This Easter Sunday, Oudenaarde market square will witness the toughest of the season’s cobbled Classics in the UCI Women Road World Cup calendar. Indeed, round 3 is no other than the iconic Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders). The 145-km Belgian race promises nothing but sweat, tears and drama in the women’s peloton.
Ronde van Vlaanderen is the race everyone wants to battle and everyone dreams of winning.
The riders will tackle ten climbs (“bergs”), some of them cobbled as well as five separate cobbled sections. The first test of the day is the Wolvenberg with an average gradient of 7.9% and a maximum of 17.3% over 645-metre.
The first 800-metre cobbled section, Ruiterstraat comes immediately after the first climb. These combined difficulties are likely to split the bunch at an early stage.
The riders will have to position themselves at the front of the bunch to make the cut before entering the second 2650-metre cobbled section, followed by the 350-metre Holleweg section.
They will then move on to the cobbled Molenberg with its 7% average gradient over 463-metre and a maximum of 14.2%.
There will be two more cobbles stretches before the riders tackle the rest of the climbs: Leberg, Berendries, Valkenberg, Kaperij, Kanarieberg, Kruisberg/Hotond, Oude Kwaremont, Paterberg.
The last two climbs, the cobbled Oude Kwaremont and the dreaded Paterberg will be decisive for the remaining sprinters. If they make it over the top, they will stand a very good chance at the finish. But the 350-metre long Paterberg will take no prisoners as it comes at less than 15-km to the finish with a 12.9% average gradient.
The most ruthless of races will make for a worthy Suffer Prize winner.
Presented by The Sufferfest, this combativity prize will be awarded to the rider who demonstrated particular determination and courage to help a teammate, to animate the race or simply to get to the finish line against the odds.
Riders to watch Last year, Ellen van Dijk (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) rode away from a selected bunch to take a solo victory in Oudeenarde. It’s a race which van Dijk’s team mate current UCI Women Road World Cup leader Lizzie Armitstead wants to win. The Boels Dolmans Cycling Team knows how to control a race and will not only want to defend their leader’s jersey, but also win on the day.
Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten (Bligla Pro Cycling Team) won the race in 2011. She knows the race suits her and will be the protected rider on the day.
The Wiggle Honda Team have had a fantastic start of the season with Belgian Champion Jolien D’hoore winning round 1 of the UCI Women Road World Cup, the Ronde van Drenthe last month. And there isn’t a better place to race than home when you wear the National Champions jersey. She will lead the squad along with Italian Elisa Longo Borghini, who took fourth place in last week’s Trofeo Alfredo Binda.
World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Rabo Liv Women Cylcling Team) will seek to impress again this week after finishing second at Trofeo Alfredo Binda last Sunday. The French woman is likely to feature at the front of the race from the off.
The race will start at 11:00 CET from Oudenaarde and will end shortly after 14.45 CET in Oudenaarde.
For more information on the Ronde Van Vlaanderen including the latest start list, visit the official website HERE
For up to date UCI Women Road World rankings, click HERE