The Tour of Bruges: the new name for the Classic Brugge–De Panne The Tour of Bruges is part of the UCI WorldTour and will welcome the world’s best sprinters to Bruges on 25 and 26 March 2026. Both the start and finish will take place in Bruges.
The Tour of Bruges promises to be a two-day sprint classic at the highest level, with the men’s race (UCI WorldTour Men) on Wednesday 25 March and the women’s race (UCI Women’s WorldTour) on Thursday 26 March. Organizers vzw Koninklijke Veloclub Panne Sportief (KVCPS), Golazo, and the city of Bruges have secured a collaboration at least until 2031 for the organization of the Tour of Bruges. Offering a course that guarantees maximum safety for the fastest riders in the world is the top priority.”With the Tour of Bruges, we aim for a strong and safe project,” says Christophe Impens of Golazo. “Cycling city Bruges was immediately enthusiastic. Thanks to the cooperation of the city of Bruges, vzw KVCPS, and Port of Antwerp-Bruges, we can present a top-level race over the next six years, giving the world’s best sprinters a real opportunity. The fastest men and women don’t often get the chance to compete in a one-day UCI WorldTour race. In addition, our goal is to make this Bruges two-day cycling event a true festival.””We are very grateful to the municipality of De Panne for giving us the chance to grow first with the Three Days of De Panne and later with the Classic Brugge–De Panne to WorldTour level,” says Bruno Dequeecker, chairman of KVCPS. “The Tour of Bruges is a natural next step in this evolution.” The agreement between vzw KVCPS and the municipality of De Panne expired after last spring’s edition.Bruges Mayor Dirk De fauw adds: “With the new Tour of Bruges, we not only maintain a prominent place on the international cycling map, we also strengthen our image as a cycling city. This race is more than a sporting event: it is a celebration for every resident of Bruges, from the historic centre to the surrounding districts. By letting the race pass literally through our city, we bring top-level sport closer to the people and showcase Bruges as a welcoming, dynamic, and forward-looking city.”Bruges Alderman for Sports Olivier Strubbe: “The Tour of Bruges demonstrates how, with vision and collaboration, we can continue to organize top-level cycling in Bruges. We maintain a WorldTour race for both men and women while creating space for innovation. By actively involving youth, local clubs, and entrepreneurs, we turn this race into a widely supported event that lives in the city and inspires everyone to enjoy sport. Offering a course that guarantees maximum safety for the fastest riders in the world is the top priority.
“With the Tour of Bruges, we aim for a strong and safe project,” says Christophe Impens of Golazo. “Cycling city Bruges was immediately enthusiastic. Thanks to the cooperation of the city of Bruges, vzw KVCPS, and Port of Antwerp-Bruges, we can present a top-level race over the next six years, giving the world’s best sprinters a real opportunity. The fastest men and women don’t often get the chance to compete in a one-day UCI WorldTour race. In addition, our goal is to make this Bruges two-day cycling event a true festival.”
“We are very grateful to the municipality of De Panne for giving us the chance to grow first with the Three Days of De Panne and later with the Classic Brugge–De Panne to WorldTour level,” says Bruno Dequeecker, chairman of KVCPS. “The Tour of Bruges is a natural next step in this evolution.” The agreement between vzw KVCPS and the municipality of De Panne expired after last spring’s edition.Bruges Mayor Dirk De fauw adds: “With the new Tour of Bruges, we not only maintain a prominent place on the international cycling map, we also strengthen our image as a cycling city. This race is more than a sporting event: it is a celebration for every resident of Bruges, from the historic centre to the surrounding districts. By letting the race pass literally through our city, we bring top-level sport closer to the people and showcase Bruges as a welcoming, dynamic, and forward-looking city.”Bruges Alderman for Sports Olivier Strubbe: “The Tour of Bruges demonstrates how, with vision and collaboration, we can continue to organize top-level cycling in Bruges. We maintain a WorldTour race for both men and women while creating space for innovation. By actively involving youth, local clubs, and entrepreneurs, we turn this race into a widely supported event that lives in the city and inspires everyone to enjoy sport. The agreement between vzw KVCPS and the municipality of De Panne expired after last spring’s edition.Bruges Mayor Dirk De fauw adds: “With the new Tour of Bruges, we not only maintain a prominent place on the international cycling map, we also strengthen our image as a cycling city. This race is more than a sporting event: it is a celebration for every resident of Bruges, from the historic centre to the surrounding districts. By letting the race pass literally through our city, we bring top-level sport closer to the people and showcase Bruges as a welcoming, dynamic, and forward-looking city.”Bruges Alderman for Sports Olivier Strubbe: “The Tour of Bruges demonstrates how, with vision and collaboration, we can continue to organize top-level cycling in Bruges. We maintain a WorldTour race for both men and women while creating space for innovation. By actively involving youth, local clubs, and entrepreneurs, we turn this race into a widely supported event that lives in the city and inspires everyone to enjoy sport.
Bruges Mayor Dirk De fauw adds: “With the new Tour of Bruges, we not only maintain a prominent place on the international cycling map, we also strengthen our image as a cycling city. This race is more than a sporting event: it is a celebration for every resident of Bruges, from the historic centre to the surrounding districts. By letting the race pass literally through our city, we bring top-level sport closer to the people and showcase Bruges as a welcoming, dynamic, and forward-looking city.”
Bruges Alderman for Sports Olivier Strubbe: “The Tour of Bruges demonstrates how, with vision and collaboration, we can continue to organize top-level cycling in Bruges. We maintain a WorldTour race for both men and women while creating space for innovation. By actively involving youth, local clubs, and entrepreneurs, we turn this race into a widely supported event that lives in the city and inspires everyone to enjoy sport.
