Dwars door Vlaanderen is more than just a Tour of Flanders prelude
Some of the world's best cyclists will compete in the Dwars door Vlaanderen bike race on Wednesday, often seen as a prelude to the Tour of Flanders. But the one-day race, now in its 78th edition, has become a classic in its own right.
The first edition of the Dwars door Vlaanderen (meaning "across Flanders") was organised in 1945. From the 1960s onwards, it marked the start of the Flemish cycling week, a period in March and April each year featuring E3 Harelbeke - now the E3 Saxo Bank Classic - and Gent-Wevelgem, with the Tour of Flanders as its climax.
The race continued to grow in popularity over the years. The International Cycling Union made it part of its World Tour, the highest level of cycling, in 2017. A year later, the race was moved to the Wednesday before the Tour of Flanders. A women's edition of the race takes place on the same day. There, world champion Lotte Kopecky will be looking to win her first Dwars door Vlaanderen.
Dwars door Vlaanderen is quite a different race from the Tour of Flanders, known as the Ronde, mainly due to its length. Wednesday's edition is 188.6km, compared to the 270.8km of this year's Tour of Flanders. This gives outsiders a better chance of winning compared to Sunday's endurance race.
Participants will be further encouraged by the absence of world champion Mathieu van der Poel: the Dutchman, winner of the E3 Saxo Classic this season, is skipping Dwars door Vlaanderen to rest up for the Ronde. Last year's winner, Christophe Laporte, meanwhile, is still recovering from illness.
Their absence does not mean that Dwars door Vlaanderen will be easy to win, as there is still a lot of talent in the line-up. Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne winner Wout Van Aert and Gent-Wevelgem winner Mads Pedersen are among the favourites.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO DAVID PINTENS
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