Canadians at the Tour of Flanders

On Sunday, April 4, the fabled Tour of Flanders takes place. This highlight of the Spring Classics brings out the hardiest of racers and fans. The Flemish devotees of cycling will line the 262 kilometer course to cheer on their favorites. The Tour of Flanders is known for its 15 climbs, most of them cobbled. Among these climbs are the Bosberg after 250 kilometers of racing and the Oude-Kwaremont after 179 kilometers, both are sure to be selection makers on Easter Sunday.

There are three Canadians racing on Sunday: Michael Barry (Sky Professional Cycling Team), Svein Tuft (Garmin-Transitions), and Dominique Rollin (Cervelo Test Team). Both Barry and Tuft answered some questions for us in advance of Sunday’s race:

What are your expectations for this classic?
Barry: We are going there to win. The team is strong and we have leaders who can win. I have good fitness and will be there as long as possible to support them.
Tuft: The team coming into Flanders has pretty high expectations. Our buildup has been going really well and we have some great momentum after de Panne. My personal expectations for Flanders is to last as long as I can to be there for my team mates. In a race like that you need every one on the same page. It is that physically taxing that if you have burned any matches early on you will not make it to the finish. We have a good crew here and everyone knows their roles.

How did you prepare for the cobbled climbs?
Barry: We have been racing on them for the last few weeks and trained on them as well. Knowing the roads and being in good position at the bottom of the climbs is key.
Tuft: Racing Gent-Wevelgem and Three Days of De Panne has helped us prepare for the cobbled climbs. In this part of the world you do many similar climbs to the Flanders course. It is all about positioning.

What will your team role be at this race?
Barry: I will work for the leaders and hope to go deep into the finale.
Tuft: My role at Flanders will be to look after our guys like David, Martijn, and Tyler. Basically moving them up before the climbs and making sure they have bottles and enough food. Sometimes, I might have to ride the front if a dangerous move goes up the road.

After a big push early on with the early spring races and now a full classics schedule, how do you recover and ensure fatigue doesn’t set in for the longer upcoming stage races?
Barry: After Roubaix I will have a break and will then refocus and rebuild for the Giro.
Tuft: After Roubaix, the best thing to do is to take a solid week off and come back slowly during the latter half of April. It is always difficult because it doesn’t feel like a lot of race days during this block but they are so physically demanding that you really have to be careful about your recovery.