GENT-WEVELGEM’22: Biniam Girmay Makes Historical past!

Race Report: Eritrea is now in the cycling history books as Biniam Girmay won the Belgian Gent-Wevelgem classic after an action packed final. Girmay out-sprinted his breakaway companions: Christophe Laporte, Dries Van Gestel and Jasper Stuyven.

*** Full ‘PEZ Gent-Wevelgem Race Report’ Very Soon ***

Gent-Wevelgem 2022 was won by Biniam Girmay. After 249 kilometres between Ypres and Wevelgem, the Eritrean of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert was the first across the finish-line. He was the fastest of a leading group of four, ahead of Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), Dries Van Gestel (TotalEnergies) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo).

The sign-on in Ypres/Ieper

Parcours:
Gent-Wevelgem starts with a long flat section, this is followed by the hilly zone with the Kemmelberg three times, which should thin out the favourites. After the last Kemmel for last time, the race gets tactical until the finish, where the hardmen have to get rid of the sprinters.

The 9 Climbs:
1. Scherpenberg (at 97.5km from the finish)
1,600m, 3% average and 8.4% maximum
2. Baneberg (at 91.9km from the finish)
2,000m, 4.6% avg. and 11.2% max.
3. Monteberg (85.9km from the finish)
1,400m, 7.7% avg. and 8.6% max.
4. Kemmelberg (Belvedere – 84.1km from the finish)
3,000m, 4% avg. and 22% max.
5. Monteberg (at 53.6km from the finish)
1,400m, 7.7% avg. and 8.6% max.
6. Kemmelberg (Belvedere – 51.8km from the finish)
3,000m, 4% avg. and 22% max.
7. Scherpenberg (at 44.3km from the finish)
1,600m, 3% avg. and 8.4% max.
8. Baneberg (at 39.6km from the finish)
2,000m., 4.6% avg. and 11.2% max.
9. Kemmelberg (Ossuaire – 34.3 km from the finish)
700m, 10.4% avg. and 21.1% max.

The 3 Plugstreets (4,000m):
1. Hill 63 (2,100m, at 71.6km from the finish)
2. Christmas Truce (1,300m, at 69.1km from the finish)
3. The Catacombs (600m, at 66.9km from the finish)

Scottish piper to see the race off

Through the Menenpoort, Ieper

Foggy Flanders

Will we see the Peter Sagan of the past?

Passing the many war cemeteries

Echelons were expected on the flat roads to the coast

The ‘Break of the Day’

More war monuments

Jumbo-Visma on the front of the peloton

Moto crash, but the photographer keeps clicking

The expected echelons didn’t form on the flat before the climbs

‘Super’ favourite Wout van Aert

Bahrain Victorious came to the front before the road narrowed

Crash on the narrow road and it looked like race over for Jens Keukeleire (EF Education-EasyPost)

Johan Jacobs (Movistar) was the strongest in the break

Dust on the Plugstreets

The break on the Kemmel

Everyone was watching Wout van Aert

The Van Aert/Laporte tandem

Van Avermaet and Benoot tried

Biniam Girmay looked strong in the finalé

The winning break of the day

Gent-Wevelgem Result:
1. Biniam Girmay (Eri) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
2. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Jumbo-Visma
3. Dries Van Gestel (Bel) TotalEnergies
4. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
5. Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team DSM
6. Tim Merlier (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix
7. Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo
8. Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Movistar Team
9. Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain Victorious
10. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ.

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