Gent - Wevelgem 2016 – women: Route

Sunday, March 27, 2016 – At 115.3 kilometres, the women's edition of Gent-Wevelgem leads from Ieper to Wevelgem. No Gent to depart from, that's right, but it's the same in the men's edition. All in all, the women are welcomed by 5 hills, the last one being Monteberg, with 35 kilometres left to race.

The Women World Cup is history, 2016 saw the birth of the UCI Women’s WorldTour. Of course Gent-Wevelgem is part of it. The race was held four times, two times the Dutch went home with the flowers. Floortje Mackaij is title holder, while Kirsten Wild was victorious in 2013. Elizabeth Armitstead (2012) and Lauren Hall (2014) are the other winners.

Where the men take almost 2/3 of the race to get to the first hill, the women are more straightforward. With 36.3 kilometres done Kemmelberg looms, a 3 kilometres climb at 4% with a steepest sector at 17%. Shortly Monteberg is to follow, stacking 1 kilometre with an average gradient of 7%.

Short and venomous, the 300 metres climb up Baneberg accounts for 20% gradients after 70 kilometres in the saddle. Sure, that is steep, but you ain’t seen nothing yet as Kemmelberg is to be climbed once more, only this time from the west, meaning a grueling (and cobbled) slope with a steepest sector at 23%.

Just as before Monteberg comes next in 4 kilometres, while after cresting the women have 34.6 flat kilometres left to race to the finish line in Wevelgem.

Live race report women’s Gent-Wevelgen 2016.