This page contains the podium, decisive moments, tactical analysis, team verdicts, and per-rider performance reports. Read no further if you intend to watch this race unspoiled.
Philipsen out-sprinted a reduced bunch in Wevelgem after the late Van der Poel / Van Aert / Segaert move was caught in the final hundred metres. A pure Alpecin-Premier Tech result on the right finish for the right rider, with Tobias Lund Andresen second and Laporte third for Visma's day.
OPENING240.8 km from Middelkerke to Wevelgem, multiple Kemmelberg laps with the Ossuaire turn-off. A standard Gent-Wevelgem early break that the favourites' teams kept on a manageable leash.
UNFOLDSOn the final Kemmelberg passage, a trio of Van der Poel, Van Aert, and the under-twenty-three Belgian Alec Segaert went clear. The chase took most of the run-in to assemble; the gap stayed dangerous until the final two kilometres.
DECIDEDThe bunch caught the three-man move with under 500 metres to go. Once it was a sprint, the result was Alpecin's: Philipsen has won Gent-Wevelgem before from exactly this scenario, and Van der Poel — having spent his energy on the break — was always going to leave it to him.
FINALELund Andresen got the surprise second after a clean Decathlon lead-out gave him space; Laporte was Visma's salvage card for third, the same role he'd play two weeks later at Roubaix to keep Van Aert in position.
Alpecin's Gent-Wevelgem template — Van der Poel pulls the dangerous moves forward, the chase exhausts trying to bring it back, Philipsen wins the bunch. Worked again.
Van Aert was in the three-man late move with Van der Poel and Segaert, taking the same kind of long-shot that won him Roubaix two weeks later. Caught with metres to go; Laporte then sprinted to third from the catch, his second podium of the spring.
Won the bunch sprint after Van der Poel's three-man move was caught in the final 500 metres. Repeat performance on the race that suits him better than any other Belgian classic.
Joined the late three-up move with Van Aert and Segaert on the final Kemmelberg. Caught at 500 m; gave Philipsen the bunch sprint scenario that wins more often than not.
Joined Van der Poel and Segaert in the late move. Caught at 500 m. Visma's salvage came from Laporte's sprint for third behind.
Held in the bunch for the late catch but couldn't match Philipsen's sprint engine. Outside the top placings.
Gent-Wevelgem went exactly as it usually goes when Van der Poel and Philipsen line up together. The leader pulls the dangerous moves; the sprinter wins the bunch when the moves are caught. Van Aert's reading of the late attack — bridging to the three-up — was identical to the Roubaix-winning move two weeks later. Same instincts, different race outcome.