Preview GP Monseré 2024 | Who will join Jakobsen, Merlier and De Lie in line?

The Grand Prix Jean-Pierre Monseré is traditionally one of the first real one-day races for the sprinters. The race, which takes place around Roeselare, already has a lot of big names on the list of winners. Who will join the ranks of the fast men? IDLProcycling previews in detail the Flemish race, which is named after the exceptionally talented and far too early deceased Belgian rider Jean-Pierre Monseré. 

Last year, the hills in the local rounds did not bring a decision: they were not tough enough to force holes in the peloton. And so, as in many years, the GP Monseré also turned into a sprint in 2023. In the streets of Roeselare a bunch of the top sprinters competed against each other. Gerben Thijssen was the best, ahead of Australians Caleb Ewan and Sam Welsford. Next Sunday it will become clear who will succeed the fast Belgian.

Practical information GP Monseré 2024

• Ichtegem - Roeselare (201 km)
• Sunday, March 3, 2024
• Participants 
• Classification: 1.1

In this article

• Latest winners
• Course, weather and times
• Favorites
• TV information

Latest winners GP Monseré

2023: Gerben Thijssen
2022: Arnaud De Lie
2021: Tim Merlier
2020: Fabio Jakobsen
2019: -
2018:André Looij
2017:Laurens Sweeck
2016:Lars Boom
2015:Jürgen Roelandts
2014:Guillaume Van Keirsbulck

Course, weather and times GP Monseré 2024

The course of the GP Monseré has few surprises this year. The course, which loops around near Roeselare, is actually a lap that has to be done three times. There are four climbs on that lap: the Gitsberg, the Hoogledeberg, the Ruidenberg and the Lookhuisstraat. All are less than a kilometer long, all are no steeper than 3.5% on average. A piece of cake for professional cyclists, actually, they are not real climbs. But who knows... In the final stage, the Gitsberg has to be climbed a fourth time before the peloton heads for a probable bunch sprint in the finishing city of Roeselare.

Weather

Cloud, drizzle and at least a gray sky. For now, those are the forecasts for Sunday in and around Roeselare. It will not get warmer than nine degrees, so this is real early spring weather. The wind will blow from the west, but will not be strong in strength.

Times
Start: about 10:15 am
Finish: about 3:00 pm

Favorites GP Monseré 2024

This year there are slightly fewer big names at the start of the GP Monseré, but that should not spoil the fun. Plenty of fast men will travel to Flanders to compete for the win on Sunday. Title holder Gerben Thijssen won't be there, but Arne Marit is an excellent replacement on behalf of Intermarché-Wanty. The Belgian sprinter almost won a stage in Valencia earlier this year and will have a nice second man with Vito Braet ;

Milan Menten is obviously a contender in tough finals on behalf of Lotto-Dstny. The same goes for Dries Van Gestel, who has already finished third in Gent-Wevelgem. Sunday could also be a chance for David Dekker to live up to his name as a sprinter. Experience and youth go hand in hand at dsm-firmenich PostNL, as young Pavel Bittner will be joined by an old giant: John Degenkolb. Itamar Einhorn showed high form on behalf of Israel-Premier Tech at the Tour of Rwanda and is a dangerous customer.

Jenthe Biermans led Arkéa-B&B Hotels and rode with Dekker in the final. With Luca Mozzato the French have another fast man with them to Flanders. What can Davide Bomboi name the exotics of TDT-Unibet? Other fast men to write up as dark horse: Robbe Ghys, the Basque Jon Aberasturi, and with a slightly lesser field of participants, the experienced rot Timothy Dupont.

According to IDLProcycling, who are the favorites for the 2024 GP Monseré?

Top favorites:John Degenkolb (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Arne Marit (Intermarché-Wanty)
Outsiders:Jenthe Biermans and David Dekker (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Dries Van Gestel (TotalEnergies), Milan Menten (Lotto-Dstny)
Long shots: Itamar Einhorn (Israel-Premier Tech), Robbe Ghys (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Davide Bomboi (TDT-Unibet), Jon Aberasturi (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Timothy Dupont (Tarteletto-Isorex), Luca Mozzato (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Vito Braet (Intermarché-Wanty)

TV GP Monseré 2024

The GP Monseré has quite a bit of television coverage on Sunday. The race starts fairly early, which means it will be broadcast exactly before the first stage of Paris-Nice. From 2 p.m., the final can be followed. You can do so on Eurosport, to be exact on Eurosport 1 and its website, but also on Sporza. The Belgian sports channel will also broadcast the final of the race on the open net.