The riders who will start Through Flanders will not find major novelties on the route, although two new sectors have been added. The start is scheduled again this year from Roeselare and after 184.6 km it will arrive in Waregem. 

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In the first seventy kilometers we probably won't see much happening, considering that the roads are relatively flat, but when the group crosses the city of Waregem for the first time and subsequently reaches Oudenaarde there will be plenty of action between climbs and cobblestones. The first climb that riders will have to face is one of the novelties of this edition, it is the Hellestraat and at 77 kilometers from the finish line they will also face the Onderbossenaarstraat, a section of the Taaienberg.

The Kanarieberg will no longer be on the route: the organizers deemed the descent towards the subsequent wall too dangerous and therefore decided to remove it. The modification had already been introduced last year following the serious accident involving Wout van Aert in the 2024 edition, in which the Belgian fractured his collarbone, sternum and seven ribs and therefore will continue to not be part of the race course.

«After the accident, we conducted a very careful evaluation with Flanders Classics – said race organization president Pavel Desmet - Cycling is changing. Preparation races no longer exist. Today, every race is ridden with a knife between the teeth. For this reason we decided to modify the route to further improve safety».

Having entered the Flemish Ardennes south of Oudenaarde, riders will cover approximately eighty kilometers among the hills: when the group enters Markedaal the race will really explode with two climbs of Berg Ten Houte, the Côte de Trieu, Hotond and the cobblestones of Mariaborrestraat.

Shortly before the last passage through Oudenaarde, the Eikenberg will be tackled. This is not the last climb, as on the Waregem city circuit riders will have to cross the Nokereberg twice, traveling some roads that are part of the Nokere Koerse. It will continue with the cobblestones of Doorn, Huisepontweg and (twice) Herlegemstraat. The final kilometers will be in a slight descent to the Waregem finish line.

THE FAVORITES

Neilson Powless was the last winner and before him, in chronological order, there were Matteo Jorgenson, Christophe Laporte, in 2022 Mathieu van der Poel and the year before Dylan van Baarle, in short a very respectable roll of honor and now we await to know who will be the successor of the American from EF Education – EasyPost. Everyone remembers last year's edition, when in the final there were three men from Visma-Lease a Bike, Van Aert with Benoot and Jorgenson - and then American Powless. To everyone's great surprise, the Dutch team decided not to exploit their numerical advantage but to focus everything on Van Aert. The Belgian was determined to win this time, but American Powless managed to win by surprise. Thinking back to that episode, certainly Wout van Aert has unfinished business with this race and considering his excellent form and the absence of Van der Poel and Pogacar, he is certainly the number one favorite for victory. The Flemish rider has not yet won this season, but he finished third at Sanremo and last Sunday during the In Flanders Fields, he demonstrated a class and strength not to be underestimated. But the entire Visma-Lease a Bike will be extremely competitive for the Dwars door Vlaanderen.

If the race were to conclude with a sprint with a large group, always a plausible scenario at the Dwars door Vlaanderen, the Dutch team could count on the British talent Matthew Brennan. We cannot forget the former winner Christophe Laporte and Per Strand Hagenes (second place finisher at the E3). Among the favorites is also Mads Pedersen, who coming from a difficult period, has shown he is back with an excellent fourth place at Milan – Sanremo and a ninth last Sunday. Pedersen is one of those riders who can win in different situations. He knows he can be a protagonist of the race in the hilly section, but if the race were to conclude in a sprint after a relatively easy course, he remains a more than dangerous contender.

Jasper Philipsen is another rider capable of handling different race situations. He won last Sunday and is aiming for success at Paris-Roubaix, so why shouldn't he win at the Waregem finish line? The Belgian is mainly known as a top sprinter, but also possesses the power to resist a possible selection and take control of the race in a different way. His podium finishes at Paris-Roubaix and his victory at Milan-Sanremo are a good example of how Philipsen is able to win in different situations. In the absence of Mathieu van der Poel, Philipsen will be the team leader, although certainly the team will also focus on Tibor Del Grosso, the talented Dutchman, sixth in Waregem last year.

Among the riders to keep an eye on if it comes down to a group sprint are also Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step), Arnaud De Lie, Steffen De Schuyteneer (Lotto-Intermarchè), Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling), Tobias Lund Andresen, Cees Bol (Decathlon CMA CGM), Milan Fretin (Cofidis), Max Kanter (XDS Astana), Søren Waerenskjold (Uno-X Mobility), Lukáš Kubíš (Unibet Rose Rockets), Luke Lamperti, Madis Mihkels (EF Education-EasyPost) and Tom Crabbe (Team Flanders-Baloise).

Group sprints are not many in this race and the last one dates back to the 2016 edition with Jens Debusschere, who was the fastest after a sprint with about thirty riders. If there is no group sprint, then among the favorites we must put Florian Vermeersch. His UAE Emirates XRG will field several top riders, including Nils Politt and Antonio Morgado and Frenchman Cosnefroy and each of them in this race will have their say. Coming to INEOS Grenadiers, despite the presence of Sam Welsford, they will not aim for the sprint, preferring an offensive approach with Filippo Ganna, Magnus Sheffield and Ben Turner. While Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe will have Laurence Pithie and brothers Mick and Tim van Dijke in the team, who will try to make the race very demanding. Among the favorites is also Tobias Lund Andresen of Decathlon CMA CGM Team.

We will also see Dylan van Baarle, former winner of this race in 2021 and who this year will try to win with Soudal Quick-Step. Another rider who could do well is Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), seeking an important result after a 2025 below his expectations. We must not forget Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Intermarchè), the Belgian who is waiting for his redemption and after Sunday's fourth place, many expect to see him on the podium.   

Coming to the list of outsiders we find Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto-Intermarchè), Daan Hoole (Decathlon CMA CGM), Lewis Askey (NSN), Ivan García Cortina, Carlos Canal (Movistar), Alec Segaert (Bahrain Victorious), Alberto Bettiol (XDS Astana), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility), Alexis Renard (Cofidis), Rick Pluimers (Tudor), Aimé De Gendt and Fred Wright (Pinarello-Q36.5).

Climbs
1. Hellestraat (1,200 meters at 5.2%, maximum 10%)
2. Volkegemberg (1,100 meters at 4.8%, maximum 10%)
3. Berg Ten Houte (1,100 meters at 6%, maximum 21%)
4. Knokteberg-Trieu (1,100 meters at 7%, maximum 11.8%)
5. Hotond (1,200 meters at 3.1%, maximum 5%)
6. Onderbossenaarstraat (1,400 meters at 5.3%, maximum 10.7%)
7. Berg Ten Houte (1,100 meters at 6%, maximum 21%)
8. Knokteberg-Trieu (1,100 meters at 7%, maximum 11.8%)
9. Hotond (1,200 meters at 3.1%, maximum 5%)
10. Eikenberg (1,200 meters at 5.2%, maximum 10%)
11. Nokereberg – (400 meters at 5.3%, maximum 6.2%)
12. Nokereberg – (1,100 meters at 3.5%, maximum 5.9%)

Cobblestone sections
1. Holleweg – 600 meters
2. Mariaborrestraat – 2,400 meters
3. Mariaborrestraat – 2,400 meters
4. Porta – 900 meters
5. Huisepontweg – 1,600 meters
6. Herlegemstraat – 800 meters
7. Herlegemstraat – 800 meters

THE STARTERS

EF Education - EasyPost
1. ASGREEN Kasper
2. VALGREN Michael
3. LAMPERTI Luke
4. WALKER Max
5. SIMMONS Colby
6. SCHWARZBACHER Matthias
7. HONORE Mikkel Frolich

Team Visma | Lease a Bike
11. VAN AERT Wout
12. BRENNAN Matthew
13. HAGENES Per Strand
14. LAPORTE Christophe
15. MATTIO Pietro
16. AFFINI Edoardo
17. ZINGLE Axel

Alpecin-Premier Tech
21. PHILIPSEN Jasper
22. DEL GROSSO Tibor
23. GOGL Michael
24. PLOWRIGHT Jensen
25. PLANCKAERT Edward
26. RICKAERT Jonas
27. SENECHAL Florian

Soudal Quick-Step
31. LAMPAERT Yves
32. MAGNIER Paul
33. PEDERSEN Casper
34. REINDERINK Pepijn
35. VAN BAARLE Dylan
36. VAN GESTEL Dries
37. SVRCEK Martin

Lidl - Trek
41. PEDERSEN Mads
42. MILAN Jonathan
43. SUNEKAER NORSGAARD Mathias
44. KRAGH ANDERSEN Soren
45. VACEK Mathias
46. SODERQVIST Jakob
47. WALSCHEID Max

INEOS Grenadiers
51. GANNA Filippo
52. HEIDUK Kim
53. SWIFT Connor
54. TARLING Joshua
55. WATSON Samuel
56. SHEFFIELD Magnus
57. WELSFORD Sam

Lotto Intermarchè
61. DE LIE Arnaud
62. BERCKMOES Jenno
63. BEULLENS Cedric
64. BRAET Vito
65. ARTZ Huub
66. GRIGNARD Sebastien
67. VAN SINTMAARTENSDIJK Roel

UAE Team Emirates - XRG
71. COSNEFROY Benoit
72. VERMEERSCH Florian
73. JOHANSEN Julius
74. POLITT Nils
75. MORGADO Antonio
76. HERREGODTS Rune
77. BJERG Mikkel

Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe
81. PITHIE Laurence
82. MARIT Arne
83. DRIZNERS Jarrad
84. THORNLEY Callum
85. VERMEERSCH Gianni
86. VAN DIJKE Mick
87. VAN DIJKE Tim

Groupama - FDJ United
91. GREGOIRE Romain
92. GRUEL Thibaud
93. HUENS Axel
94. JACOBS Johan
95. MADOUAS Valentin
96. RUSSO Clement
97. BARTHE Cyril

NSN Cycling Team
101. GIRMAY Biniam
102. ASKEY Lewis
103. BOIVIN Guillaume
104. LOUVEL Matis
105. VAN TRICHT Floris
106. SHEEHAN Riley
107. VAN ASBROECK Tom

Decathlon CMA CGM Team
111. ANDRESEN Tobias Lund
112. DEWULF Stan
113. DE PESTEL Sander
114. HOOLE Daan
115. NAESEN Oliver
116. BISSEGGER Stefan
117. PEDERSEN Rasmus Sojberg

Movistar Team
121. GARCIA CORTINA Ivan
122. CANAL Carlos
123. BARRENETXEA Jon
124. MILESI Lorenzo
125. AULAR Orluis
126. SERRANO Gonzalo
127. MACIEJUK Filip

Bahrain - Victorious
131. MOHORIC Matej
132. GRADEK Kamil
133. MIQUEL Pau
134. BORGO Alessandro
135. SEGAERT Alec
136. ERZEN Zak
137. SKERL Daniel

XDS Astana Team
141. BETTIOL Alberto
142. GATE Aaron
143. ROMELE Alessandro
144. BALLERINI Davide
145. LIVYNS Arjen
146. SYRITSA Gleb
147. TONEATTI Davide

Uno-X Mobility
151. ABRAHAMSEN Jonas
152. BEVORT Carl-Frederik
153. INGEBRIGTSEN Storm
154. BLUME LEVY William
155. LOLAND Sakarias Koller
156. RESELL Erik Nordsaeter
157. WAERENSKJOLD Soren

Team Jayco AlUla
161. SUTTERLIN Jasha
162. DE BONDT Dries
163. DE POOTER Dries
164. DONALDSON Robert
165. DURBRIDGE Luke
166. FOLDAGER Anders
167. O'BRIEN Kelland

Team Picnic PostNL
171. DEGENKOLB John
172. CORKERY Dillon
173. PEACE Oliver
174. FLYNN Sean
175. KOERDT Bjorn
176. RENARD-HAQUIN Henri-Francois
177. VAN DEN BROEK Frank

Cofidis
181. TEUNS Dylan
182. CHARRET Camille
183. ALLEGAERT Piet
184. FRETIN Milan
185. PAGE Hugo
186. RENARD Alexis
187. ZAMPERINI Edoardo

Tudor Pro Cycling Team
191. KELEMEN Petr
192. KOLZE CHANGIZI Sebastian
193. MOZZATO Luca
194. FROIDEVAUX Robin
195. MIKUTIS Aivaras
196. PLUIMERS Rick
197. LIENHARD Fabian

Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
201. DE GENDT Aime
202. FRISON Frederik
203. LIEPINS Emils
204. MALECKI Kamil
205. VAN MOER Brent
206. BENNETT Sam
207. HERMANS Quinten

TotalEnergies
211. TURGIS Anthony
212. BOULAHOITE Rayan
213. BRUNEL Alexys
214. DAUPHIN Florian
215. DUJARDIN Sandy
216. GACHIGNARD Thomas
217. LEROUX Samuel

Unibet Rose Rockets
221. KUBIS Lukas
222. KOPECKY Matyas
223. DE VRIES Hartthijs
224. LARSEN Niklas
225. MOURIS Wessel
226. BLOEM Joren
227. KOPECKY Tomas

Burgos Burpellet BH
231. ALLENO Clement
232. CAVIA Daniel
233. DE LA CALLE Hugo
234. FAGUNDEZ Eric Antonio
235. KMINEK Vojtech
236. MACIAS Cesar
237. ALVAREZ Rodrigo

Team Flanders - Baloise
241. VANDENSTORME Dylan
242. GEERAERTS Ferre
243. HESTERS Jules
244. HUYSMANS Nolan
245. TORNEY Artuur
246. VAN DEN HAUTE Milan
247. VERCOUILLIE Victor