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Follow us on GoogleNo E3, but with In Flanders Fields, the race formerly known as Gent-Wevelgem, the Flemish cycling week on the women’s side is really starting to take shape. Dwars door Vlaanderen traditionally also hosts a women’s race, and this year an awful lot of star names will be on the start line in Waregem. So who exactly is racing, and what can we expect? IDLProCycling.com brings you up to speed.
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Practical information Dwars door Vlaanderen - women 2026
- Wednesday, April 1, 2026
- Participants
- Classification: WorldTour
In this article
- Latest winners
- Course, weather and times
- Favorites
- TV information
Latest winners Dwars door Vlaanderen - women
2025 Elisa Longo Borghini
2024 Marianne Vos2023 Demi Vollering
2022 Chiara Consonnni
2021 Annemiek van Vleuten
2019 Ellen van Dijk
2018 Ellen van Dijk
2017 Lotta Henttala
2016 Amy Pieters
2015 Amy Pieters
Course, weather and times Dwars door Vlaanderen - women 2026
There were six cobbled sectors and seven climbs for the women last year; this time, the race features six cobbled sectors and eight climbs. Classic hills such as Berg Ten Houte, Côte de Trieu and the Hotond are all included again, as is the Mariaborrestraat. New this year is the Hellestraat, which will serve as the first difficulty of the day.
The finishing circuit is the same as the one used in the men’s race and includes the Nokereberg twice, as well as two passages over the cobbled Herlegemstraat. After that final obstacle, there are still just over six kilometres left to the finish on the Verbindingsweg in Waregem. In total, the course comes in at just under 130 kilometres.
Weather
The weather should not be a major factor on Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to rise to around 14 degrees Celsius, although sunshine may be limited. Any rain that does fall is expected to be light, and with only a weak wind forecast, the conditions should not have much impact on the race.
The weather should not be a major factor on Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to rise to around 14 degrees Celsius, although sunshine may be limited. Any rain that does fall is expected to be light, and with only a weak wind forecast, the conditions should not have much impact on the race.
Times
Start: 2:10 PM local time
Finish: around 5:27 PM local time
Start: 2:10 PM local time
Finish: around 5:27 PM local time
Favorites Dwars door Vlaanderen - women 2026
All the stars are gathering in Waregem. The start list for Dwars door Vlaanderen is packed with major names, so all the ingredients are there for a terrific race. Defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini is set to start, while UAE Team ADQ also brings the fast-finishing Eleonora Gasparrini and Silvia Persico.
Lorena Wiebes will not race on Wednesday, which means SD Worx-Protime will pin much of its hopes on two-time world champion Lotte Kopecky, along with Mischa Bredewold. They certainly will not have it easy, however, because FDJ-SUEZ also arrives with Demi Vollering and Elise Chabbey. Vollering already won this race once before, back in 2023.
Marianne Vos is another former winner on the start line. The Dutch rider from Visma | Lease a Bike has already recorded two top-10 finishes this season. Puck Pieterse, meanwhile, has posted three top-10s so far and, racing for Fenix-Deceuninck, finished fourth in Sanremo Women. Her Dutch compatriot Charlotte Kool also has plenty of speed, as shown by her victory in Omloop van het Hageland earlier this year.
Also keep a close eye on the Movistar duo of Liane Lippert and Marlen Reusser. Beyond them, Kimberley Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal), Eline Jansen (VolkerWessels), Caroline Andersson (Liv AlUla Jayco), Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek) and Chiara Consonni (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) are all riders who could make a real impact.
Who are the favorites for Dwars door Vlaanderen - women 2026, according to IDLProCycling.com?
Top favorites: Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) and Demi Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ)
Outsiders: Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech)
Longshots: Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ), Elise Chabbey (FDJ-SUEZ), Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech), Lianne Lippert, Marlen Reusser (Movistar), Kimberley Lecourt (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Chiara Consonni (CANYON//SRAM Sundacrypto)
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Latest Comments
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