Wevelgem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Wevelgem will remain the Ghent-Wevelgem finish for 6 years, paying €310k–€330k (2026–2031). Mayor Jan Seynhaeve confirmed agreements for other races, keeping the city a key cycling hub.
Aa VRT News reported, Wevelgem, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium, will stay the finish line of the Ghent-Wevelgem cycling classic for the next 6 years. The Vanackerestraat, where former Danish world champion Mads Pedersen and European champion Lorena Wiebes have crossed the line in victory, will continue to host both the men’s and women’s races.
The previous contract ended after the 2025 race, but Wevelgem has now renewed the agreement. For the past 6 years, the city paid €300,000 annually, a figure that doubled in 2019. Under the new deal, Wevelgem will pay €310,000 for the 2026 and 2027 races, €320,000 for 2028 and 2029, and €330,000 for 2030 and 2031. Mayor Jan Seynhaeve (CD&V) said the increase is an indexation to reflect inflation and the rising profile of the race.
What makes Wevelgem a key hub for Ghent-Wevelgem and cycling events?
The contract also requires the peloton to pass through Moorsele and Gullegem after starting in Ypres. However, Ypres has not yet secured its role as the starting city for the next 6 years. If the city steps back, organisers will need to find a suitable alternative that preserves the race’s tradition. Mayor Seynhaeve stressed that the starting point must meet the event’s standards and continue to bring visibility and economic benefits to the region.
“And if the organisers come up with another alternative, it can only be done with our approval,”
Seynhaeve believes.
“If the starting point is further away, the riders won’t have to ride through our municipalities anymore, but then the women’s race can start there as an alternative.”
For Wevelgem, keeping its role as a finish line was a priority, said Seynhaeve. The event has been organised since the 1930s and has progressed to improve across the years, and with an escalation in the importance of the event. The competition has clearly improved, and there is no limit on how many first-class riders can come now. The race is conducted live broadcast through radio and television sets every Sunday.
At the same time, Wevelgem has finalised agreements with the organisers of 3 other cycling events: Gullegem Koerse, Cyclocross Gullegem, and Moorsele Koerse. The financial arrangements and terms for these races have been set for the next 6 years.
All agreements are scheduled for formal approval by the city council next week. Next year, the municipality will host 15 cycling competitions. These plans ensure that Wevelgem will continue to be recognised as a key cycling hub.
“Everything will be formally approved by the city council next week. Next year, there will be 15 cycling races in our area. So we will remain a cycling municipality for years to come,”
Seynhaeve believes
The Wevelgem race, officially known as Gent-Wevelgem, was first held in 1934 and has since become one of Belgium’s most prestigious one-day cycling events. Traditionally held in late March 2025. Over the decades, Wevelgem has expanded its cycling calendar, adding events such as Gullegem Koerse, first organised in 1943, Cyclocross Gullegem, and Moorsele Koerse, which date back to the mid-20th century.
