A truffled route of heights and cobblestones between Bruges and Oudenaarde, where a new and exciting battle is expected without quarter between the great favorites
A clear trio of chosen ones as indicated by their trajectories this season, but this time the dreams of a podium can reach Movistar
The incentives are overflowing for one of the most important races on the calendar: this Sunday the 107th edition of the Tour of Flandersthe second monument of the year, with a truffled route of heights and cobblestones between Bruges and Oudenaardeof 273.4 km, where a new and exciting battle without quarter is expected between the great favorites, Van der Poel, Van Aert and Tadej Pogacar.
A clear trio of chosen according to their trajectories this season, but this time the dreams of a podium can reach Movistar after the great performances by Iván García Cortina, Matteo Jorgensonboth top 5 in the recent E3 Harelbeke, and Oier Lazkano, second in Across Flanders.
GREAT DUEL TO 3: VAN DER POEL, VAN AERT AND POGACAR
The flamenco cycling festival awaits another duel between Van der Poel, double winner of Flanders and defending champion and winner of Milan San RemoTadej Pogacar, with 9 wins in the seasonand Van Aert, who he beat his rivals in a direct duel in Harelbeke and gave away the Ghent Wevelgem his French partner, also present in Flanders, Christophe Laporte.
But the list of candidates to succeed Van der Poel in the list of winners is extensive. Soudal has Alaphilippe as head of a team which includes Kasper Asgreen, winner in 2021, Tim Merlier or Lampaert, while Ineos will stage Tom Pidcock, the king of “sterrato” at the Strade Bianche.
In addition, and in case of option for sprinters, runners like Mads Pedersen will compete for honorary positionsin command of a Trek that will line up Theuns and Stuyven, Michael Matthews, Matej Mohoric, Kristoff and Caleb Ewan.
on this occasion Movistar arrives with high morale after the latest encouraging results in the classics. Jorgenson and García Cortina were top 5 in Harelbeke and Lazkano second in Through Flanders. The Spanish formation will go for it all with a team completed by Johan Jacobs, Mathias Norsgaard, Juri Hollmann and Iván Romeo.
SIX CAVED SECTIONS AND 19 HEIGHTS ON THE ROUTE
A unique atmosphere is expected in the queen test of Flanders, a race that justifies a professional career for any cyclist, with his personality forged by time. The devotion to cycling in that region of Belgium is noticeable on a long journeywith narrow roads, where the heights and the “pavé” provide scenarios for the epic.
“De Rondee”, created in 1913 by the journalists Leon van den Haute and Karel van Wijnendaele, founders of the daily Sportwereld, only stopped between 1915 and 1918 due to World War ISince then, his legend has been growing year by year.
This year the output returns to Bruges, which hosted the start of the flamenco test uninterruptedly between 1998 and 2016. The capital of West Flanders, with its World Heritage Old Town, will launch a 273.4 km journey over the characteristic Flemish cobbled hills on the way to Oudenaarde.
The first part is flat in the western part of Flanders, where it is foreseeable that a breakaway will form. The first cobbled sector will arrive at km 109, the Huisepontweg, while the first level of the day, Korte Ast, will arrive immediately.
Towards the equator of the test, the first climb to Oude Kwaremont awaits, 2,200 meters in length, of which 1,500 paved, with slopes of up to 11 percent. This wall will be climbed three times and is usually decisive on your third step.
The first key will be in the Molenberg (km 171), where a first selection will be formedand then in the first chain of Oude Kwaremont (km 218) with the Paterberg (360 meters at 12 percent) and the ramps of 20 percent of the Koppenberg (600 meters with slopes of 22).
The judges of the Tour of Flanders will be the Kwaremont and the Paterberg, scenes of the last attacks before facing the last 12 kilometers that lead towards the city of Oudenaarde.
IN WOMEN VAN VLEUTEN FOR ITS THIRD WINDING
The Dutch Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar), World champion and of the three big stageswill try to achieve his third title of the Flemish queen event in Flanders, which will also be held this Sunday with a 156 km route and start and finish line in Oudenaarde.
Van Vleuten will be the indisputable asset of a Movistar that is completed with Floortje Mackaij, Arlenis Sierra, Sheyla Gutiérrez, Liane Lippert and Aude Biannic.
The main rivals and candidates for victory will be the defending champion, the Belgian Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx), her Dutch teammates Demi Vollering and Lorena Wiebes, by Jumbo Marianne Vos and the Italians Chiara Consonni (UAE) and Elisa Balsamo (Trek ).
The tour will only pass the Oude Kwaremont / Paterberg section once, which They are the last two levels and they are crowned 11 km from the end. The key will come at Molenberg (km 80), from where another nine levels follow.
The other key area will be the section from Koppenberg (km 113) to Taaienberg (km 122), demanding area and difficult to control in the last stretch of the race.
Last winners:
. 2022. Mathieu Van der Poel (PSB)
. 2021. Kasper Asgreen (DIN)
. 2020. Mathieu Van der Poel (PSB)
. 2019. Alberto Bettiol (ITA)
Last winners:
. 2022. Lotte Kopecky (BEL)
. 2021. Annemiek van Vleuten (PSB)
. 2020. Chantal van der Broek (PSB)
. 2019. Marta Bastianelli (ITA).