Male Team 04 Apr
Ronde van Vlaanderen
254.3 Kilometers
The race will be broadcast in full by Eurosport 1 and GCN, starting at 9.55am CEST.
With no Paris-Roubaix in the horizon, many will tackle this year’s ‘De Ronde’ as the end of their Northern Classics campaign. It will be, for another year, a Tour of Flanders with closed gates at most important sections, and even some secrecy over the route, in order to prevent gatherings and help this phase of the pandemic really turning into the ‘final straight’.
The 254km route between Antwerpen and Oudenaarde will start to spice things up with the first of three passages through the Oude Kwaremont (121km). Its ascent, together with those to the Kortekeer (131km) and Eikenberg (139km) plus some cobbled sectors, mark a first point of stress for the riders. The hills and narrow roads will continue to leave its wear and tear on the peloton before the second Oude Kwaremont climb (-54km), where the race is expected to really explode before the first time up the Paterberg (-51km), the final climb on the programme, with its steep gradients and its rain gutter.
The final loop before getting to Oudenaarde features some of the most difficult climbs. The Koppenberg (-44km), with sections up to 20%; the Taaienberg (-36km), preceded by the Steenbeekdries (-39km) and with a wind-exposed plain after its top; and the final OK/P double (-16km / -13km) will all be the venue for one of the most exciting sporting battles every year.