This Sunday 6th of April, Intermarché-Wanty competes in the second Monument of the season with the Tour of Flanders, which returns to the Main Square of Bruges for the 109th edition featuring sixteen climbs and seven cobbled sectors in the Flemish Ardennes.
The 269 kilometer route initially follows flat roads until the first passage of the Old Kwaremont halfway through the race. There are several small changes compared to the previous editions, for example the return of the Eikenberg and the order of the initial difficulties, but the finale retains its traditional format, with the double sequence of the Old Kwaremont and Paterberg, with the Koppenberg, Steenbeekdries, Taaienberg, and Hotond in between. From the last passage of the Paterberg, there are still 13 kilometers to the finish in Oudenaarde.
After their recent top 10 finish in Gent-Wevelgem, Biniam Girmay and Laurenz Rex will race their second Monument of the season, as does Jonas Rutsch. Roel van Sintmaartensdijk will make his Tour of Flanders debut, accompanied by Vito Braet and the experienced Adrien Petit and Gijs Van Hoecke, with 25 and 21 Monuments to their names, respectively, and under the direction of Aike Visbeek, Dimitri Claeys, and Pieter Vanspeybrouck.
“Returning to Bruges for the start of the Tour of Flanders brings back vivid memories of my debut two years ago. The team presentation on the Main Square was truly special, especially with the heartfelt birthday serenade and the message of my wife on the big screen. The incredible energy of the crowds in the Monuments gives you goosebumps. That’s why the Oude Kwaremont is my favorite climb in Flanders, with so many people cheering for us, no matter the weather circumstances. We’ve done it twice during our recon of the Tour of Flanders this Thursday. It was warm and sunny, we really enjoyed it. Today, Friday, is dedicated to complete rest and recovery because it has been a very intense week with the E3 Classic, Ghent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen. With Paris-Roubaix added to my schedule it will be the first time I will participate in three Monuments and I can’t wait to make them count with Intermarché-Wanty!”
"The goal of performing well in the spring classics, from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to Paris-Roubaix, is what motivates me every day during winter. Many of the races in this periode are ridden on my training roads, not far from the coast in West Flanders where I moved a year and a half ago. Being at the start of a Monument in Bruges this Sunday, very close to my home, will give me a very special feeling. This Thursday, we did a final recon with the team to have a good overview of the changes in the course. I like to feel the climbs and the cobbles, for example the Koppenberg which only features in the Tour of Flanders, and to have an idea about the wind, which should be blowing strongly like in Gent-Wevelgem." "After the start in Bruges, I expect a less explosive beginning than in Dwars door Vlaanderen last Wednesday. That should play in my favor. With riders like Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar at the start, we have to expect the final to unfold very early. Collectively, we will fight again for every meter, focused on the execution of our plan and giving our best." "Together with the classics group, we are staying at our base camp located on top of the Mont-Saint-Aubert. We like to stay together for long periods, to benefit from ideal conditions with the support of our sports dietician, our chef, the soigneurs, an osteopath, the mechanics, and with optimal recovery thanks to our personalised Lattoflex mattresses. We like to spend time together, staff and riders, so we can prepare for our second Monument in a serene way and in the best conditions."
