So much bike racing! The Belgian spring calendar keeps a-going. Next up is the Ename Samyn Classic on Tuesday.
The 203.8-km race begins in Quaregnon and finishes in Dour. The race features multiple laps packed with short, punchy climbs and several short cobbled sectors.
Good news for Wout van Aert fans! He is back in action after a brief illness. Although he fractured his ankle during the ‘cross season, he thankfully had a quick rehab and didn’t miss much training.
The leader of Visma – Lease a Bike did however miss Opening Weekend–which was a bummer as he may have been one of the few to challenge Mathieu van Der Poel at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The Dutchman made the break…drove the break…and then dropped everyone en route to a win that looked “easy.” Van Aert, however, is expected to be a major factor on a course that suits explosive riders, particularly with the narrow Rue de Belle Vue coming just three km from the finish.
Last year’s winner, van der Poel, is not on the start list, so, well, that’s probably a relief for a lot of the riders there. You know the age-old expression, “When van der Poel is racing, we are going for second.” Or something like that.
The women’s race took place on Monday. Irish pro Lara Gillespie took one of the biggest road dubs of her career, sprinting to a terrific victory from the break. The UAE Team ADQ rider was part of a 10-woman group that went clear midway, reaching the finish almost three minutes ahead of the peloton.
Maggie Coles-Lyster (Human Powered Health) finished 56th, Katja Verkerk (Minimax Cycling Team) finished 90th. Verkerk’s teammate, Laval’s Emilie Fortin, had a great ride on Saturday, spending almost 100km in the break.
To watch the men’s Le Samyn, tune into Flobikes.com starting at 9:00 a.m. EST.
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