4 days that are actually 6
Contrary to its name, the 4 Jours de Durkerke (4 Days of Durkerke) is actually a 6-day race. The strange name dates from the first editions of the event, between 1955 and 1964, when it really lasted 4 days. Since then, the race has been varying between 5 and 6 days, so the inconsistency between the name and the actual race is already traditional.
Route
5 of the 6 stages are flat and will be decided on a bunch sprint if the wind and the echelons don’t prevent it, while the remaining stage, the fifth, is expected to be decisive for the general classification. The final part of this stage takes place over 7 laps of a local circuit in Cassel that includes two short climbs, one cobbled (Rue du Tambour 1.5 km at 4.5%) and one paved (Avenue Achille Samyn 2.4 km to 4.7%).
Favorites
Tim Wellens (600), Gianni Vermeersch (400), Philippe Gilbert (200), Oliver Naesen (400) and Victor Lafay (400) start as the main favorites for the general classification, while a nice fight for sprints is expected with protagonists such as Hugo Hoffstetter (400), Arvid De Klein (400), Marc Sarreau (400), Timothy Dupont (200), Jake Stewart (200), Pierre Barbier (200) and Baptiste Planckaert (200).