With the Paris-Roubaix cancelled, cycling fans' attention is now turning to the Ronde van Vlaanderen. At the Flemish classic, the champions of the Total Direct Energie Pro Cycling Team (and their Ursus wheels) will have to contend with the characteristic cobblestone gradients that have helped make this road race famous.
It will obviously be a unique Flanders, characterized by the absence of spectators on the streets. At high risk of cancellation in recent days, the Flemish classic will go ahead (unlike the Paris-Roubaix, which has been postponed until next year). However, Belgian authorities have decided to increase security measures, urging fans not to take to the streets: the Covid-19 emergency is so frightening that organizers have not yet resolved the route, which will therefore remain secret. Police will also patrol all areas around the walls, traditional gathering points for the most raucous fans. There will be plenty of spectacle, however, with many big names ready to battle it out for the title of the new Lion of Flanders.
TOUR OF FLANDERS: MANY BIG GUESTS AT THE START
Peter Sagan will be missing, having remained to compete in the Giro d'Italia, but the challenge will be fierce. With cyclocross season in full swing, how could we not point to two Dutch champions like Mathieu Van der Poel and Vout van Aert as the favorites? The two versatile orange rivals will have to contend in particular with the defending champion, Italian Alberto Bettiol, who will be chasing a historic repeat (among Italians, only Fiorenzo Magni has managed to score more than one career victory, with his three crowning victories between 1949 and 1951), as well as with world champion Alanfilippe, seen in excellent form in recent rounds.
The startlist also includes former winners Van Avermaet, Kristoff, and, most importantly, our own Niki Terpstra, the leading man for the Total Direct Energie Pro Cycling Team . The Dutchman had a difficult start to the season following a serious crash last June, which forced him to miss the Tour de France. He'll therefore be motivated to find his own personal breakthrough on a course he's already tested in preseason .
Among the Italians, besides the aforementioned Bettiol, keep an eye on Matteo Trentin. The Trentino native is also highly anticipated and could make a splash.
AN EDITION WITH SEVERAL QUESTION POINTS
While we wait to see who will raise their arms in the Tour of Flanders, remember that the race's mileage is not yet known. We know that the cyclists will depart from Antwerp and finish in Oudenaarde. Trying to guess based on the program released by the organizers in the spring, we might assume there will be plenty of the most famous "muri" (walls), short climbs characterized by steep gradients—often double-digit ones—and made even more treacherous by the cobblestone road surface. Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg could therefore be tackled more than once, followed by Kruisberg, Taaienberg, and Koppenberg among the most challenging.
Another element of uncertainty is the weather. As we know, this race is part of the Spring Classics and as such is normally held in early April: the 2020 edition will instead be remembered as the first in history to be held in late October, with colder temperatures and the ever-present threat of rain.
Tour of Flanders: Ursus Wheels Put to the Test
Which Ursus wheels will be competing in the Tour of Flanders? Team Total Direct Energie riders will have several models at their disposal, but two new additions to our catalog deserve special mention. The Miura TR47 disc and Miura TC47 disc are two new wheelset designs developed by Ursus specifically for mixed endurance events similar to the one taking place in Belgium on October 18th. Want to learn more about Terpstra and his teammates' new wheels? Read this article and enjoy the Tour of Flanders!
