Ypres (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ypres will no longer host Gent-Wevelgem, renamed “In Flanders Fields, from Middelkerke to Wevelgem.” Mayor Katrien Desomer cites €150,000 annual costs, while the city council reacts calmly to the change.
As VRT News reported, the Ypres city council has reacted calmly to the news that the Ghent-Wevelgem cycling race will no longer start in their city. The race, held for more than 90 years, will move its starting point to Middelkerke. It will also be renamed
“In Flanders Fields, from Middelkerke to Wevelgem.”
The change is set to remain in place for the next 10 years.
“The competition _ was going to cost us €150,000 annually,”
explains Mayor Katrien Desomer (CD8V).
“Over the entire legislative term, that amounts to €900,000, money we could use for many other things, especially in times of financial hardship. So we declined.”
“We did propose collaborating with another city or municipality and alternating the starting location each year,”
Desomer continues.
“But the organisers didn’t accept that. We’re not angry about that per se. We understand they’re opting for certainty. I can also imagine it being easier to organise if you start from the same location every year. But it simply became too expensive for us, and it’s a friendly partnership that we’re entering into.”
Why is Ypres calm as Ghent-Wevelgem moves to Middelkerke?
Davy Goudeseune, who owns a pasta bar on Ypres’ Grote Markt, expressed quiet resignation after learning that the Ghent-Wevelgem cycling race will no longer start in the city.
“It’s not that my shop was always overflowing with people on match day,”
he says.
“On the contrary, because part of the market was closed off, it was actually harder to get here. Although it was a nice form of promotion for Ypres, which will likely have had a long-term impact.”
Many local business owners share his sentiment. Goudeseune and others acknowledge the change but accept it as part of the evolving calendar of major sporting events in Flanders.
The city council is planning new initiatives to keep Ypres lively and active. The mayor said,
“First and foremost, I want to emphasise that there are plenty of other things to do. The next few days will be busy with Armistice Day. After that, we have the Christmas Market, the street theatre festival De Gevleugbelde Stad The Winged City and the Cat Parade.”
The mayor also said discussions are ongoing to bring another major cycling event to Ypres. While details are not finalised, he assured the city will not face a gap in high-profile sports events. The council aims to maintain Ypres’ reputation as a centre for culture, tourism, and sports, keeping residents and visitors engaged throughout the year.
The one-day classic Gent–Wevelgem was first held on 9 September 1934, starting in Ghent and finishing in Wevelgem. In 2003, the race moved its starting point from Ghent to Deinze. 17 years later, in 2020, Ypres became the new starting town under a 6-year agreement.
