Dwars door Vlaanderen

Dwars door Vlaanderen
Race details
DateLate March, begin April
RegionFlanders, Belgium
English nameAcross Flanders
Local name(s)Dwars door Vlaanderen (in Dutch)
DisciplineRoad
CompetitionUCI World Tour
TypeSemi-classic one-day race
OrganiserFlanders Classics
Web sitewww.ddvl.eu Edit this at Wikidata
Men's history
First edition1945 (1945)
Editions78 (as of 2024)
First winner Rik Van Steenbergen (BEL)
Most wins14 riders with 2 wins each
Most recent Matteo Jorgenson (USA)
Women's history
First edition2012 (2012)
Editions12 (as of 2024)
First winner Monique van de Ree (NED)
Most wins Amy Pieters (NED) (3 wins)
Most recent Marianne Vos (NED)

Dwars door Vlaanderen (English: Across Flanders) is a semi-classic road bicycle race in Belgium, held annually since 1945.[1] The race starts in Roeselare and finishes in Waregem, both in West Flanders. Since 2017 the event is included in the UCI World Tour.[2][3]

Held in late March, the event is part of the Flemish Cycling Week, which also includes E3 Harelbeke, Gent–Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders.[4] Traditionally Dwars door Vlaanderen was held four days after Milan–San Remo and a week and a half before the Tour of Flanders. As from 2018 the race moved up one week on the international calendar and is now contested on the Wednesday before the Tour of Flanders, Flanders's foremost cycling classic, held on Sunday.[5]

Since 2012, a women's edition of Dwars door Vlaanderen is held on the same day as the men's race, starting and finishing on the same location, of approximately 130 kilometres distance. Both events are organized by Flanders Classics. In addition the Grand Prix de Waregem was formerly regarded as the Under 23 version of the race.[6]

  1. ^ "Dwars Door Vlaanderen". ddvl.eu. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  2. ^ "UCI expands WorldTour to 37 events". Cycling News. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  3. ^ "The UCI reveals expanded UCI WorldTour calendar for 2017". UCI. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  4. ^ "Ronde van Vlaanderen". rondevanvlaanderen.be. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Dwars door Vlaanderen 2018". Cyclingnews. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  6. ^ Dansie, Sam (15 March 2017). "Dan McLay: Portrait of a sprinter". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2 July 2017.