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Peter Sagan was the winner of the 2016 Gent-Wevelgem, prevailing in a four-man sprint at the end of the race.
Top 10
1. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff)
2. Sep Vanmarcke (Lotto Jumbo) + 0:00
3. Vyacheslav Kuznetsov (Katusha) + 0:00
4. Fabian Cancellara (Trek) + 0:00
5. Arnaud Demare (FDJ) + 0:12
6. Fernando Gaviria (Etixx-Quickstep) + 0:12
7. Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto-Soudal) + 0:12
8. Jacopo Guarnieri (Team Katusha) + 0:12
9. Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) + 0:12
10. Michael Morkov (Tinkoff) + 0:12
The Spring Classics season kicks into full gear as the peloton take on Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields, with a steeper climb, a strong start list and 243 kilometres to contend against. Join The Roar for live coverage from 11:30pm (AEDT).
It is going to be a killer start list to take on the 2016 Gent-Wevelgem, traditionally the major lead up race to the Tour of Flanders. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quickstep), Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo) are all among the riders taking part.
Michal Kwiatowski (Sky) though was the man to take out E3 Harelbeke on Friday even if he isn’t participating in Gent-Wevelgem. Peter Sagan finished second and looks to be in some ominous form, with Fabian Cancellara also making the cut into the front group and sprinting well to finish fourth.
Last year’s edition of the Gent-Wevelgem was one of the best races of the year. Strong winds, cobbled hills and a flat finish all combined to give us action all day long. In the end Luca Paoloini (Katusha) took the race out, but he has not returned to defend his title.
The course sees 32km of flat on the run into the finish, and it is generally a race as the sprinters who were dropped desperately try to get back onto the leading group after plenty of cobbled hills where they get undoubtedly dropped. Because of the strong winds last year, it proved to be a bridge too far though.
With the likes of Arnaud Demare (FDJ) and Henrich Haussler (IAM) both lining up, plus some already mentioned there will be no doubt a strong chase.
The most feared climb on the route is the Kemmelberg. It will be climbed twice after 172 and 209 km of racing respectively and is quite literally a nightmare. However, when you consider that the Baneberg, Monteberg and Kemmelberg will be climbed within 12km of each other and there are 10 climbs in the last 100km with 30 of those flat it becomes a real test of a rider’s mettle.
When they climb the Kemmleberg for the second time, from the steeper side it will be 400 metres on a 12 per cent gradient with a maximum of 22 per cent.
Prediction
This is going to be a cracker of a race. A brilliant start list, coupled with an entertaining course. Alexander Kristoff looks to have the goods for mine because he can sprint and shouldn’t have to waste any energy catching back on. Watch for Fabian Cancellara though if he is dropped.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of the 2016 Gent-Wevelgem from 11:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your comments in the section below as the race progresses.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde