The start is in historic Ypres before the riders navigate Flanders’ flat fields in westerly direction. The route extends as far west as De Moeren, a marshy area notoriously exposed to North Sea winds, before turning inland.
The hilly zone begins after almost 100 kilometres in the saddle. The riders tackle a series of short and sharps hills in quick succession. Zigzagging through an area close to the French border they tackle the Scherpenberg, Baneberg, Monteberg and Kemmelberg within 14 kilometres. There’s little time for respite, as they repeat much of this sequence after merely 7 flat kilometres.
In the second series, the Monteberg is omitted, but a more challenging ascent is introduced: this time, the Kemmelberg is approached from a different side. The Kemmelberg Ossuaire is the steepest and longest ascent of the ‘helling’, with gradients exceeding 20%. Moreover, it’s cobbled.
After conquering the Kemmelberg Ossuaire, riders enter a flat finale spanning just over 34 kilometres. The initial segment heads north, and after passing through Ypres, the final 20 kilometres proceed eastward to the finish. This entire section unfolds on wide, exposed roads.
Lorena Wiebes is the defending champion. Last year, she clinched victory in a photo finish sprint, narrowly edging out Elisa Balsamo. The Italian also returns in a bid to reclaim her title, which she won in 2022. Floortje Mackaij, who emerged victorious in 2015, is the only other former winner at the start.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX 2025 women’s Gent-Wevelgem.
Gent-Wevelgem for women starts at 13:20 and the race is expected to finish around 17:45 – both are local times (CET). Please check the scheduled times in the slideshow below for details.
Gent – Wevelgem for women 2025: route, profile, video
Click on the images to zoom
