UCI Womens World Tour 2026 9 2026-03-29 2026-03-29 The 15th edition of the women's Gent-Wevelgem, now officially titled In Flanders Fields – From Middelkerke to Wevelgem, presented a 135km test across the iconic terrain of West Flanders. The primary challenge for the Women's WorldTour field was the combination of exposed coastal roads and the tactical "Plugstreets"—unpaved gravel sections that honor the region's World War I history. For the elite sprinters, the objective was to survive the repeated ascents of the Kemmelberg to set up a bunch finish, while the classic specialists aimed to use the steep, cobbled gradients to shatter the peloton and prevent a predictable showdown on the Vanackerestraat. Strategically, the race was a battle of positioning before the critical "Moeren" echelon zone. The objective for teams like SD Worx-Protime and Lidl-Trek was to keep their leaders protected from the crosswinds that often define this classic. With the final ascent of the Kemmelberg coming 35km from the finish, the tactical priority for the climbers was to launch a decisive move and establish a gap over the pure sprinters. As the race progressed, the goal for many was to ensure the chase remained organized during the long, flat run-in to Wevelgem to avoid being caught by a charging peloton. 2435389