Mads Pedersen celebrates the victory at Gent-Wevelgem (Image credit: Getty Images)
Former world champion, Mads Pedersen had the power to beat current world champion, Mathieu van der Poel in the two-up sprint to the line for second Gent-Wevelgem title.
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of Gent-Wevelgem!
The defending champion, Christophe Laporte (Visma-Lease-a-Bike) will not, in fact, be defending his title as he is still recovering from illness.
Wout Van Aert is also not in attendance as the top two from last year focus on recovery and bigger goals.
Visma-Lease-a-Bike will be pinning their hopes on Dutch sprinter, Olav Kooij, instead. With Omloop winner, Jan Tratnik as well as Tiesj Benoot as potentially key back-up.
While we wait for the race to start, why not have a look through some articles currently in the newsroom? Perfect with a morning coffee before the racing starts. Click the links below...
Winner of Milan-Sanremo and the Classic Brugge-De Panne, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), makes his return to racing after skipping the E3 Saxo Classic on Friday.
With the form he has been showing, do not be surprised if he comes out on top yet again today.
Looking at the weather in the start of Ypres today and it is largely dry but very windy. This could be a perfect day for echelons.
Who can forget this iconic moment of Geraint Thomas being blown off the road?
R E A D Y . #GW24 #FLCS pic.twitter.com/hUbq8xit9fMarch 23, 2024
Just under 20 minutes until the flag drops and we start racing.
The riders have started the neutral start. There is 5.3km of neutral before kilometre zero. The race is due to start in five minutes time.
Already, we have a report of a DNS... Former winner Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility) did not start this morning.
The official start has been given. We are racing at the 2024 Gent-Wevelgem!
Early mechanical issues for Canadian youngster, Riley Pickrell (Israel-Premier Tech).
Meanwhile, up front, a rider from the Swiss team of Q36.5 is attacking.
Michael Mørkøv (Astana) goes on the attack and is followed by several others. Slightly unusual role for the Danish leadout man today.
250km to go
So far, nothing is snapping the elastic and no attack has managed to force a gap from the peloton.
The early moves have come but no-one has managed to pull out a gap and form a break as of yet.
240km to go
The race is still all together. It hasn't been because of a lack of attacks, though. Several riders have tried. But nothing has managed to drag themselves away.
Multiple attacks in the peloton. Several riders are trying in wave after wave of attacks to get a gap and form the morning break.
Abandon
Jasper Dejaegher (Team Flanders-Baloise)
A shame for the 23-year-old Flandrien.
230km to go
The pace has been extremely high so far with the average speed at 44kph. But five riders do now have a slender gap on the peloton. Could this be the break after 25km of racing?
Half an hour of racing done.
Six riders have now got a gap of 25" on the peloton:
Michael Mørkøv (AST)
Johan Jacobs (MOV)
Kelland O'Brien (JAY)
Hugo Houle (IPT)
William Blume Levy (UXM)
Cyrus Monk (Q36)
With 223km to go, this looks like it could possibly be the morning break.
Belgian breakaway superstar, Dries De Bondt (DAT) is trying to bridge the gap as he can see this is the move that is likely to get away.
220km to go
Mathis Le Berre (ARK), another breakaway specialist in the Classics, tries to bridge across the gap as well.
How the race looks...
Break:
Michael Mørkøv (AST)
Johan Jacobs (MOV)
Kelland O'Brien (JAY)
Hugo Houle (IPT)
William Blume Levy (UXM)
Cyrus Monk (Q36)
Chase 1, +29":
Dries De Bondt (DAT)
Chase 2, +52"
Mathis Le Berre (ARK)
Peloton +58"
Le Berre (ARK) joins De Bondt (DAT) as they try to close in on the lead group.
The peloton are now almost two minutes down on the leaders.
And that is 50km of racing complete.
There is quite a nippy breeze coming from the west today. And not just that, it is also 30kph. Is the direction right for echelons, though?
Well, looking at the map, the race heads north west, which means they have a head cross, but then turn into full head and then cross-tail all the way to the climbs and cobbles with a tail/tail-cross all the way to the finish.
Could possibly add to the drama.
210km to go
50 minutes into the race, the average speed up at over 48kph. The break of six is about to become a break of eight. And the peloton looks happy enough at +2'25" down on the leaders.
Don't forget. It is also the final stage of the Volta a Catalunya today with the fantastic circuit around the Montjuic climb in Barcelona.
Tadej Pogačar (UAD) has an unassailable lead on the rest with Mikel Landa (SOQ) also comfortably in second. Egan Bernal (IGD) currently holds third after an epic ride yesterday. But there is plenty up for grabs in the minor places.
Follow the live updates by clicking the link below...
Michael Mørkøv (AST)
Johan Jacobs (MOV)
Kelland O'Brien (JAY)
Hugo Houle (IPT)
William Blume Levy (UXM)
Cyrus Monk (Q36)
Dries De Bondt (DAT)
Mathis Le Berre (ARK)
The peloton are now +2'35". So, the break aren't forming the big gap they would've hoped for. Eight strong riders is a dangerous break to let have a lot of time and the wind will be making the bunch nervous. This pushes the pace up.
200km to go
The race has now gone over the hour mark after covering 50km. The average speed is up at 45.8kph.
It has been another rapid start. Not quite as rapid as E3, but extremely fast nonetheless.
The gap between the breakaway and the peloton has now shot up to +4'35".
This is looking much better for the leaders. However, they really need something more like over six minutes to stand a chance of getting over the bergs, cobbles and gravel and still be in with a chance.
Just over 50km to the first cobbles of the day. The Beauvoordestraat and the Veurnestraat. Both flat sectors and a long way from the main meat of the day, but an early tester.
190km to go
The gap to the break has drifted out a little bit more to +4'45"... Getting closer to a gap that the break will want so that they have a chance at the finish.
180km to go
It is all rather quiet at the moment with an unfavourable wind blowing into the peloton. This has meant the break's gap is now at almost five minutes.
73km ridden so far in just over an hour and a half. The average speed is currently 45.2kph.
The gap now flies up to +5'30". A healthy gap for what is a very strong break.
A reminder of who is in it:
Michael Mørkøv (AST)
Johan Jacobs (MOV)
Kelland O'Brien (JAY)
Hugo Houle (IPT)
William Blume Levy (UXM)
Cyrus Monk (Q36)
Dries De Bondt (DAT)
Mathis Le Berre (ARK)
170km to go
Just over 25km until the first cobbles of the day. The wind hasn't been a factor at all as of yet.
82km done in one hour 49 minutes. Average speed so far is up at 45kph.
The breakaway have a gap over the peloton of +5'25".
160km to go
The kilometres are ticking down quite quickly. The are now over two hours into the day and they have ridden over 90km.
100 miles to go. Average speed still at 45kph. And the break still has a time gap of roughly +5'25".
Crash!
Jan Tratnik (TVL)
Dan McLay (ARK)
Gil Gelders (TFB)
And that is the end of the race for Tratnik. A massive blow for Visma-Lease-a-Bike. He has abandoned.
With Tratnik now out of the race, Visma-Lease-a-Bike will have to have a rethink as it would've likely been him and Benoot following moves with the rest looking after Kooij for a potential bunch sprint.
Now will they stick with Benoot following moves and maybe let Van der Sande, Affini or one of the Van Dijke brothers off the leash? Or will they rally around Kooij completely?
Puncture for Jonas Rutsch (EFE).
150km to go
The cobbles aren't far away now. The Beauvoordestraat comes in 5km and the Veurnestraat just after that.
It is still over 50km to the main part of the race with the bergs and major cobbled sectors.
The eight man break have a gap of +3'50" as the pace behind is being upped.
Onto the famous section of road known as De Moeren and the promised echelons are starting!
Alpecin-Deceuninck, Bahrain Victorious and UAE Team Emirates were leading just before but now the race is starting to break up.
Crash!
Jhonatan Narvaez (IGD)
Connor Swift (IGD)
Jake Stewart (IPT)
Narvaez came into this with amazing form but this crash has come at exactly the wrong moment as the peloton splits.
Three groups forming as the echelons rip through the peloton.
Just around 25 riders in the first echelon group with 146km to go. The gap to the break is now plummeting. Now at just +2'35".
As it is really kicking off here, don't forget that the women's Gent-Wevelgem is also today and has just started. Make sure you follow live updates there by clicking the link below...
The first cobbled sectors are done and dusted in a flash as the pace is absolutely rapid.
This echelon has cut the gap to the break to just over two minutes now.
The group chasing behind is at over two and a half minutes.
It hasn't completely opened up just yet.
138km to go:
Michael Mørkøv (AST)
Johan Jacobs (MOV)
Kelland O'Brien (JAY)
Hugo Houle (IPT)
William Blume Levy (UXM)
Cyrus Monk (Q36)
Dries De Bondt (DAT)
Mathis Le Berre (ARK)
1st Echelon +1'32"
2nd Echelon +2'35"
The gap is growing between the two splits as the leading echelon is closing in on the break.
Ineos Grenadiers leading the chase in the 2nd echelon as Jhonatan Narvaez was caught ot by that crash on De Moeren.
Thee British registered team are desperately trying to get the Ecuadorian national champion back into contention again.
130km to go
Just +50" between the break and the first echelon now. Said to be +1'35" between the leaders and the second echelon.
Riders said to be in the lead echelon:
Van der Poel (ADC)
Philipsen (ADC)
Mihkels (IWA)
Rex (IWA)
Petit (IWA)
Teunissen (IWA)
Kooij (TVL)
T. van Dijke (TVL)
Merlier (SOQ)
Mozzato (ARK)
Meeus (BOH)
Van Poppel (BOH)
Fretin (COF)
Renard (COF)
Bissegger (EFE)
Kung (GFC)
Pithie (GFC)
Turner (IGD)
Pedersen (LTK)
Stuyven (LTK)
Gaviria (MOV)
Cimolai (MOV)
Degenkolb (DFP)
Eekhoff (DFP)
Walscheid (JAY)
Trentin (TUD)
Vermeersch (ADC)
Milan (LTK)
Molano (UAD)
Van der Sande (TVL)
Bol (AST)
Askey (GFC)
And potentially a few others.
120km to go
The first echelon has just caught the breakaway. It is +2'28" to the second echelon.
Puncture for Le Samyn winner, Laurenz Rex (IWA). Rear wheel and only neutral service available. He is now out of the back. Will likely get swallowed up by the second group.
The chase in the second group is hammering on the pace. Jayco-AlUla very keen to get it back together for Michael Matthews.
Rex (IWA) has indeed been caught by the second group.
The second group has now split in half. Former winner, Edvald Boasson Hagen (DAT) has been caught out.
Nils Politt (UAD) trying to bridge the gap between group two and the new group three.
Interesting that Intermarche-Wanty had three riders in the lead group (now lacking Rex after his puncture), but not the former winner, Biniam Girmay.
100km to go
The gap is falling between the leaders and the peloton. This is seeing a few riders trying to form a new break as we get closer to the first climb of the Scherpenberg. +36" back to the peloton.
Onto the Scherpenberg goes the leading group. Just +31" to the chasing peloton now.
Attack in lead group
Ma Walscheid (JAY)
The other riders all sit up and it looks like the peloton is about to make contact again.
Onto the second climb now, The Baneberg. 2km at an average of 4.8%.
Johan Jacobs (MOV) joins Max Walscheid (JAY) at the front of the race. 93km to go.
The peloton makes contact with the lead group on the Baneberg.
Mechanical for Cofidis' main man, Axel Zingle.
The peloton has split once again on the steepest part of the Baneberg. Has that merging and then re-splitting caught any big names out? Pedersen (LTK) pushes the pace as Jacobs (MOV) and Walscheid (JAY) are caught.
90km to go
A group of abouut 30/35 have got away. Not seen many big name riders who have missed it.
New attacks come with Mike Teunissen (IWA) gets away. T. van Dijke (TVL) goes too and Pedersen (LTK) marks it.
Lidl-Trek now have complete control of the lead group as they head to the Monteberg. 1.5km average of 4.4% and a max of 8.3%.
87km to go.
Lidl-Trek block the road and slow things right down on the Monteberg. This is allowing multiple groups back on again.
Onto the first ascent of the Kemmelberg on the easier Belvedère side.
Attack!!
Mathieu van der Poel (ADC)
Goodness me the World Champion is flying. But, on his wheel is the Lidl-Trek duo of Mads Pedersen and Jonathan Milan. Kooij (TVL), Stuyven (LTK) and Pithie (GFC) just after that.
Just behind those two small groups is still a very large peloton full of sprinters.
Attack!
Jonathan Milan (LTK)
The giant Italian goes solo but is being chased down by Laurence Pithie (GFC).
After then is is Van der Poel (ADC), Pedersen (LTK), Stuyyven (LTK), T. van Dijke (TVL) and Tiller (UXM).
80km to go
Van der Poel being forced to chase these attackers down as Lidl-Trek are in an incredible position with their three leaders in this leading groups.
77km to go:
Jonathan Milan (LTK)
Chase +19":
Mathieu van der Poel (ADC)
Tim van Dijke (TVL)
Mads Pedersen (LTK)
Jasper Stuyven (LTK)
Rasmus Tiller (UXM)
Laurence Pithie (GFC)
Asgreen (SOQ) leads the peloton but Lidl-Trek are blocking the chase very well. They are +47" back.
Onto the first of three Plugstreet gravel roads. Hill 63 is the first.
Milan (LTK) has +21" on the Van der Poel (ADC) group with +44" to what's left of the peloton.
Danny van Poppel (BOH) and Fred Wright (TBV) trying to split the peloton as they have around 20" to close between them and the Van der Poel (ADC) group.
Attack!
Van der Poel (ADC)
Boom! Wow this is a vicious move by the world champion. So far, Pedersen (LTK), Pithie (GFC) and Styven (LTK) can follow. Further back Tiller (UXM) isn''t far off as Van Dijke (TVL) goes backwards at the moment.
Still +12" up to Milan (LTK).
70km to go
Block tailwind now and Van der Poel (LTK) is absolutely flying here as they hit the Christmas Truce Plugstreet and they pass the bagpipers.
Rear wheel puncture for Jasper Stuyven (LTK) in completely the wrong place for him.
Rear wheel change for Stuyven (LTK) by a staff member but no drill, it is all on the allen key, so he is now out of contention, I think.
Milan (LTK) hits the final Plugstreet of The Catacombs. Van der Poel (ADC), Pithie (GFC) and Pedersen (LTK) are +18" back.
Tiller (UXM) and Van Dijke (TVL) are caught by the peloton led by Lampaert (SOQ).
Itermarche-Wanty now join the chase along with Tudor and Uno-X Mobility for their sprinters. Girmay (IWA) is in there, by the way.
Leader:
Jonathan Milan (LTK)
Mathieu van der Poel (ADC)
Mads Pedersen (LTK)
Laurence Pithie (GFC)
Peloton +55"
Pedersen (LTK) tried to hit Van der Poel (ADC) immediately but almost dropped Milan (LTK).
60km to go
Visma-Lease-a-Bike and Bora-Hansgrohe lead the chase for Kooij and Van Poppel. They are now just +51" back. Alpecin-Deceuninck now blocking too in the chase.
Back onto the Monteberg we go to lead to the penultimate time up the Kemmelberg, still the Belvedère side. We hit the Ossuaire side in the closing stages.
Ben Swift (IGD) leads the peloton but Lidl-Trek continues to block though.
Attack
Mads Pedersen (LTK)
But, he only succeeds in dropping his teammate, Milan (LTK). But the big Italian does get back on.
Attack
Jonathan Milan (LTK)
Van der Poel (ADC) isn't too bothered as he has seen Milan (LTK) has already been dropped once. Onto the Kemmelberg soon and expect another big attack from the world champion.
Behind, Ben Turner (IGD) and Matteo Trentin (TUD) attacking. Girmay (IWA) and Kung (GFC) trying to get away too.
Attack!
Pedersen (LTK)
Van der Poel (ADC) is struggling!
Pithie (GFC) just about holding on too, but those three stay together with Milan (LTK) properly distanced distanced, now.
Crash!
Alex Kirsch (LTK)
Clipped his pedal on the asphalt and almost took out Kooij (TVL) and Benoot (TVL).
50km to go
Van der Poel (ADC), Pithie (GFC) and Pedersen (LTK) still away with Sheffield (IGD) leading the chase behind. They are +22" back.
Attack
Matteo Trentin (TUD)
He will surely be joined very soon, though.
Crash!
Aime De Gendt (COF)
Rasmus Tiller (UXM)
Tiller is back riding but De Gendt was being helped to the side of the road as he looked hurt.
Trentin (TUD) is actually riding extremely well and is bridging the gap to the leading trio.
Ben Swift (IGD) havinf a great ride as he is back on the front of the peloton. Trentin (TUD) is starting to drift back and is abot to get caught. 46km to go, +23" gap.
Onto the Scherpenberg for the final time in the final loop of climbs.
40km to go
Onto the Baneberg now and the leading trio have +27" on the chasing pack. Bora-Hansgrohe, Intermarche-Wanty, Ineos Grenadiers trying to pull it back.
Attack
Turner (IGD)
He countered a move by an Astana rider but the peloton drags it back again.
Ben Turner (IGD) now goes again and goes in a duo with one Intermarche-Wanty rider.
The rider with Turner (IGD) is the French fastman, Hugo Page (IWA) with Mozzato (ARK) chasing them.
Over the Baneberg up front as they head t the Ossuaire side of the Kemmelberg.
Just +32" between the leaders to Turner (IGD) and Page (IWA).
Now heading to the Kemmelberg for the final time and it is the harder Ossuaire side.
Turner (IGD) and Page (IWA) are +29" down.
The peloton is +45" down.
Max gradient of 21.1% on this Ossuaire side of the Kemmelberg. Average of just over 10% on the 700m kick. Here we go.
Still half a minute to Turner (IGD) and Page (IWA) with a rider from TotalEnergies rider, probably Turgis, chasing solo behind them.
Lidl-Trek blocking the peloton. 34km to go.
Attack!
Mads Pedersen (LTK)
Van der Poel (ADC) can follow for now as Pithie (GFC) is dropped.
Pedersen (LTK) can not drop Van der Poel (ADC) over the top.
British champion, Fred Wright (TBV) leads the peloton onto the climb as Van Poppel (BOH) and Theuns (LTK) pushing to force a gap.
30km to go
Lead:
Van der Poel (ADC)
Pedersen (LTK)
Chase +7":
Pithie (GFC)
Chase 2 +55":
Turner (IGD)
Page (IWA)
Chase 3 +1'05":
Turgis (TEN)
Peloton +1'20"
Pithie (GFC) now has to just hammer it for 30km. He is on his own and losing time to the leaders now.
Turgis (TEN) has joined Page (IWA) and Turner (IGD).
We get a view back to the peloton and it is Soudal-QuickStep and Visma-Lease-a-Bike chasing for Tim Merlier and Olav Kooij.
Back into Ypres with Mathieu van der Poel (ADC) and Mads Pedersen (LTK) have over a minute on the chase.
The Kiwi has now been swallowed up by Turner (IGD), Page (IWA) and Turgis (TEN).
Behind them it is just +20" back to the peloton, so that group of four will have to work awfully hard to stay away and battle for the final step on the podium.
20km to go
Van der Poel (ADC) calling for the car. He has looked, by his standards, a bit tuckered out as he takes on another drink and some more gels.
+1'07" to the chasing four and then just +1'20" back to the peloton from the front of the race.
Ben Turner (IGD) gives it one more big effort but only Hugo Page (IWA) comes through to work. Pithie (GFC) and Turgis (TEN) look pretty tired now. They only have +5" on the peloton.
And that is that for Turner (IGD), Page (IWA), Pithie (GFC) and Turgis (TEN).
Kasper Asgreen (SOQ) is hammering it now. Visma-Lease-a-Bike and Bora-Hansgrohe also pushing hard. They are working for Tim Merlier (SOQ), Dann van Poppel (BOH) and Olav Kooij (TVL).
But all the while they are just dragging Jasper Philipsen (ADC) to the line. Not to mention Biniam Girmay (IWA).
10km to go
Just a minute between the peloton and the leading duo of Mads Pedersen (LTK) and Mathieu van der Poel (ADC).
5km to go
The gap is closing and it closing quite quickly as Van der Poel (ADC) and Pedersen (LTK) share a few words.
Just +48" between them and the chasing peloton. Very large peloton compared to what we usually get in this race fighting potentially for the win.
Asgreen (SOQ) is pulling so well that he has split the group slightly with Denz (BOH) unable to follow the wheel. 4km to go for the leaders.
3km to go for Van der Poel (ADC) and Pedersen (LTK) and the gap is tumbling thanks to Asgreen (SOQ) and M. van Dijke (TVL). Just +39" now!
2km to go. They don't have time to play around with this. Will Van der Poel push it to the absolutely limit like he did to Pogacar at Flanders a couple of years ago where he pushed the Slovenian into the chasing group but still took the win.
Flamme Rouge
One more kilometre for Van der Poel (ADC) and Pedersen (LTK) and it is just +24" gap!
Pedersen leads under the kite.
500 metres to go and Pedersen (LTK) is pinned on the front by Van der Poel (ADC).
Mads Pedersen (LTK) wins Gent-Wevelgem 2024! Mathieu van der Poel (ADC) ran out of juice. Jordi Meeus (BOH) leads in the peloton for third.
Top 10
1. Mads Pedersen (DEN) Lidl-Trek 4:36'00"
2. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Deceuninck, S.T.
3. Jordi Meeus (BEL) Bora-Hansgrohe +16"
4. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Deceuninck
5. Jonathan Milan (ITA) Lidl-Trek
6. Olav Kooij (NED) Visma-Lease-a-Bike
7. Biniam Girmay (ERI) Intermarche-Wanty
8. Tim Merlier (BEL) Soudal-QuickStep
9. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jayco-AlUla
10. Matteo Trentin (ITA) Tudor, all S.T.
Mathieu van der Poel (ADC) just didn't have the legs in the end. We've seen it a few times now, most famously against Kasper Asgreen (SOQ) when the Dane won the Tour of Flanders.
Also when he was beaten by Biniam Girmay (IWA) in a sprint at the Giro d'Italia.
Maybe his efforts in chasing Milan (LTK) today and his huge effort at E3 took it out of him? Or, more simply, maybe Pedersen (LTK) was just stronger.
Mads Pedersen (LTK) has been knocking on the door all season against Mathieu Van der Poel (ADC) and Wout Van Aert (TVL) and while the latter didn't race today, this will mean a lot to the Danish powerhouse.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
And, to take third, a fantastic sprint by Champs Elysees winner, Jordi Meeus (BOH), to beat the likes of Philipsen (ADC), Milan (LTK), Kooij (TVL), Girmay (IWA), Merlier (SOQ) and Groenewegen (JAY).
(Image credit: Getty Images)
An emotional moment for Mads Pedersen and Lidl-Trek.
His team were magnificent today.
So good 😮💨🥹#GW24 pic.twitter.com/kzLB1JKWeJMarch 24, 2024
Make sure you go and have a read of our race report by clicking the link below...
And don't forget! The cycling isn't done for today. The women's Gent-Wevelgem is about to his the final climb of the Kemmelberg right now. Follow our live updates in the link below...
