Classic Brugge–De Panne

The Classic Brugge–De Panne is a road cycling race in Belgium in late March. Since 2018 it is raced over two days with a men's race on Wednesday and a women's race on Thursday.[1] Both races start in Bruges and finish in the seaside resort of De Panne.[2]

Classic Brugge-De Panne
Race details
DateLate March
RegionWest Flanders, Belgium
English nameThree Days of Bruges–De Panne
Local name(s)Driedaagse Brugge–De Panne (in Dutch)
DisciplineRoad race
CompetitionUCI World Tour (men)
UCI World Tour (women)
TypeThree day stage-race (until 2017)
Single-day race (for men & women, since 2018)
OrganiserKVC Panne Sportief
Race directorBernard Vandekerckhove
Web siteclassicbruggedepanne.be Edit this at Wikidata
Men's race history
First edition1977 (1977)
Editions48 (as of 2024)
First winner Roger Rosiers (BEL)
Most wins Eric Vanderaerden (BEL) (5 wins)
Most recent Jasper Philipsen (BEL)
Women's race history
First edition2018 (2018)
Editions7 (as of 2024)
First winner Jolien D'Hoore (BEL)
Most winsNo repeat winners
Most recent Elisa Balsamo (ITA)

The women's event is included in the UCI Women's World Tour; the men's race was part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 1.HC event, but was promoted to the UCI World Tour as a 1.WT event in 2019.[3] The 2020 edition was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

History

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Three Days of De Panne

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The Three Days of De Panne was created in 1977 as a three-day cycling event in the week leading up to the Tour of Flanders, in late March or early April. The first day was usually a hilly stage starting in De Panne and finishing in the Flemish Ardennes. The second day held a long flat stage back to the Flemish coast, with a finish in Koksijde. The third day consisted of two stages that both started and finished in De Panne, of which the final stage was an individual time trial. Raced from Tuesday to Thursday, it was the last Flemish race ahead of the Tour of Flanders and was considered a desirable preparation for the main event on Sunday. Eric Vanderaerden, a strong sprinter and time triallist, won the race five times in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Three Days of Bruges–De Panne

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Since 2018, the Three Days of De Panne is raced under a new format following a calendar switch with Dwars door Vlaanderen.[1][N 1] The race comes one week earlier, in the week following Milan–San Remo, and the men's event has morphed into a one-day race on Wednesday.[5] The Flemish Ardennes roads and the concluding time trial were abandoned in favour of a route entirely in the province of West Flanders. The iconic Kemmelberg and several cobbled sectors have a more prominent part in the new course.[6]

In order to continue the multi-day format, a women's event was inaugurated on the day after the men's race.[N 2] Both races start in Bruges and have two finishing circuits in and around De Panne. The women's race is part of the UCI Women's World Tour, cycling's top tier professional competition.[7][8] Jolien D'Hoore won the first running of the women's Three Days in a sprint.[9]

Winners

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Men's race

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Eric Vanderaerden (pictured at the 1993 Tour de France) won the Three Days of De Panne five times, relying on strong sprint and time trialling abilities.
Year Country Rider Team
"Three Days of De Panne"
1977   Belgium Roger Rosiers Frisol–Thirion–Gazelle
1978   Belgium Guido Van Sweevelt IJsboerke–Gios
1979   Belgium Gustave Van Roosbroeck IJsboerke–Warncke
1980   Ireland Sean Kelly Splendor–Admiral
1981   Belgium Jan Bogaert Vermeer Thijs
1982   Netherlands Gerrie Knetemann TI–Raleigh
1983   Netherlands Cees Priem TI–Raleigh
1984   Netherlands Bert Oosterbosch Panasonic
1985   Belgium Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke La Redoute
1986   Belgium Eric Vanderaerden Panasonic
1987   Belgium Eric Vanderaerden Panasonic–Isostar
1988   Belgium Eric Vanderaerden Panasonic–Isostar
1989   Belgium Eric Vanderaerden Panasonic–Isostar
1990   Netherlands Erwin Nijboer Stuttgart
1991   Netherlands Jelle Nijdam Buckler–Colnago–Decca
1992   Netherlands Frans Maassen Buckler–Colnago–Decca
1993   Belgium Eric Vanderaerden WordPerfect–Colnago–Decca
1994   Italy Fabio Roscioli Brescialat–Ceramiche Refin
1995   Italy Michele Bartoli Mercatone Uno–Saeco
1996   Russia Viatcheslav Ekimov Rabobank
1997   Belgium Johan Museeuw Mapei–GB
1998   Italy Michele Bartoli Asics–CGA
1999   Belgium Peter Van Petegem TVM–Farm Frites
2000   Russia Viatcheslav Ekimov U.S. Postal Service
2001   Belgium Nico Mattan Cofidis
2002   Belgium Peter Van Petegem Lotto–Adecco
2003   Latvia Raivis Belohvoščiks Marlux–Wincor Nixdorf
2004   United States George Hincapie U.S. Postal Service
2005   Belgium Stijn Devolder Discovery Channel
2006   Belgium Leif Hoste Discovery Channel
2007   Italy Alessandro Ballan Lampre–Fondital
2008   Netherlands Joost Posthuma Rabobank
2009   Belgium Frederik Willems Liquigas
2010   Great Britain David Millar Garmin–Transitions
2011   Belgium Sébastien Rosseler Team RadioShack
2012   France Sylvain Chavanel Omega Pharma–Quick-Step
2013   France Sylvain Chavanel Omega Pharma–Quick-Step
2014   Belgium Guillaume Van Keirsbulck Omega Pharma–Quick-Step
2015   Norway Alexander Kristoff Team Katusha
2016   Netherlands Lieuwe Westra Astana
2017   Belgium Philippe Gilbert Quick-Step Floors
"Three Days of Bruges–De Panne"
2018   Italy Elia Viviani Quick-Step Floors
2019   Netherlands Dylan Groenewegen Team Jumbo–Visma
2020   Belgium Yves Lampaert Deceuninck–Quick-Step
"Classic Bruges–De Panne"
2021   Ireland Sam Bennett Deceuninck–Quick-Step
2022   Belgium Tim Merlier Alpecin–Fenix
2023   Belgium Jasper Philipsen Alpecin–Deceuninck
2024   Belgium Jasper Philipsen Alpecin–Deceuninck

Multiple winners

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Wins Rider Editions
5   Eric Vanderaerden (BEL) 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993
2   Michele Bartoli (ITA) 1995, 1998
  Viatcheslav Ekimov (RUS) 1996, 2000
  Jasper Philipsen (BEL) 2023, 2024
  Peter Van Petegem (BEL) 1999, 2002
  Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) 2012, 2013

Wins per country

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Wins Country
24   Belgium
9   Netherlands
5   Italy
2   France
  Ireland
  Russia
1   Great Britain
  Latvia
  Norway
  United States

Women's race

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Year Country Rider Team
2018   Belgium Jolien D'Hoore Mitchelton–Scott
2019   Netherlands Kirsten Wild WNT–Rotor Pro Cycling
2020   Netherlands Lorena Wiebes Team Sunweb
2021   Australia Grace Brown Team BikeExchange
2022   Italy Elisa Balsamo Trek–Segafredo
2023   Great Britain Pfeiffer Georgi Team DSM
2024   Italy Elisa Balsamo Lidl–Trek

Multiple winners

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Wins Rider Editions
2   Elisa Balsamo (ITA) 2022, 2024

Wins per country

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Wins Country
2   Netherlands
  Italy
1   Australia
  Belgium
  Great Britain
  Italy

Notes

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  1. ^ Flanders Classics, organizer of Dwars door Vlaanderen, lobbied with UCI and was granted the date formerly held by the Three Days of De Panne. The organizers of the Three Days were granted the slot held by Dwars door Vlaanderen, but chose to shorten their race, as the next Flemish classic, E3 Harelbeke, is raced on a Friday.
  2. ^ Initially the Three Days organizers had another three-day concept in mind, with a two-day contest for men and one day for women. The event would kick off with a sprinters challenge on Tuesday, but this idea was abandoned due to a lack of teams' interest. However, organizers intend to return to a three-day format in the future.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Driedaagse De Panne wordt dit jaar een tweedaagse" [Three-day De Panne will be a two-day event this year]. Sporza (in Dutch). Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  2. ^ Coorevits, Hugo. "3 zaken om naar uit te kijken in nieuwe Driedaagse: kasseien, wind én hellingen" [3 things to look forward to in the new Three Days: cobblestones, wind and hills]. Sportwereld (in Dutch). Mediahuis. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  3. ^ "Salary cap still an option as part of 2020 WorldTour reforms". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  4. ^ "The UCI unveils the revised 2020 calendars for the UCI WorldTour & UCI Women's WorldTour". UCI. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Les Trois jours de Bruges-La Panne sur une journée ce mercredi". Le Soir (in French). Rossel & Cie. S.A. Retrieved 21 March 2018. The three days of Bruges-De Panne in one day on Wednesday
  6. ^ Plouvin, Antoine. "Les 3 Jours de Bruges – La Panne: Le parcours et les 12 premières équipes dévoilés". Cyclingpro.net (in French). Retrieved 21 March 2018. The 3 Days of Bruges – De Panne: The course and the first 12 teams unveiled
  7. ^ "Ryan looks for Women's WorldTour win at Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  8. ^ "Siggaard to lead Team Virtu Cycling at Driesdaagse de Panne-Koksijde". Cyclingnews.com. 19 March 2018. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  9. ^ Knöfler, Lukas. "D'hoore unaware she was sprinting for Driedaagse De Panne victory". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
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