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Spring Classics carry on with virtual Tour of Flanders: Lockdown Edition

Stream showdown between Remco Evenepoel vs. Wout van Aert when De Ronde goes digital for 2020

Tour of Flanders

The Tour of Flanders is continuing for 2020, it will look a little different this year. The Spring Classic will go ahead on Sunday, April 5, just not in Belgium. Well, some of the riders will be in Belgium.

With the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the spring race calendar, Tour of Flanders is going online.

Organizers have put together a 32 km course recreating the original race route’s most iconic features. Kruisberg, Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg are each included in the Classic’s virtual debut.

WATCH: Tour of Flanders: Lockdown Edition on FloBikes

Wout van Aert and Remco Evenepoel highlight the 13-rider invitational start list for Tour of Flanders: Lockdown Edition. Van Aert says, while the race is mostly for fun, he’s looking forward to the challenge.

“I’ve been working on it for a week. It’s nice to have a goal in this period,” Van Aert said in a Team Jumbo Visma announcement. “I’ve already turned off the heater in the room where I will race. It will be nice and cool,” the Belgian joked adding he will still be turning to sports director Grischa Niermann for tips on virtual cycling.

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Thomas de Gendt has already been training online, but has had some difficulty making the jump from pavement to pixels.

The 13 riders invited to the Tour of Flanders: Lockdown Edition are:

Remco Evenepoel
Wout van Aert
Jasper Stuyven
Tim Wellens
Michael Matthews
Mike Teunissen
Oliver Naesen
Zdenek Stybar
Greg van Avermaet
Yves Lampaert
Nicolas Roche
Thomas de Gendt
Alberto Bettiol