The 2026 Ronde van Brugge Women's race is set to be a thrilling spectacle, with a young and talented team from EF Education-Oatly taking on the challenging course. With 144km to go, the peloton is all together, and the race is shaping up to be a sprint-fest with the wind making it feel much cooler than the 7 degrees Celsius it is out there. The riders are currently heading east, with the neutral start set to begin in around 15 minutes, and the official start at 13:45 CET.
The route is a pan-flat course, starting and finishing in Bruges, but with a 45km loop south taking in the towns of Torhout, Wingene and Beernem, including the Brieversweg cobbled section. This could be an early chance for echelons, and the wind could cause some carnage out on the roads of West Flanders over the next few hours.
The big favorite for this race is reigning champion Lorena Wiebes, but who might challenge her should it all come down to a sprint? Fenix-Premier Tech's Charlotte Kool appears to be back on form this year after a difficult 2025, and the two-time Tour de France Femmes stage-winner took the win at the FENIX-EKOÏ Omloop van het Hageland at the beginning of this month and scored a top-10 at Milan-San Remo.
The race was formerly known as Brugge-De Panne, and has been through several iterations previous to that. There's a new route to get familiar with and a new finish in Bruges. The riders are ready to face the bracing conditions, and the show is guaranteed with rain, cold, echelons and crosswind.
One thing that immediately stands out is the early mechanical issue for Femke Markus of SD Worx-ProTime. She will be a key helper for Wiebes later on. The team has a few potential cards for later on, and Human Powered Health is also ready to face the conditions.
The race is set to be an exciting one, with the wind and the new route adding an extra layer of challenge. The riders are ready to take on the course, and the show is guaranteed with the rain, cold, echelons and crosswind. It's a real Flemish classic, and the race is sure to be a thrilling spectacle.
