when it would happen, but after Brugge-De Panne it became a bit more of a thing. I never expected to reach that milestone of a hundred victories so early in my career already, but of course it makes me really proud.”
Wiebes’ 100th win
Gent-Wevelgem – Women Result:
1. Lorena Wiebes (Ned) SD Worx-Protime in 4:11:19
2. Elisa Balsamo (Ita) Lidl-Trek
3. Charlotte Kool (Ned) Team Picnic PostNL
4. Marjolein Van ‘t Geloof (Ned) Arkéa-B&B Hotels Women
5. Chiara Consonni (Ita) Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto
6. Lara Gillespie (Irl) UAE Team ADQ
7. Lily Williams (USA) Human Powered Health
8. Ally Wollaston (NZ) FDJ-SUEZ
9. Gladys Verhulst-Wild (Fra) AG Insurance-Soudal
10. Kaja Rysz (Pol) Roland.
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