Since its introduction in 2018, Classic Brugge–De Panne has carved out a distinctive place in the early spring calendar. Though often grouped with the other cobbled classics, it usually plays out more like a sprinters’ Worlds: flat roads, high speeds and narrow margins. But don’t mistake predictability for passivity—this race has seen its fair share of surprises, particularly when the wind decides to intervene.
Last year’s edition saw Elisa Balsamo time her sprint to perfection, holding off Charlotte Kool and Daria Pikulik in a reduced group finish. A late race split in the crosswinds hinted at disruption, but without full echelons forming, the day still came down to a select bunch. Balsamo’s win confirmed her return to top form, showing once again her ability to handle positioning chaos and deliver in tight finishes.
On paper, Lorena Wiebes should have dominated this race more than once. Her only win here came in 2020, and since then, she’s been a regular on the podium but never again on the top step – 2nd behind Kirsten Wild in 2019, 2nd again behind Balsamo in 2022, and 3rd in the blustery 2023 edition, where Pfeiffer Georgi surged clear late on in the crosswinds. Wiebes has made no secret of her ambition to win this race again, and with the forecast suggesting less disruptive winds this time around – around 14-18km/h – she may finally get a clean sprint to take the win.
While wind is always a looming threat in De Panne, this year’s conditions suggest less carnage than we’ve seen in editions like 2021 or 2023. Grace Brown’s solo win in 2021 came in vicious crosswinds. Pfeiffer Georgi used similar tactics two years later when her team split the bunch and committed to attacking rather than towing Wiebes to the line. Both wins are a reminder that this race can be decided without a sprint – but it takes a bit of luck and the tough conditions, which may be lacking in calmer editions.
Previous Winners
2024
Elisa Balsamo
2023
Pfeiffer Georgi
2022
Elisa Balsamo
2025 Classic Brugge-De Panne Women Race Profile
Live TV Coverage
Thursday 27th March 2025
Live on Discovery+/Max/TNT Sports Online across most of Europe
Live from 14:00-16:30
All times in GMT
Twitter: #ClassicBruggeDePanne
Startlist: FirstCycling
2025 Classic Brugge-De Panne Women 2025 Contenders
Lorena Wiebes will start Brugge-De Panne Women as the outright favourite, especially after her emphatic victory at Sanremo Women where she outsprinted Marianne Vos in dominant fashion. She remains the fastest finisher in the peloton and has now collected five wins already in 2025. Despite only winning this race once, back in 2020, she returns this season with a strong lead-out team and no clear rival who can match her for speed on a flat finish. It’s all set up for Wiebes to add a second Brugge-De Panne Women win to her palmarès.
Elisa Balsamo may be the only rider to have won Brugge-De Panne Women twice, but the dynamic has shifted slightly in her sprinting match-ups against Wiebes. Her 7th at Sanremo Women came after she had to stay seated through the final sprint, unable to open up fully. That won’t be the case here, though, and a flatter run to the line plays more in her favour than the uphill efforts of recent races. If anyone can keep Wiebes close in a drag race to the line, it’s Balsamo.
Team Picninc-PostNL’s Charlotte Kool comes in as one of the biggest names after finishing runner-up here last season behind Balsamo. She hasn’t raced since her crash at GP Oetingen a couple of weeks ago, but if she’s back to full strength, she’s arguably the biggest challenger to Wiebes along with Balsamo. Kool has shown that with the right positioning and clear road, she can be devastating in the final 200 metres. If the race unfolds into the expected mass sprint, she’ll be right there again.
Fenix-Deceuninck’s Julie de Wilde remains one of the most consistent Belgian riders in this sort of one-day racing. She followed up her breakthrough win at GP Oetingen with a solid 12th place at Nokere Koerse, continuing her steady accumulation of results in tough classics. She’s not quite in the same sprint bracket as the top-tier finishers, but if the field splits or timing opens a door, she’s shown she can take advantage. Her teammate Marthe Truyen continues to be one of the best support riders who can also finish in the top-10. She was 5th at Omloop van het Hageland and rode strongly at Oetingen in support of de Wilde. Brugge-De Panne Women may provide her with a better shot if the team chooses to give her freedom, especially if de Wilde is marked more closely this time.
2025 star and Irish rider Lara Gillespie is arguably the most in-form sprinter outside of the major stars heading into Brugge-De Panne Women. After recovering from her crash at GP Oetingen, she returned to form immediately with 3rd at Nokere Koerse. It was a result that arguably could’ve been better had she been positioned further forward, but her ability to charge through the field was a clear statement. Sofie van Rooijen will play a key role as her lead-out. She was 13th in this race last year and, although her personal form in 2025 hasn’t quite been there, she is one of the best riders to guide Gillespie into the sprint. A result could follow for her too if she finds herself released in a different scenario.
Linda Zanetti continues to impress in 2025, and Brugge-De Panne Women could mark another step in what’s becoming a career-best season. She’s already taken a win and three second places, the most recent being 2nd at Nokere Koerse where she once again showed she belongs in the top echelon of sprinters. Zanetti has a strong finishing kick and can handle herself in the positioning battle too. It’ll be tough against the big-3 names but if any of them have an off day or miss the timing, Zanetti is one of the few capable of capitalising to make the podium.
Canyon SRAM zondacrypto’s Chiara Consonni has never podiumed at Brugge-De Panne Women, finishing 4th, 7th and 9th, which remains a surprising stat for a rider of her sprinting calibre. She missed the finale at Sanremo Women after being caught in Letizia Paternoster’s crash on the Cipressa and eventually crossed the line in 116th. If she’s recovered properly, she’ll be one of the top favourites outside of Wiebes, Balsamo and Kool. If Consonni is fully fit, then Maike van der Duin will likely return to support duty, but if not, van der Duin has shown the form this season to make a top result possible.
Martina Fidanza and Nienke Veenhoven are neck-and-neck for leadership at Visma | Lease a Bike for this race. Fidanza’s best result so far this year is 6th on the final stage of the UAE Tour, but her crash at the Vuelta Extremadura has hampered her chances of building on that. Veenhoven was impressive at Nokere Koerse, sprinting to 9th and showing she’s hitting her stride again. With Fidanza still returning to top form, Veenhoven might be the better bet on current evidence, but both are fast enough to make the top-10 if they’re present and well-placed in the finale.
Alex Manly is likely to be the go-to rider for AG Insurance-Soudal, although her recent form makes it a little difficult to gauge expectations. Her best performances came back in Australia with 5th at the Surf Coast Classic and 10th at the Schwalbe One Day Classic, but since returning to Europe, her best result is only 47th. However, Brugge-De Panne Women is flatter and less chaotic than the cobbled Belgian races, which should suit her better. Ilse Pluimers has arguably been the stronger of the two recently, finishing 6th at Nokere Koerse. She’s a versatile rider who’s good in breakaways and increasingly reliable in a sprint from a reduced bunch. That could prove useful if the winds stir up any echelon chaos.
Ally Wollaston has the speed and form to be a serious factor here. She’s won three races already in 2025 but is still just finding her feet in this part of the season after some track racing. The Kiwi was originally on the startlist for Sanremo Women but was a late scratch, this will be her first road race since Le Samyn around 3 weeks ago. She may not quite have the top-end speed of a Wiebes, but her ability to handle harder races and still sprint well gives her a fighting chance—especially if conditions get messy and attritional. Expect her to be mixing it at the front when it matters.
Liv-AlUla Jayco’s Georgia Baker finished 5th at this race last year, and it’s a course that suits her down to the ground. Her 2025 hasn’t caught fire just yet, but she was 5th at Le Samyn earlier this month and remains a rider capable of sneaking into the top positions when the sprint isn’t completely full strength. The flatter parcours plays to her advantage too compared to the more traditional Belgian one-dayers.
Maggie Coles-Lyster is always a bit of a wildcard, but this could be a good chance for her to get a result. She started the season well with a podium at Trofeo Marratxi-Felanitx and has the raw speed to get into the top-10. Coles-Lyster is one of those riders who could benefit if there’s a slightly smaller group sprinting at the end rather than a full bunch finish, and she thrives when the race requires a bit of tenacity and opportunism. Lily Williams was 14th at Nokere Koerse and has already proven she’s more than capable of finding herself in the right place in Belgian races. A flatter course like Brugge-De Panne Women isn’t a bad fit, but her best shot might come if the race fragments late on. She’s not always the fastest in a pure drag race sprint, but if she’s part of a reduced group, she can take advantage.
Majo van’t Geloof is consistently under the radar but has all the attributes to pop up for a strong result in a race like Brugge-De Panne Women. She was 7th at Le Samyn and 5th in the 2023 edition of GP Oetingen. She knows how to handle herself in Belgian races and will be one of the strongest riders outside the top teams if the race becomes chaotic. Michaela Drummond may have the higher top speed between the two, finishing 4th at Vuelta CV Feminas and 5th at Trofeo Marratxi-Felanitx. She struggled with the climbing at GP Oetingen but will find this parcours much more suitable. A top-10 isn’t out of the question for either of them.
2025 Classic Brugge-De Panne Women 2025 Outsiders
Photo Credit: Sprint Cycling AgencyMartina Alzini delivered her best result of the season this week with 2nd at the Midwest Cycling Classic, only just being edged out in the final sprint. The Italian brings some fresh form into Brugge-De Panne Women and has proven she’s fast enough to hang with some of the stronger names. She often rides in a support role, but if she’s given a chance, a top-10 is a realistic goal.
VolkerWessels’ Scarlett Souren comes into Brugge-De Panne Women off the back of her first win of the 2025 season at the Midwest Cycling Classic. Until now, her best result was 25th at Omloop van het Hageland, but her recent victory suggests she’s trending upwards. She may struggle in a big bunch sprint, but if splits form and she finds herself in a smaller group, she’s shown she can finish the job.
Finally, Eline van Rooijen will be looking for a result closer to her 8th at Vuelta CV Feminas than her more recent Belgian performances. The GP Oetingen, Le Samyn, and Omloop van het Hageland races didn’t play to her strengths, but Brugge-De Panne Women is flatter and more straightforward, giving her a chance to get back into the top-15 conversation.
Top 3 Prediction
⦿ Lorena Wiebes
⦿ Elisa Balsamo
⦿ Charlotte Kool
