The Women’s Gent-Wevelgem returns this Sunday with Lorena Wiebes hunting a landmark 100th career victory. After wins at Sanremo Women and Brugge-De Panne over the past week, she lines up as the standout favourite and defending champion. Wiebes finally got the better of this race in 2024, delivering a clinical sprint from a reduced bunch. But this year’s edition is unlikely to be as straightforward.
While the forecast calls for dry and relatively warm conditions, it’s the wind that will shape the day. Sustained crosswinds of 12–15mph, with gusts up to 30mph, are expected throughout the race. The tail-crosswind on the run-in from the Kemmelberg back to Wevelgem makes it ideal terrain for late moves to stick, while the open sections through De Moeren earlier in the day provide the perfect platform for splits and echelons.
That dynamic could make it far harder for the big sprint teams to control the race. The last time Gent-Wevelgem saw these conditions in full force, it was Marlen Reusser who took advantage, escaping solo in 2023 after launching from the Baneberg. The bunch never came close. Last year was calmer, but the peloton will be bracing for another hard, unpredictable edition.
The route itself remains unchanged, with the Baneberg, Monteberg and Kemmelberg still the key climbs. The Kemmelberg’s second ascent with 30km to go is the pivotal point—steep, cobbled, and laced with history as the race passes the WWI ossuary at its summit. From there, it’s a fast tailwind run back to the finish, but if the bunch isn’t intact by that point, it may not come back together.
Gent-Wevelgem Women has often leaned toward the sprinters, but this year looks primed for a more selective finish. Wiebes is still the most likely winner, but she’ll need to survive what could be the most aggressive edition of this race since the course was toughened up. A sprint remains on the cards, but don’t expect it to be a big one.
Previous Winners
2024
Lorena Wiebes
2023
Marlen Reusser
2022
Elisa Balsamo
2025 Gent-Wevelgem Women Race Profile
Live TV Coverage
Sunday 30th March 2025
Live on Discovery+/Max/TNT Sports Online across most of Europe
Live from 15:00-17:30
All times in GMT
Twitter: #GW25 or #GentWevelgem
Startlist: FirstCycling
2025 Gent-Wevelgem Women 2025 Contenders
Lorena Wiebes comes into Gent-Wevelgem Women chasing a landmark 100th career victory and is the clear favourite. The SD Worx rider is unbeaten in sprint finishes in 2025, and with six wins already – including Saturday’s Sanremo Women – she’s in unstoppable form. The key challenge will be getting over the Kemmelberg in the lead group, but Wiebes has been climbing better than ever and should manage it comfortably. Her only real issue in previous editions came in 2023 when a crash ended her race early. Last year, she bounced back to take the win, and anything less than a repeat would be a surprise. Alongside her, Lotte Kopecky returns in a likely support role. As we saw at Sanremo Women, Kopecky is building for bigger targets like the Tour of Flanders. She was riding for Wiebes in Sanremo, even closing down attacks on her behalf when Longo Borghini went clear. However, if anything does happen to Wiebes, Kopecky will be in a prime position to step up. Mischa Bredewold is also on hand and looks most likely to try a Reusser-style move. She’s a strong engine that could mark attacks, and if the timing is right, she might just end up forcing a gap that proves decisive.
Chiara Consonni is getting closer to that elusive 2025 victory. After finishing 3rd in last year’s Gent-Wevelgem Women and taking 2nd in Brugge-De Panne this week, she looks like the most consistent challenger to Wiebes in bunch sprints. The Italian’s positioning is consistently strong, and if Wiebes falters, Consonni is the most likely to benefit. If needed, Chloe Dygert offers a powerful plan B for Canyon SRAM. Dygert can handle the climbs, finished 6th at Sanremo Women, and could even be used as an attacking option to keep SD Worx honest. If she gets up the road with a gap, she’s very difficult to bring back.
Elisa Balsamo knows what it takes to win here – she did just that in 2022 and followed it up with 2nd in 2024. The problem is, she’s not quite at her sharpest right now. There’s a worrying trend from the last two races where she hasn’t been able to finish sprints off in full. She stayed seated at the end of Sanremo Women and was passed by Chiara Consonni at Brugge-De Panne. We know she can get over the climbs well, and she’ll still be in the podium picture, but beating Lorena Wiebes in a sprint doesn’t look likely right now. Emma Norsgaard gives Lidl-Trek a more attacking option. She’s got previous top-10s in this race and may be allowed the freedom to go long. She’s another rider who can be difficult to catch in the right race situation.
Charlotte Kool hasn’t hit her stride yet this season, and 15th at Brugge-De Panne confirmed she’s still searching for top form. Her 4th here last year was a strong ride, but the Kemmelberg could be a decisive barrier this time around with her current form. If she fades again, Pfeiffer Georgi will become Picnic-PostNL’s best shot. The Brit was 11th here last year and remains one of the team’s most reliable riders. Her top result of 2025 is still 7th at Omloop het Nieuwsblad, but she’s been in the mix in plenty of races and just needs the right scenario to fight for a bigger result here.
Lara Gillespie has been one of the revelations of the classics so far in 2025, and she kept that going with 5th at Brugge-De Panne. She’s been consistently strong this spring, with only the crash at GP Oetingen disrupting her run of results. Gent-Wevelgem offers the chance to consolidate that level on a harder course, and there’s no reason she can’t be in the top-5 again. Elisa Longo Borghini will use this race as key prep for Flanders but could still take the opportunity to animate the race on the climbs if the moment feels right. Her near-miss attack at Sanremo Women shows the legs are good. Karlijn Swinkels, 4th in Gent-Wevelgem last year, has the versatility to be both climbing threat and sprint contender, depending on how the race plays out. She’s having a strong 2025 so far, winning the Trofeo Oro in Euro, and will be a major factor again on Sunday.
Cat Ferguson showed at Brugge-De Panne that she’s not afraid to race aggressively. Her solo break was ultimately reeled in, but it was a statement move from a rider already showing maturity beyond her years. Gent-Wevelgem should suit her better, with the Kemmelberg helping to break things up. She’s proven she can climb with the best, as we saw with 3rd at Trofeo Alfredo Binda. If she’s there in the final group, she’ll be one of the fastest finishers remaining.
Letizia Paternoster will be back in action after her crash at Sanremo Women, and this is the sort of race where she can get back into the mix. Her 5th at Trofeo Alfredo Binda reminded everyone of her quality, and she’s returned to form well this year despite injury setbacks. Her breakthrough came here in 2019 with 3rd place, and a reduced sprint is exactly the kind of finish she can handle. Georgia Baker took 4th at Brugge-De Panne and was 5th at Le Samyn des Dames, but Gent-Wevelgem has historically been too tough for her. She’s not finished in two previous editions, and the climbs are likely to catch her out again. The focus should be firmly on Paternoster.
Ally Wollaston just missed out on the top-10 at Brugge-De Panne, finishing 11th in her first race back after track duties. She’s already shown her sprint in tougher races like the Cadel Evans Road Race and should be able to handle the climbing here. If she’s still present in a reduced bunch at the finish, she will be one of the fastest. FDJ-Suez could also look to Elise Chabbey to force something on the climbs. It’s her first race since Omloop het Nieuwsblad, so she should be fresh and ready to get up the road. Vittoria Guazzini will likely drop into a lead-out role for Wollaston if it comes to a group sprint but also has the strength to finish well herself if tactics shift.
With no Thalita de Jong, Lily Williams will likely be Human Powered Health’s best shot. She’s been putting together a solid block of racing this spring, consistently finishing just outside the top-10. Her 14th at Nokere Koerse is her Belgian classics high point so far, and if she crests the Kemmelberg in a decent position, a top-10 finish is within reach. That would be her best result since the UAE Tour earlier in the season.
Christina Schweinberger has the team’s best Gent-Wevelgem results in recent seasons, with 5th in 2023 and 9th last year. The Austrian has spent most of 2025 working for others like Puck Pieterse, but 6th at Le Samyn des Dames showed she’s still capable of strong results herself. This parcours suits her more than the flatter Brugge-De Panne, and if she’s given the chance, she’ll be a serious top-10 contender again. Julie de Wilde could be the other card Fenix-Deceuninck plays. Her win at GP Oetingen earlier this month remains her best result of 2025, and while 63rd at Brugge-De Panne wasn’t ideal, the hillier Gent-Wevelgem is more in her wheelhouse.
Ilse Pluimers was strong in the more selective Nokere Koerse with 6th place, but wasn’t as sharp in the flatter Brugge-De Panne, finishing 39th. The climbs at Gent-Wevelgem Women give her a better shot at being in the lead group, and she has a good finish if the race is whittled down enough. Nicole Steigenga is in the middle of an impressive comeback after a long concussion layoff, following up 7th at Nokere Koerse with 13th in Brugge-De Panne. She’s a real wildcard here, especially if the race becomes chaotic in the final 30km. Gladys Verhulst-Wild was 28th here last year and has shown form in 2025 with 4th at Le Samyn. If she’s near the front over the Kemmelberg, she’ll be dangerous in a reduced sprint.
With no Marianne Vos on the start list, Visma | Lease a Bike comes into Gent-Wevelgem Women with a younger line-up built around three riders making their debut at this race. Nienke Veenhoven looks the strongest option based on recent results – 9th at Nokere Koerse and 6th at Brugge-De Panne show she has the sprinting form, but the big question mark is whether she’ll handle the Kemmelberg well enough to be there at the finish. Martina Fidanza continues to ease back into racing after her crash at Vuelta Extremadura and didn’t get the best opportunity to show what she could do at Brugge-De Panne, finishing 57th after getting caught behind the late crash. She has the speed, but like Veenhoven, the climbing test will decide her fate. Imogen Wolff is the team’s wildcard – she won the final stage at Vuelta Extremadura earlier this month and has previous experience here with 4th in the junior race last year. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see her turn heads again.
Linda Zanetti has emerged as Uno-X Mobility’s main sprinter this season and followed up her string of top results with 7th at Brugge-De Panne. She’s in superb form but the challenge will be whether she can make it over the Kemmelberg in a front group—her only previous attempt at this race ended in a DNF in 2022. The team does have a reliable plan B in Maria Giulia Confalonieri, who is far more proven at Gent-Wevelgem, with 3rd in 2022 and 5th last year. She’s been quiet in 2025 so far, but this is her kind of race, and she’ll be hoping for a chance to fight it out in a reduced group sprint.
Victoire Berteau finally cracked the top-15 at Gent-Wevelgem last year with 14th and will be hoping to improve on that in 2025. Her strength is in selective races and smaller groups, so the harder this edition is, the better her chances. She’s been a consistent presence in the top-15 this spring, with 8th at both Nokere Koerse and GP Oetingen showing she’s not far off a podium-level result.
Eline Jansen has had a rough run of luck this spring, crashing early in Strade Bianche and suffering a mechanical while in the front group at Sanremo Women. Gent-Wevelgem gives her a chance to reset and finally show what she’s capable of. She climbs well enough and has a fast finish if she can get over the Kemmelberg in touch. Margot Vanpachtenbeke gives VolkerWessels another strong option. She was 11th here last year and has been quietly strong this spring. She finished 19th at Sanremo Women and will be targeting another top-20 this year, with the potential to go even better, depending on how selective the race becomes.
2025 Gent-Wevelgem Women 2025 Outsiders
Mylene de Zoete finished 9th in Brugge-De Panne but will have a much harder task at Gent-Wevelgem Women. Her chances rest on getting over the Kemmelberg close enough to the front. If she doesn’t, Sarah Van Dam may come into play. The Canadian finished 25th at Sanremo Women and has shown potential in these sorts of chaotic races. She’s an outside bet but could surprise if she’s in the right group after the final climb.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a big Gent-Wevelgem result from Tamara Dronova, but 8th in 2022 and 17th in 2023 show it’s possible. She was 31st at Brugge-De Panne, riding anonymously as she builds towards the team’s El Salvador races. If she’s sharper now, the climbs might not be a barrier and a reduced sprint could see her sneak back into the top-10.
Lotta Henttala returns to a race she won back in 2017, but she hasn’t raced a huge amount this year and will find the Kemmelberg a real obstacle. Her win at the Trofeo Marratxi-Felanitx shows there’s still speed in the legs, but whether she’ll be able to put it to use on Sunday is a different question. Sarah Roy might actually be EF Education-Oatly’s better bet here. She was 10th at Nokere Koerse and has a strong Gent-Wevelgem pedigree from her 4th in 2020 and 8th in 2021. If the race goes long and hard, she has the toughness to make it count.
Majo van’t Geloof has had a strong run of results in recent weeks with 4th at Nokere Koerse and 18th at Brugge-De Panne, but Gent-Wevelgem hasn’t been kind to her in the past. Her best result here is way back in 2015 with 25th. If she gets over the Kemmelberg in good shape, she’s got the form to be a top-10 outsider. It all hinges on that crucial climb.
Top 3 Prediction
⦿ Lorena Wiebes
⦿ Elisa Balsamo
⦿ Chiara Consonni
