Gallery: Cobbled specialists show their form ahead of Flanders at E3 BinckBank and Gent-Wevelgem
Ahead of the Tour of Flanders, there are a lot of riders looking incredibly sharp
Cycling fans got a tantalizing weekend of cobbled Classics racing ahead of the Holy Week of De Ronde van Vlaanderen on April 7 and Paris-Roubaix on April 14. At E3 BinckBank and Gent-Wevelgem we saw the world’s best in full form. At E3, Deceuninck-Quick Step won a tactically perfectly executed win with Zdenek Stybar while in Gent-Wevelgem, Jumbo-Visma and Trek Segrafedo brought the fight to Patrick Lefevre’s squad opening the door for Alexander Kristoff to take the win.
Bob Jungels on the attack on the Patersberg at E3 BinckBank.
Oliver Naesen and Wout van Aert are establishing themselves as two cobbled Classics favourites.
Slovakian champion Peter Sagan is still searching for his best form.
Greg Van Avermaet is a deadly force in the Classics and arguably the strongest rider at E3.
Jungels long range set things up for teammate Zdenek Stybar to win his second Classic of the season.
Wout van Aert, Zdenek Stybar and Greg Van Avermaet on the E3 podium.
Alexander Kristoff anticipated the attacks by going up the road at Gent-Wevelgem, a move that payed off.
Van Aert and Stybar chase the leaders in Gent-Wevelgem two days after E3.
Oliver Naesen is having a seriously strong Classics campaign.
After the chase caught the lead attackers, Kristoff unleashed a powerful sprint.
Degenkolb was second with Naesen third.
We saw the favourites for the upcoming races are coming into fine form. Greg Van Avermaet was arguably the strongest at E3 BinckBank despite finishing third while his training partner Oliver Naesen was equally as impressive with third at Gent-Wevelgem and eighth at E3. Former cyclocrossers were also tremendously impressive. Stybar finished the perfect DSQ teamwork at E3 and looked impressive chasing down the dangerous break in Gent-Wevelgem. Van Aert was jaw-droppingly strong in both races with second behind Stybar another notable progression for the extremely talented three-time ‘cross champion. Mathieu van der Poel showed us why our excitement has been justified attacking in Gent-Wevelgem before finishing fourth.
Fast finishers John Dekenkolb had a great race at Gent-Wevelgem finishing second after being on the attack earlier in the race. Kristoff, of course, was the big winner on Sunday and showed he still has was it takes to go deep and still be the fastest in the reduced bunch sprint.
Next on the multi-course menu of delicious cobbled Classics is Dwars Door Vlaanderen on Wednesday with the Tour of Flanders on Sunday. After the excitement of these two races, the coming Classics look like they will heap on more excitement.
