A genuine Belgian Classic in its own right, Ghent-Wevelgem is rightly treasured by cycling fans world-wide as a race with its own vintage character and recent past winners as prestigious as Mario Cipollini and American star George Hincapie. It's no wonder Wevelgem's roll of honor is so wide-ranging, either, given that the mid-week event is considered both a revenge match for Flanders and a vital ride to prepare for Paris-Roubaix on the weekend. For those two reasons alone, there's never a dull moment in Ghent-Wevelgem, and if you add in the sprinters - whoÕve often made their mark on this event - to an already explosive mix, that could explain why this is always such a firecracker of a race. This year San Remo winner Oscar Freire and pint-sized Classics star Paolo Bettini will be facing up to Belgian heavyweights such as Museeuw - riding for one last time on the cobbles he knows and loves so well - Van Petegem, Erik Zabel and, of course, Hincapie. From the moment the bunch starts pounding along the North Sea coastline the race never loses momentum, with the twisting ascent of the Kemmel, tackled not once, but twice, acting as a surefire way of weeding out the weak. From then on, it's no holds barred all the way to Wevelgem. An event no self-respecting Classics fan would want to miss - ever - and here's your chance to find out why.