Why Is Jean-Marie Dedecker Paying €175,000 to Bring the Race to Middelkerke?

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Middelkerke is paying €175,000 to become the starting point for the cycling classic, known until now as Gent-Wevelgem, starting next year. But what exactly does that buy? "It's branding, you know. We're bringing people to the coast. This drives sales," explains Jean-Marie Dedecker (LDD). According to sports economist Wim Lagae, the municipal government will have to work not just one day a year, but 365 days a year to get a good return on that mo…

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The Flandrian classic Ghent-Wevelgem will now leave Middelkerke from 2026, the organisation having signed a partnership with the Belgian city for the next ten years. Since 2003, the race has not started since Ghent.