Featured image courtesy of Tim de Waele/Getty Images
All cobbled roads in Flanders lead to the Ronde van Vlaanderen, the second Monument of the year and the most sought after victory in the Belgian Spring Classic set.
First Sunday of April from Antwerp to Oudenaarde via Flemish town squares, the best beer in the world, cobbles, fans and hills – this is the Tour of Flanders 2022!
There is always a debate as to which of the five Monuments is the best. In my opinion the Tour of Flanders is the best despite being the youngest of the lot, first raced on the 25th May 1913. I would then argue that Paris-Roubaix (coming soon) is the second best and from then onward Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Milan-Sanremo and Il Lombardia.
But focusing on De Ronde for now, it’s the cobbles and the short sharp climbs that make this race such a spectacle. We have no idea how the weather will affect the race and for each and every rider as they approach all the climbs, positioning in the peloton is paramount to a successful race.
Attacks, defeat, mechanicals and the rattling grip on the handlebars over the pavé – the Ronde van Vlaanderen always creates memory, it’s the showpiece race of the Spring, no question.
After two years of COVID-19 disruption it’ll also be brilliant to see fans back on the finish straight in Oudenaarde and across the entire route. But what is the route and who are the contenders?
It’s important to mention that there will be notable absences at this year’s Ronde with illness and the dreaded virus we’ve all been accustomed is quite clearly nowhere near over.
The route
Over the years, the Tour of Flanders route has changed numerous times, but now for the 106th edition and since 2017, there seems to be a pinned-down parcours.
For the sixth successive year, the city of Antwerp will host the start as the race begins on the Grote Markt and from there the riders move across East Flanders to the towns and villages of Sint-Niklas, Erpe-Mere and Zottegem.
275.5km is the total length of this year’s Tour of Flanders. After roughly 100km the riders get their first taste of cobbles on the Lippenhovenstraat and Paddestraat.
The half of racing isn’t exactly spectacular despite the need for a breakaway but beyond Antwerp and up to halfway, it’s the eager anticipation and some last minute predictions from fans that gets conversation online going.
One small change to this year’s route compared to last year is a first jostle for position on the Oude Kwaremont, one of the iconic cobbled climbs in all of cycling. By skipping the Katteberg, the Kwaremont is the first climb of the day after 136km of racing.
After the Oude Kwaremont De Ronde intensifies with a new obstacle every 10km or so. Via climbs up the Kortekeer and the Achterberg the route continues to the cobbles of the Holleweg and onto Wolvenberg before Kerkgate and Jagerij serves yet more cobbled portions. And on it goes to the climbing combo Molenberg, Marlboroughstraat, Berendries and Valkenberg, all crammed together within 15km.
There is is still 88.5km to go after the Valkenberg. A relatively calm phase of 34km – with only Berg Ten Houte and Kanarieberg – makes way for a brutal finale.
The Tour of Flanders really hots up when the riders tackle the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg combination for the first time. It’s at this point where the excitment really keeps on coming with the Koppenberg, the cobbled Mariaborrestraat, Steenbeekdries and Taaienberg all in rapid succession.
With 30km left the riders tackle the Kruisberg/Hotond which proved to be crucial last year. Eventual winner Kasper Asgreen attacked and only Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel were able to follow his move. The Dutchman then dropped his rivals on the steepest section of the Oude Kwaremont which comes just next for one final time coupled with the final ascent of the Paterberg.
The Kwaremont was where Van der Poel attacked but Asgreen managed to hold on. 2.2km long and an averages of 4%, the Kwaremont is the easier of the two because the Paterberg is quite the opposite. Only 360 metres long, but definitely a killer with its average gradient of 12.9% and steepest ramp of 20.3% – a brutal climb!
The last 13.3km of the Tour of Flanders are flat where one of two riders might be off the front and others are trying to chase without looking at each other.
What is key to winning this race is the position your fellow teammates bring you to before a climb. It is also important to point out that four of the last five Tour of Flanders editions have seen the winning move come on the final ascent of the Oude Kwaremont, although in the past some Ronde victories have come from a long way out on the second ascent of the fearsome climb.
Whatever happens, it’s time for cobbles and climbs across the hilly terrain of Flanders!
The contenders
Monuments are very difficult to predict but one thing is certain – so many names can win this year’s Ronde.
After the Kruisberg/Hotond climbs with 25km left to race, last year’s edition saw three riders remain at the front in contention to win. Wout Van Aert, Kasper Asgreen and 2020 champion Mathieu van der Poel.
It was van der Poel who accelerated on the final climb of the Oude Kwaremont, where Van Aert wasn’t able to match the move. Asgreen also lost contact at first, but he came clawing back after the climb. The two extended their lead over the Paterberg, Van Aert left weaving, before the Dane suprisingly out-sprinted the Dutchman.
Going into this year’s race there is slight disappointment. It is unquestionable that Wout Van Aert is destined to win this race at some point, but sadly COVID-19 has shoved his 2022 opportunity to one side.
The Belgian national champion missing out on the iconic Belgian race of the year is tough to take and to make things even more harder to fathom, yes Philippe Gilbert of course counts as a Belgian winner in 2017, but a Walloon winner in recent times does mean we haven’t seen a Flemish winner of De Ronde since three-times champion Tom Boonen in 2012.
With Van Aert now out, it does give Jumbo-Visma a huge chance to back another top Belgian contender from Flanders – Tiesj Benoot backed by the ever-impressive Frenchman Christophe Laporte and the rest of the team.
How to determine who will be up in contention for a Ronde victory, we can look at recent Belgian Classics which make up the perfect preparation races for the ‘big one’.
At Dwars door Vlaanderen, Tiesj Benoot came second to Mathieu van der Poel, so there’s no question that Benoot can compete for the title this Sunday.
For Mathieu van der Poel, there is a quest for redemption. After winning a rescheduled Ronde in 2020, the Dutchman literally blew up in the sprint as Kasper Asgreen took the win last year.
Winning Dwars has given him a huge boost and at Milan-Sanremo two weeks ago it was as if van der Poel had never been away. With no evidence of the back injury he has suffered from previously coming back to haunt him, the Alpecin-Fenix rider is the favourite to win a second Ronde van Vlaanderen crown.
For pure Spring Classics riders, this race is one of their huge targets but for Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, it is quite extraordinary to see the team with no realistic expectations to win this year’s Ronde.
Quick-Step are the dominant beast but for 2022, illness has put them on the back-burner like so many. No Julian Alaphilippe is a blow but all faith will be put into defending champion Kasper Asgreen. Three of the past five editions have been won by Quick-Step and they do have Belgian Yves Lampaert who on a good day can find the form to win a Classic – two times a winner at Dwars the perfect evidence.
A host of former winners are taking part including the only Norwegian winner in 2015, sprinter Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux), 2018 champion Niki Terpstra (TotalEnergies) and from 2019, Italian Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-Easy Post)
Of the three, you’d have to say Bettiol stands the best chance to claim a second Tour of Flanders victory. The 28-year-old has already shown some decent form and if either himself or Mathieu van der Poel win this year’s Ronde, they’ll become the 18th rider to win this race at least twice.
Recent Sanremo champion Matej Mohorič starts in Antwerp and British hopes are strong too. INEOS Grenadiers will arrive in Flanders with a decent team suited to help current mountain biking Olympic champion Tom Pidcock. A third-placed finish at Dwars in the week, Pidcock has all the makings of becoming a consistent Classics racer, winning titles and making life difficult for others – the only thing missing so far is that first major title. Winning Brabantse Pijl last year was a massive step forward, now is the need to make a bigger leap!
And finally, what about a rider who is on everyone’s lips right now! Tadej Pogačar’s quest to ride four of the five Monuments in 2022 continues as he makes his Tour of Flanders debut. The two-times Tour de France winner has shown that any terrain is no difficulty to him. Every rider in the peloton has to keep a beady eye on the Slovenian this Sunday as well as any cheeky moves UAE might make.
As I mentioned in my round-up of March, Milan-Sanremo was not difficult enough for Tadej Pogačar to win but Flanders should see him better suited. A recon for the cobbles to come at the Tour? It’s more than that. This young talent can win the Ronde van Vlaanderen and he may yet win it in a style no cycling fan can ever envisage just a few years ago.
Any other names to look out for?
Former world champion Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) has been in good form so far, Swiss rider Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) might fancy his chances and look out for the other WorldTour Belgian team Lotto Soudal, who don’t win much, but can rely on the potential of Tim Wellens and Victor Campenaerts.
It’s a race where one-by-one riders are whittled away. The Tour of Flanders near enough always sees a pre-race favourite take the day. A Spring Classics contender will succeed but we could yet see a two-times Tour winner surprise us all to claim a moment cycling fans will talk about for years to come.
No Wout Van Aert and no Julian Alaphilippe as world champion does put a dampner on this year’s Ronde, but for Mathieu van der Poel and others they’ll relish the opportunity regardless.
What a Ronde van Vlaanderen in store!
