From the cobbles to the Ardennes
After the great cobbled classics such as the Ronde Van Vlaanderen or Paris-Roubaix, the cycling spring doesn’t stop, and next Sunday the Ardennes triptych kicks off with the Amstel Gold Race. Two days earlier, on Friday the 18th, one race offers the ideal terrain to transition from one type of race to another: De Brabantse Pijl — La Flèche Brabançonne, which features a perfect combination of cobbles and short climbs.
Men’s race: route and favourites
The men’s race has seen its route shortened compared to previous editions, and this time will cover only 162 kilometres. The start will be in Beersel, and the riders will have to overcome a total of 21 climbs. In the final part, in Overijse, the riders will complete three laps of approximately 20 km on the familiar circuit that includes Hertstraat (0.7 km at 3.8%), Moskesstraat (0.6 km at 8%), Holstheide (1 km at 4.9%) and the S-bend of Overijse (1.3 km at 3.9%).
Remco Evenepoel (1200), Wout Van Aert (1200), Thomas Pidcock (800), Jonathan Narváez (400), Corbin Strong (600), Tim Wellens (400), Stephen Williams (400), Tiesj Benoot (400), Jan Christen (200), Quinten Hermans (400), Dylan Teuns (400), and Mathieu Burgadeau (400) are among the favourites on the provisional start list.
Women’s race: route and favourites
The women’s race starts in Lennik and totals 125 km. Like the men’s race, everything is usually decided during the final three laps of the local circuit in Overijse, identical to the men’s.
Demi Vollering (1200), Elise Chabbey (1000), Anna Van Der Breggen (200), Karlijn Swinkels (800), Silvia Persico (800), Mischa Bredewold (800), Niamh Fisher-Black (800), Femke Markus (800), Anna Henderson (800), Eleonora Gasparrini (600), Ingvild Gaskjenn (200) and Maike Van Der Duin (200) are some of the standout names for the women’s race.
Photo: © De Brabantse Pijl — La Flèche Brabançonne / Flanders Classics