In Flanders Fields 2026 women’s race recap – Defending champion Lorena Wiebes completes the hat-trick with third successive win in photo-finish

Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) made history as the first woman to win In Flanders Fields – In Wevelgem for the third time in consecutive years as she held on for victory in a sprint finish.

Whilst the result would repeat itself for the third year running, it was the final ascent of the Kemmelberg which would turn the race on its side as the Dutch champion produced a devastating attack up the famous cobbled climb with 35.5km to go.

As a result, a select group of five riders would reach the finish line together, with the defending champion beginning her sprint with 300m to go. A surging Fleur Moors (Lidl-Trek) would come close enough to scare Wiebes, but the Dutch sprinter held on by over a wheel length to complete her hat-trick of victories in the race formerly named Gent-Wevelgem.

The day’s breakaway of four riders formed early on with 130km to go, with the quartet of Idoia Eraso (Laboral Kutxa – Fundacion Euskadi), Lea Lin Teutenberg (Lotto Intermache Ladies), Yonna Van Dam (Citymesh – Customm Pro Cycling Team) and Heidi Antikainen (Minimax Cycling Team) allowed to grow a gap over five minutes.

The breakaway’s advantage reduced rapidly as the peloton reached the first climb of the day, Monteberg, with Eraso and Teutenberg the survivors with 57km remaining, before Eraso dropped her breakaway partner on the first ascent of the Kemmelberg (Belverdere) to be eventually caught with 55km to go.

UAE Team ADQ’s Silvia Persico attempted to light the race up on the Baneberg with 42km to go, and whilst she was unable to get rid of the race favourites, she was able to decimate the peloton to a select group of 15 riders, with Wiebes, Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek), Moors, Elise Chabbey (FDJ United-Suez), Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech), British champion Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech) and Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ) all notable inclusions.

The race would unravel on the second ascent of the Kemmelberg (Ossuaire) as the defending champion proved attack was in fact the best form of defence as she impressively led the charge up the notorious climb to shrink the leading group to five riders.

The quintet of Wiebes, Moors, Chabbey, Swinkels and Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ) grew their gap to over 53s, with the chasing group eventually absorbed by the peloton as they looked to rein in the leaders.

Gasparrini launched a surprise attack with 3.8km to go, forcing Wiebes to close down the move, with the Dutchwoman proving to be the best in the game as she led the quintet under the flamme rogue.

Launching her sprint from 300m to go, Wiebes lifted her arms to claim the hat-trick as she managed to pip Fleur Moors on the line by a wheel length, with Swinkels completing the podium.

A lesson to refrain from celebrating too early in a sprint finish, but this time Lorena Wiebes was not made to regret it.

"I celebrated maybe a bit too early but this time it was enough and I felt during the race that I had good legs. At the Kemmelberg last time, I thought ‘why not pace it myself?’

"I was like ‘I can still go a bit faster, so why not?’. We were a good group and everyone did their turns. They started the attack from UAE-ADQ in the last kilometres and it was a difficult sprint from me.

"It’s nice to win out of a breakaway and it makes it more special to win it for a third time.

"In the beginning, [the cooperation] was good and it was also logical. But in the end, UAE riders would want to attack. Of course, they didn’t want to do any turns with me, so it was up to me to keep the tempo high enough.

"I sprinted a bit too early maybe, I made my DS a bit scared but in the end, it was good enough."

1 - Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) 3:31:21

2 - Fleur Moors (Lidl-Trek) "

3 - Karlijn Swinkels (UAE-ADQ) "

4 - Elise Chabbey (FDJ United-SUEZ) "

5 - Eleonora Gasaparrini (UAE-ADQ) +3"

6 - Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ United-SUEZ) +17"

7 - Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) +17"

8 - Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco) "

9 - Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime) "

10 - Lara Gillespie (UAE-ADQ) "

It's been confirmed as we get a glance at the photo finish.

Lorena Wiebes makes history as the first women to win In Flanders Fields - In Wevelgem (previously Gent-Wevelgem) three times and impressively, three years in a row.

She beats Fleur Moors (Lidl-Trek) by a wheel length, whilst Karlijn Swinkels (UAE-ADQ) completes the podium.

We think.

Lorena Wiebes launches her sprint from 300m and leads the way, but Fleur Moors (Lidl-Trek) is coming quickly.

Wiebes lifts her arms in celebration before crossing the line and Moors dips, but it looks like she's got away with celebrating early.

Lorena Wiebes heads under the flamme rogue at the front of the leading group.

She's constantly checking behind her shoulder for the next move.

The UAE-ADQ rider goes again but she's quickly brought back by Wiebes.

Here we go!

Eleonora Gasparrini attacks as the riders dip under the 4km mark as UAE-ADQ look to inflict pain on Lorena Wiebes.

She gains a couple of meters and it's Wiebes who is forced to chase.

The Italian cyclist digs in, but will her teammate Karlijn Swinkels launch another move to punish Wiebes?

Our group of five leaders dip under the 5km to go mark as the gap drops under 40", with Alpecin Premier-Tech leading the chase.

It's coming down but will the chasing peloton run out of road?

Lorena Wiebes tightens her shoes as the riders head towards 10km to go.

You have to wonder what is going through the other rider's minds in this leading group - how do you beat Lorena Wiebes at her own game?

Even on tired legs, the SD Worx-Protime rider remains the favourite in a sprint finish.

There's a lack of cohesion in the chasing group with the knowledge that the peloton is close to making the catch.

The likes of Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Daniek Hengeveld (Visma-Lease a Bike) attempt to go clear in a last ditch effort but the group does come together.

Our group of five leaders have a gap of 53" over the chasing peloton with 14km to go.

The team cars are pulled out as the peloton closes the gap on the group of chasers.

This could completely change the dynamics of this race should they join up.

The likes of Movistar and Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto have completely missed the move, and they're the ones working at the front of the bunch to bring this back.

Watch the moment Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) blows this race to pieces on the Kemmelberg.

She wants her hat-trick of wins in this race and she's takes to the front of the leaders - she does not want this group to be brought back.

The gap to the chasers grows to 40". It's only heading on one direction.

Could this be the move?

Our group of five leaders are holding a 25 second advantage over the group of chasers.

The remainder of the peloton look to be completely out of it now with a group of 1'19" behind the leaders.

Who will do the work to close this down or ensure this break sticks?

Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) is joined by Fleur Moors (Lidl Trek), Elise Chabbey (FDJ United-SUEZ), Silvia Persico and Karlijn Swinkels (UAE-ADQ).

A group of about six chasers are looking to bring the breakaway back, including Elisa Balsamo (Lidl Trek) and Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech).

We reach Kemmelberg (Ossuaire) and it's none other than Lorena Wiebes who leads the select group up our final climb of the day.

She gaps Chabbey and the group is spread out, with the chasing group not too far behind.

On the descent, we can see the damage Wiebes has done to this group as it shrinks to just five riders.

Baneberg and Silvia Persico's attack has inflicted plenty of damage and we have a select group of around 15 riders now at the front of the race.

UAE-ADQ are driving the move forward and there's plenty of big names as we head towards to the Kemmelberg (Ossuaire).

Wiebes, Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek), Fleur Moors (Lidl-Trek) Elise Chabbey (FDJ United-SUEZ), Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech), Mille Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech) and Karlijn Swinkels to name a few.