2020 Gent–Wevelgem Explained

2020 Gent–Wevelgem
Series:2020 UCI World Tour
Race No:18
Season No:21
Date:11 October 2020
Stages:1
Distance:238
Unit:km
Time:5h 19' 20"
First:Mads Pedersen
First Nat:DEN
Second:Florian Sénéchal
Second Nat:FRA
Third:Matteo Trentin
Third Nat:ITA
Previous:2019
Next:2021

The 2020 Gent–Wevelgem was a road cycling classic race that took place on 11 October 2020 in Belgium. It was the 82nd edition of Gent–Wevelgem and the eighteenth event of the 2020 UCI World Tour.

One of the Spring Classics, Gent-Wevelgem was originally scheduled for 29 March 2020, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium.[1] The race was rescheduled for 11 October 2020 as part of a new autumnal 'spring classics' season, [2] though it was only the Belgian races which were eventually held.

Route

The race organisers asked spectators to follow the race from home, and did not release details of the route to the public before the start of the race. [3] [4] Parts of the race due to pass through France were removed due to the worsening of the pandemic in France.[5] The start times of the races were also adapted to avoid a clash with the 2020 Giro d'Italia. For the first time, the men's race started before the women's race.[6]

Teams

All nineteen UCI WorldTeams and six UCI ProTeams made up the twenty-five teams that competed in the race. Though most teams entered the maximum of seven riders,,, and entered only six, while entered only five. Only 95 of the 170 riders in the race finished.[7] [8]

UCI WorldTeams

UCI ProTeams

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BELGIAN CLASSICS E3 BINCKBANK AND GENT-WEVELGEM CANCELLED . Eurosport . 10 October 2020.
  2. Web site: Hood . Andrew . Spring classics in the fall? Why not, say specialists . Velo News . 10 October 2020.
  3. Web site: Race Information . Gent-Wevelgem . Flanders Classics . 6 October 2020.
  4. Web site: Tour of Flanders and Gent-Wevelgem take further steps to minimise coronavirus risk . Cycling News . 10 October 2020.
  5. Web site: Cossins . Peter . Gent-Wevelgem 2020 – Preview . Cycling News . 10 October 2020.
  6. Web site: STARTTIJDEN VLAAMSE KLASSIEKERS AANGEPAST NA OVERLAP MET GIRO D'ITALIA . Wielerflits . 6 October 2020.
  7. Web site: Gent–Wevelgem 2020 - Start List. CyclingNews. 10 October 2020.
  8. Web site: Gent–Wevelgem in Flanders Fields 2020 Startlist. ProCyclingStats. 11 October 2020.