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Kanter has also abandoned after being involved in the same crash as Rex.
Laurenz Rex has abandoned the race, following his fall earlier.
Everyone is over the cobblestones, and the peloton remains together. The next obstacle the riders will be up against is the Scherpenberg, the first of four climbs in quick succession coming up in about 35km.
The peloton passing through Moeren, were the race did not break apart.
The exposed section might be done, but now the riders have a couple of cobblestone sectors to contend with.
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The riders are through De Moeren, where it wasn’t windy enough to burst the race to life as it has in previous editions.
The pace is slow enough in the peloton for Tratnik and Drizners to make their way back into it.
Tratnik and Drizners burnt themselves out working for Red Bull leading into the De Moeren, and have been dropped.
No signs any echelons forming yet.
Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe are leading a much-sped up peloton as they ride towards De Moeren.
The breakaway riders are at De Moeren, and the peloton will be there in a few minutes. The wind is not especially strong, but could still be enough for echelons on such an exposed section.
Crash in the peloton, and some significant names are involved – sprinters Max Kanter and Laurenz Rex, plus Timo Kielich and Ferre Geeraerts.
The race remains calm for now, but that will all change once they approach the De Moeren section, where this race more often than not blows to pieces in the wind.
The eight riders in the break, who have built one of the biggest leads we’ve seen all season.
Today sees the resumption of the rivalry between Van der Poel and Van Aert, for the second time this season following Milan-Sanremo. But whereas they were overshadowed by Tadej Pogačar that day, his absence means they are the two favourites for the victory today.
Still the break’s lead grows, now up to 4:50 with 185km left to ride.
As well as this race, it’s also the final stage of Volta a Catalunya today. Be sure to have another tab open to follow all the action with us there too!
Volta a Catalunya stage 7 LIVE: Race finale on the traditional Montjuïc circuit
One rider missing from the start today who had been set to ride is deafening champion Mads Pederen, who, despite being back in action following his early season crash, has been struck ill. As a three-time winner, Pedersen loves this race, and it’s the only one in which he’s had the beating both Wout van Aert and Van der Poel in recent years.
It’s not exactly warm in Flanders today, but the sky is blue and there’s no sign of any rain.
A reminder of the eight riders in the break;
The breakaway in full, after the two groups came together.
The four original breakaway riders, before they were joined by the other four.
Jonas Rickaert has taken over at the front of the peloton and is riding tempo. His Alpecin team didn’t want the gap to grow much more beyond the 3:15 it had already reached.
The two groups have indeed come together, so we now have eight riders leading the race.
And the four pursuers should be joining the four leaders before long – they’ve only 15 seconds to make up.
The peloton looks as though it’s happy to let all of these riders go. They’ve allowed the front group 1:20 already.
Dries De Bondt, Frits Biesterbos, Hartthijs de Vries and Jules Hesters are the four pursuing riders.
A new group of four has also formed ahead of the peloton and is chasing the four leaders.
A Picnic-PostNL tried tried to join them but is back in the peloton.
Wessel Mouris and Camille Charret are the other two riders with them.
Four riders, including Victor Vercouillie and Julius Johansen, are the latest to give it a go.
A group of seven tried to go clear, but have not be allowed to by the peloton.
Attacks are flying out of the peloton right from the off.
Wout van Aert is here today, and ready to take on his great rival Mathieu van der Poel once again.
The riders are in the neutralised section and will be racing any moment now.
Mathieu van der Poel at the start, seeking his third consecutive cobbled classic viceroy this spring.
Despite these changes, the character of the race remains very much the same. There will be eight climbs including three ascents of the Kemmelberg, and a 35km flat run-in to the finish for the sprinters to try and get back in contention for a bunch finish.
As well as the name, the race has also changed its start location, with the riders currently in waiting to start not in Ypres as they have in recent years, nor, as the former title suggests, Gent, but rather Middelkerke.
For those who don’t know, and are confused as to what today’s race is, ‘In Flanders Fields’ is the new name given to Gent-Wevelgem, which has been rebranded this year.
Hello and welcome to the 2026 In Flanders Fields!
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