Trofeo Internazionale Bastianelli

Large-scale, click for zoom

05.08.12 Official Site (with details of TV coverage)
Italy, UCI 1.2


Start list (subject to change)

One of the greatest non-classic events of Italian cycling and now in its 36th edition, the Trofeo Internazionale Bastianelli takes place on hilly roads north of Atina in Lazio - a beautiful hilltop town which, despite its Roman ruins, cathedral and ducal palace, hasn't yet been discovered by tourists and where the majority of the local population make their living through the production of wine and olive oil.

The race takes place in three parts: Giro 1 (blue) heads at first west, then north into the countryside and west again to Alvito, then turns north-west to loop around Posta Fibreno - which has a lake made famous by a naturally-formed floating island, mentioned by Pliny. The riders then head south-east to Casalvieri and Casalattico, then after 55km arrive back at Atina to begin the next part.

Giro 2 (red) leaves Atina and heads at first west, then north via Settefrati to San Donato Val di Comino, west again to Alvito and south via Casalvieri to Casalattico before turning east back to Atina, covering 62km.

Giro 3 is itself split into three parts, two laps beginning and ending at the start line and a third, slightly shorter lap ending at San Marciano. The total distance is 143km.

Click to enlarge.

A look at the altitude profile reveals that this is not a race for the sprinters, with numerous tough climbs dotting the entire parcours and three big GPMs coming in fast succession between 67 and 85km during Giro 2. The first of these is Gallinaro, its highest point 555m above sea level and situated 71km into the race; the second is Settefrati (79km), the biggest test the riders face today at 825m; the third is San Donato Val di Comino at 85km, 728m high - the profile suggests that the town is approached by a descent; however, while the riders will have been descending from Settefrati, there's a steep climb to reach the centre of the town. Giro 2 ends with a climb of 130m which must then be climbed three more times during Giro 3, draining the last dregs of strength from all the riders and ensuring that only the strongest climbers stand any real chance of being first across the finish line after they climb it for the final time.

Results when available...

The Cycle Show review

I had great hopes right from the moment this show was announced: after all, ITV4 (the broadcaster) and Century TV (the producers) seem intent on working together to ensure that the channel becomes "the home of cycling on British TV" - Eurosport having lost their claims to that title in the eyes of many cyclists when they decided to drop their coverage of an important stage at the Giro d'Italia this year in favour of motorsport.

Century TV operations director Sharon Fuller says that the show has been in the pipeline for two years, and it shows. Initial impressions were promising: it appears well-polished and the graphics, film quality and sound are excellent - this is a show in a much higher class to some of the cycling programmes that serve as little more than filler on certain cable/satellite stations. Main presenter Graham Little makes a good job of it too; his background in journalism combined with love of cycling (he began his professional career with Irish newspaper The Impartial Reporter and was team leader of the victorious squad at the 2009 Race Around Ireland) means that he is ideally suited to the show.

Co-presenter Rob Hayles hosted a segment filmed on Box Hill, the biggest climb on the Olympic road race course and a route familiar to many British cyclists. This also proved successful - while not imparting a great deal of information about the hill, hill climbing technique or the many races that have taken place there, there should always be space in any cycling show for the glorious sight of a peloton gaining altitude. The non-stop, low-volume background music throughout the segment was vaguely irritating, but that may be down to personal preference rather than anything else: for me, the most fitting soundtrack to cycling is screaming 900bpm splittercore techno; if you prefer relatively sedate generic rock (and most people do) you probably didn't even notice it. Meanwhile, we saw very little of Anna Glowinski, who only really appeared in the taster section for next week's show - I suspect that since each episode is only half and hour long (22 minutes with adverts), Glowinski and Hayles will have their time in the spotlight on alternative weeks.

The Cycle Show promises a heady brew of road cycling, MTB, BMX, commuting, leisure cycling, race coverage, bike and kit reviews, maintenance, safety, trivia and - most importantly, for many - "balanced coverage of women's cycling," the latter being especially welcome since women's cycling receives precious little coverage elsewhere. In episode one we were limited to the Box Hill segment and a short piece on cycling in cities (which was all good, practical advice; some viewers will doubtless take issue with guest and Team UK Youth owner Nigel Mansell's insistence that we should all wear helmets, but the issue is so contentious and emotive that it's not really worth discussing until somebody comes up with solid data either in favour or against); however, this being the first episode of a new series, much of the show was given over to introductory material - we'll see how things pan out in the coming weeks and whether it really is going to become the first show to give women's cycling the attention it so deserves, perhaps even put it on an equal footing with men's cycling.

Highlights
Graeme Obree, as ever, was interesting, impressive, likable, animated and articulate. The man truly is a national treasure and a genius in the best "pottering about in the garden shed" tradition; his willingness to show off his new record-attempt bike "Beastie" in these times when the big bike companies' R&D departments keep new machines under tighter wraps than Lockheed Martin's latest Skunk Works  stealth project was as refreshing. The bike, and the man himself, are fascinating.

The third guest was the very venerable Gary Fisher, one of the men credited as inventor of the mountain bike (and certainly one of the most important figures in its development from clunker to modern hi-tech thoroughbred. Fisher got to say little, giving the impression that he'd been included at the last moment simply due to being in London at the time, but his obvious admiration for Obree and the Scotsman's achievements was a highlight of the show - as was his very remarkable facial hair. The Rollapaluza roller sprint - in which Obree and Fisher went head-to-head on a pair of stationary bikes hooked up to a giant analogue meter - was a lot of fun and should prove a popular feature in future shows, and Century TV have dropped heavy hints that next week's guest Eddy Merkcx will be having a go.

Conclusion
All British cyclists should watch this show - first impressions are extremely promising and it has massive potential to become a uniting force in our sport. Fuller says that "If viewers get behind this series there will be more chance of being able to make a second series, and perhaps a series with one hour per show." They've already been given a massive boost by Bradley Wiggins' Tour success, with predicted viewing figures doubling from 250,000 to half a million overnight and a one-hour format would allow far broader coverage of cycling in general, this would dramatically increase the show's appeal. The only real criticism was the ITV4 continuity announcer talking over the "this show is sponsored by Chain Reaction Cycles" bit at the end of the closing credits - Chain Reaction have stumped up no less than 90% of the production costs and without their backing the show would never have happened, they deserve, therefore, to get their money's worth.

Episode 1 of The Cycle Show is also available on iPlayer and will be repeated at 16:45 on Saturday the 28th of July and at 10:50 on Sunday the 29th (both ITV4). Episode 2 airs at 20:00, Monday the  30th of July.


Early viewing figures have been greater than expected and, as a result, from the 13th of August each episode will be one hour long!


For a specialised listing of all the cycling on British TV over this week, click here.

Cycling News from around the World 11.04.12

Brabantse Pijl - Mayors may force police to work Amstel Gold - Amstel presentation and start to be broadcast live, available online - Boonen won't race Amstel - Martine Bras hopes for late April return - Viviani injury less serious than thought - Cameron Meyer turns down Olympics to concentrate on road racing - The Badger to ride in Tour of Conamara - Kuna, Idaho welcomes Exergy Tour - London's best bike shops - British Government launches ride planner website, allocates £11m for Bikeability scheme - Trail Rage in New Zealand

Racing
Brabantse Pijl
The 52nd edition of the Brabantse Pijl takes place over 196km near Brussels today. It starts off at Leuven before passing through Overijse, then heading west to Halle before doubling back to Overijse for a nasty little circuit made up of five  ascents of four tough hills ans it's a tough race, even by the standards of the hilly Classics, with an incredible 28 climbs in total to be tackled along the way - some of them with gradients surpassing 14%. For those who enjoy competitive cycling for the scenery, it takes in some of the most historic locations in Belgium, including a town with 12,000 years of history and the site of the Battle of Waterloo.

Live coverage should be available online from around 14:00 BST (15:00 local time/CEST). Parcours guide, local sites, maps, profile, weather etc. available here. Definitive start list here.

Local mayors could force police to work at Amstel Gold

Following the story yesterday that striking police officers had threatened this year's Amstel Gold Race comes news that mayors along the route could use court action to force them to work at the event if they believe that the peloton or public are likely to be in any danger. Since the race is one of the most popular in cycling-mad Belgium and draws huge crowds along the 256.5km parcours, it seems likely that magistrates would automatically rule in favour of the mayors, allowing the 47th edition of the race to go ahead as planned this Sunday. (More from Cycling News)

However, it seems that in Belgium even angry police officers don't wish to cause too much disruption to cycling. Speaking to BNR Politiek, police spokesperson Jan Willem van der Pol said, "We are in consultation with the organisers [as to] what we can do and to find a way which will allow them to have a beautiful Amstel Gold Race yet still allow us to perform our action."

Amstel start to be broadcast live
Regional sports TV station Limburg1 (L1) will be broadcasting the team presentation and start of the race live online from 08:30BST (09:30 local time/CEST), the first time that the either has been televised. It looks as though the footage will be available via a legal stream at the station's official website, which has some videos of the race organisers and parcours already up; if not, there are various websites offering access to the channel, including this one -

Team Sky confirmed for Road Cycling Show
British-based ProTour Team Sky will make an appearance at the all new IPC Road Cycling Show at Sandown Park on the 21st and 22nd of April this year where riders and managers from the squad will conduct talks and a coaching seminar (the latter open only to those with an invitation to attend.) More details at the Show's website.


Other Racing News

Martine Bras
(image credit: Dolmans-Boels)

Omega Pharma-QuickStep's Tom Boonen has confirmed that he will not race in the Amstel Gold this weekend as he needs more time to recover after his winning streak at Paris-Roubaix, E3 Harelbeke, Gent-Wevelgem and the Ronde van Vlaanderen.


Martine Bras will stay away from competition until at least the end of April, Dolmans-Boels have announced. The rider was in a serious crash during a training ride in march, suffering concussion, cuts to her face and a severe contusion to the shoulder. She had returned to training but experienced headaches after riding, causing doctors to advise her to take an extended break rather than risk permanent problems and now hopes to be recovered in time for Luxembourg's GP Elsy Jacobs and GP Nicolas Frantz. (More on the team website)

Elia Viviani's pelvic injury - sustained during a crash with Chinese rider Liu Hao during the Omnium at the UCI World Track Championships in Melbourne last week - is not as serious as initially feared. Team doctor Roberto Corsetti describes the injury as the "smallest fracture" and a "small subcutaneous haematoma" and has given the go-ahead for the Italian rider to resume training in ten days' time.

Australian Cameron Meyer has deselected himself from his national Olympic program because he'd prefer to concentrate on developing his road racing career. The 24-year-old has been a successful track rider, forming part of the winning Team Pursuit squad at the World Championships in 2010, but feels his future is on the road with GreenEDGE. "It was a very hard decision to make but ultimately my passion for the team pursuit isn't 100 percent," he says. With many fans feeling a certain sense of resentment every time a rider drops out of the Tour de France, which is seen by cycling fans as the greatest event in sport, his decision may prove popular. (More from Yahoo)

Ever wanted to ride with Bernard Hinault? Whatever for? He's a miserable, foul-tempered old bugger. Nevertheless, you now can - and since he's now 57 and has returned to the good old days when cyclists carried a spare tyre (in this case, around his waist) you might even beat him. The Badger is taking part in the Tour of Conamara, part of a four-race Celtic sportive series that includes the Tour of Pembrokeshire in Wales, the Scottish Graeme Obree Ayrshire Sportive and the Tro Bro Leon in Hinault's native Brittany (or Breizh, as the Celtic Bretons would have it). The event begins on the 26th of May with a fun ride suitable for children, then gets on to the proper racing on the 27th with a choice of an 80km and 140km parcours. (More details from the race website)

Business owners in Kuna, Idaho, are delighted that this year's Exergy Tour (which offers what is believed to be the biggest prize fund in the history of women's competitive cycling, $100,000) with local caterers especially welcoming of the event. "Oh, it means a lot to us because we are going to have a lot more business," says local restaurateur Enrique Contreras. "Hopefully they come here to see the race, and they get hungry come here and eat, and have a drink too." Cycling races always bring a huge injection of funds into local economies, but local residents are also supportive of the race simply for the spectacle. "[This] is a pretty big honor for Kuna, should be a lot of fun, and I know Kuna will make them all feel really welcome. Sometimes you can still see horses ridden on the road and to have the world class athletes riding their really fancy bicycles will be quite a contrast, won't it?" says Vern Cornish. (More from KVTB.com)

Cycling
The days when bike shops were dark caves where few women dared tread - and were made to feel unwelcome if they did by rude and chauvinistic staff - are, thankfully, long gone (well, mostly. You know who you are, Mr. Ken Willis, and Mrs. Cyclopunk had a big wad of cash to spend on a bike that day you were so rude to her she walked out of your horrible little shop). Writing for the Daily Telegraph, a British Toryrag that would be utterly avoidable were it not for the surprisingly good cycling coverage, somebody called Nemone who is, apparently, famous has come up with a list of what she believes to be the best examples in London. It's especially good to see Condor Cycles on there, because they've been one of the best for six decades. You can see the list here.


They may have closed down Cycling England, but the government in Britain are still trying to promote cycling (presumably so long as it doesn't cost anything, which Cycling England did) - and the Department for Transport has just launched a new online cycle journey planner. "Our route planner helps people wanting to get out and about and enjoy cycling, as well as those who want to map the best bike route to work," says Minister for Local Transport Norman Baker, LibDem MP for Lewes (Baker has been campaigning since 2005 for full disclosure of MPs' expenses and was largely responsible for the Dark Lord Mandelson's second resignation, so he's one of the good guys). At present, it's only much use for plotting fairly sedate recreational rides as options are limited to "quietest," "quickest" and "most recreational" and it' seriously hamstrung by an inability to search out routes of more than 50km; but it has data on every road in the country and is likely to be a valuable resource for many cyclists, especially those new to the sport. Here's a review of it.

The Department has also announced the allocation of a further £11million for the Bikeability scheme, which will train 300,000 schoolchildren to cycle safely and confidently. Another £24million will be provided to the scheme in the coming two years


We've pretty much all be subjected to a barrage of foul-mouthed abuse from a driver at some point in our lives - cars bring out the worst in people, after all. Bikes, meanwhile, generally do not; which is why New Zealand mountain biker Jordan Brizzell was shocked when he found himself on the receiving end of a verbal and physical assault courtesy of a fellow cyclist on Christchurch's Flying Nun trail. Fortunately, Brizzel was wearing a helmet-mounted camera at the time and the footage has been handed over to the police who are now looking for the man.

You might want to turn the sound right down if you're at work - there's some no-holds-barred language!

Tweets

Christopher Keiser ‏ @CKeiser
My Roubaix video has only 19k views. Mountain biker hit by antelope has 13.5M. Guess who's gonna bring an antelope to Roubaix next year.

News Digest 07.04.12

Energiewacht Tour Stages 4a and 4b - Tour of the Basque Country Stage 6

Energiewacht Tour 2012 Stages 4a and 4b

Stage 4a - click to enlarge
(image credit: Energiwacht Tour)

Stage 4a (Saturday 7th) both starts and ends at Winsum, a town sometimes termed the treasure of the north according to the Tour website - with two traditional Dutch mills and what is reputed to be The Netherlands' oldest pub (Der Gouden Karper) set among quintessentially Dutch countryside.

The parcours leaves Winsom to the north, travelling up to Baflo and then taking a long, fast loop west and south-west to Mensingeweer. Next, it heads east along a road called the Wildeveldseweg (which must sound fantastic in a Dutch accent). Just visible to the south-west from this point is Ezinge, the oldest continually-inhabited village in the country.

The terp at Ezinge, the Netherland's oldest village
(image credit: Ruben Binnendijk CC BY-SA 3.0)

Long before the ancient tribes who would become the Dutch worked out how to drain the boggy landscape, they would create artificial islands upon which to live (now known as terps and, since drainage, resembling low hills) - the example at Ezinge is still evident and is now occupied by the village's 13th Century church. During the early 20th Century, worked who dug peat for fuel began finding strange objects that were obviously of great age in the area, soon attracting the attention of archaeologists who found many more - including Roman artifacts and part of a sword almost identical to another dicovered at the Sutton Hoo ship burial in Great Britain. By dating the objects, they determined that people have lived in Ezinge since at least 600BCE, making it among the oldest continually-inhabited villages anywhere in Europe. The riders will complete five laps of the route, which should allow Ezinge to be seen even if there is early morning mist, bringing them up to a total of 76.6km.

Stage 4b, the team time trial, takes place on Saturday afternoon and covers 26.5km, beginning at Veendam some way off to the south-east from 4a. After beginning in the centre of the town on JG Pinksterstraat (53° 6'19.91"N 6°52'27.74"E), the teams pass through the streets and cross the canal, then the N33 motorway as they head into the flat fields. A route made up of fast straights punctuated with 25 bends and corners will make for a fast stage, but one in which a slower rider could very easily be dropped off the back of the squad and never find her way back. When they arrive at Oude Pekela, they follow Feiko Clockstraat into town, then turn left to arrive at the finish on Raadhuislaan (53° 6'17.39"N 7° 0'24.65"E).

Stage 4b - click to enlarge
(image credit: Energiwacht Tour)

Marianne Vos has pointed out that Stage 4b is likely to prove the pivotal point in the campaign of any rider - including herself - who hopes to win this race, because a race leader's General Classification advantage can very rapidly be wiped out by a slow team. For fans and rivals, this is our first opportunity to see how well the Rabobank Women's team, which was formed with the express intention of supporting Vos, performs under team time trial race conditions; making this stage one of the most important races so far this season.


Cyclopunk's prediction: GreenEDGE take the stage, but with an insufficient advantage to knock Marianne off the top spot in the GC

Weather: The riders face a chilly start to the day - it's currently only 4C at Baflo, and with a northerly wind of 25kph it feels more like -2C, possibly -4C in exposed places. At present, it's raining lightly - it should dry up later, but further showers are likely. Veendam looks set to be similar, though afternoon temperatures of 7C will at least feel above freezing though not by much, perhaps 3C.

As ever, the best way to get information during the race is by following the official Twitter @ewacttour, hashtag #EWT12 and @richiesteege. Local TV RTL7 is broadcasting a short highlights show daily: Stage 4a will be shown at 14:45 BST (+1 hour for local time/CEST), Stage 4b will be shown along with Stage 5 tomorrow at the same time.

Stage 1 (video) / 2 / 3 / 4a / 4b / 5 / Guide / Video Vault

Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco

Stage 6 - click to enlarge
(image credit: Diario Vasco) 

Far away to the south, the Tour of the Basque Country enters its sixth and final stage (final stage? Seriously? How did that happened already?!). It's an 18.9km individual time trial and the only stage in this race without mountains, though there are two small hills to take the edge off top speeds.

By the looks of things, it's going to be a a very interesting stage, too: a look at the General Classification reveals numerous riders who could win overall simply by winning today - the top 17 riders are all within a minute of one another. Climbers Joaquin Rodriguez (currently 1st in GC, Katusha) and Samuel Sanchez (currently 2nd, Euskaltel-Euskadi) have got some serious work to do today, not just if either one of them would like to win this year but simply in order to finish in the top 10.

So you're racing Tony Martin in an
individual time trial? Good luck with
that one, chaps.
(image credit: Petit Brun CC BY-SA 2.0)

Will they do it? Hard to say. The riders currently in the top positions are, unsurprisingly, almost all climbers; but there are some good all-rounders seeded among them - Michele Scarponi (5th, Lampre-ISD), Ryder Hesjedal (8th, Garmin-Barracuda), Chris Horner (10th, RadioShack-Nissan). Most dangerous of all, however, is Tony Martin of Omega Pharma-QuickStep. 56" is a big gap to make up, but Martin is the man who took the World Time Trial Championship from Fabian Cancellara. If anyone can do it, Martin's your man.

Weather: More rain. Worse still, it'll come as scattered showers, so some riders may have enjoy a dry course while others have to tackle it wet - which can make all the difference and lose the race. Currently, the temperature in Onati is a chilly 6C, which probably feels more like 0C with the 17kph westerly wind. It should warm up to around 12C this afternoon and, since the wind will change to south-west (coming over land rather than sea) it'll feel like 12C too.


Euskal Irrati Telebista provide a free and legal stream of the race each day from 14:15 (BST - add 1h for CEST).


Tour of the Basque Country: 1 (video) / 2 (video) / 3 (video) / 4 (video) / 5 / 6

Energiewacht Tour

The first women's stage race of the European season, Energiwacht Tour begins on Wednesday the 4th of April at Appingdam in  Groningnen. It's not an especially well-known race outside the Netherlands and the world of women's cycling; however, since it brings together the very cream of the crop for six stages (one split), it ought to be: the 2011 edition, won by Adrie Visser, was one of the highlights of the season. Take a look at the placings - with riders such as those finishing in the top 20, it was top-notch racing all the way.

Fast and furious - last year's edition

This year, the race has grown to five days - a promising sign in these times when so many races are disappearing for lack of sponsorship or, worse, interest. There's not much in the way of hills in this part of the world (in fact, at a few points along the way the riders will be below sea level), which makes some people think the race will be boring. That couldn't be further from the truth - flat stages such as these promote breakaways and attacks, leading to a fast and furious sort of race, and with a large field of well-matched riders we can expect some very exciting competition. In the final stage, we're likely to see a different sort of racing in which good team trial tactics work well: it's a parcours made up of several very long, very straight and very fast sections where the best plan is also the simplest - stick with the team, get your head down and concentrate on turning the pedals. A full list of the teams and riders (subject to change - Martine Bras and Irene van den Broek definitely won't be there) is available here.

So, unless you only like mountains, this race pretty much has everything covered. Unfortunately, there seems to be no live coverage of the race but video may appear online after each stage - if it does, it'll be added to the daily stage reports on this blog. Local TV station RTL7 has some limited coverage, details can be found at the bottom of this article, and there's a promo video at Podium Cafe to get you in the mood.

The Stages

Stage 1 - click to enlarge
(image credit: Energiwacht Tour)

Stage 1 (Wednesday 6th) is a 15.1km individual time trial heading west out of Appingdam (53°19'13.91"N 6°50'48.52"E) and through the flat pastureland to Garrelsweer (53°18'48.25"N  6°47'0.82"E) where it turns east to head back, following the canal past some grand country houses. With good roads and no hills, it promises to be a very fast parcours indeed - definitely territory for the time trial specialists.

Stage 2 - click to enlarge
(image credit: Energiwacht Tour)

Stage 2 (Thursday 7th) starts and ends at Bad Nieuweschans (53°10'60.00"N 7°11'60.00"E). It takes us further out into the countryside, covering 107.3km over four circuits of the route and making a sortie over the border into Germany. Once again, there are no hills, which makes this an ideal parcours for a breakaway - a group of fast riders who manage to get away early on and keep going might just succeed in escaping the peloton for the rest of the race, but with the flat run to the finish they'll have their work cut out for them as the stage reaches its climax.

Stage 3 - click to enlarge
(image credit: Energiwacht Tour)

Stage 3 (Friday 6th) consists of six laps of an 18.4km circuit  around the Oldambtmeer lake (53°10'16.18"N 7° 1'31.82"E). It begins on Hoofdstraat by a church (53°11'40.37"N 7° 0'36.38"E), then heads briefly south before rounding the southern edge of the lake. When at the eastern end, they turn north and follow the N967 to Oostwold and then west along Huningaweg, back to Hoofdstraat and on to the finish line located at the same point they started. It's another very flat parcours, with a straight and slightly downhill initial section that will promote fast starts and encourage breaks. If they don't, expect attacks aplenty - especially in the last lap as the riders try to gain an upper hand before it's too late.

Stage 4a - click to enlarge
(image credit: Energiwacht Tour)

Stage 4a (Saturday 7th) both starts and ends at Winsum, a town sometimes termed the treasure of the north according to the Tour website - with two traditional Dutch mills and what is reputed to be The Netherlands' oldest pub (Der Gouden Karper) set among quintessentially Dutch countryside. The parcours leaves Winsom to the north, travelling up to Baflo and then taking a long, fast loop west and south-west to Mensingeweer. Next, it heads east along a road called the Wildeveldseweg (which must sound fantastic in a Dutch accent). Just visible to the south-west from this point is Ezinge, the oldest continually-inhabited village in the country. Long before the ancient tribes who would become the Dutch worked out how to drain the boggy landscape, they would create artificial islands upon which to live (now known as terps and, since drainage, resembling low hills) - the example at Ezinge is still evident and is now occupied by the village's 13th Century church. During the early 20th Century, worked who dug peat for fuel began finding strange objects that were obviously of great age in the area, soon attracting the attention of archaeologists who found many more - including Roman artifacts and part of a sword almost identical to another dicovered at the Sutton Hoo ship burial in Great Britain. By dating the objects, they determined that people have lived in Ezinge since at least 600BCE, making it among the oldest continually-inhabited villages anywhere in Europe. The riders will complete five laps of the route, which should allow Ezinge to be seen even if there is early morning mist, bringing them up to a total of 76.6km.

Stage 4b - click to enlarge
(image credit: Energiwacht Tour)

Stage 4b takes place on Saturday afternoon, a 26.5km team time trial located at Veendam some way off to the south-east from 4a. After beginning in the centre of the town on JG Pinksterstraat (53° 6'19.91"N 6°52'27.74"E), the teams pass through the streets and cross the canal, then the N33 motorway as they head into the flat fields. A route made up of fast straights punctuated with 17 right-angled bends and corners will make for a fast stage, but one in which a slower rider could very easily be dropped off the back of the squad and never find her way back. When they arrive at Oude Pekela, they follow Feiko Clockstraat into town, then turn left to arrive at the finish on Raadhuislaan (53° 6'17.39"N 7° 0'24.65"E).

Stage 5 - click to enlarge
(image credit: Energiwacht Tour)

Stage 5 (Sunday 8th) covers 103.3km in total with riders completing three laps of a parcours made up of numerous long, flat stretches with sharp bends between them - not dissimilar to an extended version of Stage 4b, in fact, and almost a stage for a sprinter. The riders set out from the museum in Fraeylemaborg along a street lined with the sort of houses that in the USA are called Dutch Colonial (and here, presumably, "Dutch") and then almost immediately comes to a tight and, by the looks of it, potentially slippery left corner - with the peloton still closely packed just metres from the start, this is a point with an obvious likelihood of accidents. A road called Schlocterdiep leads to a village, Denemarken, and over a canal into a short twisty section before arriving at Eemskanaal. From this point, the route is almost entirely arrow-straight and pancake flat (well, near enough - according to Aerodata International Surveys there are a number of "hills" as high as 80cm along the way!) - this is the sort of road where clever tactics make little difference and everything comes down to which rider, or more likely which team since this is ideal territory for drafting, can ride the fastest. With the left turn at the end out of the way, the remainder of the circuit is formed of a pair of long, fast U shaped roads leading through Harkstede and to the finish line, which is 16.6km away where the stage began.

Predictions

2011 winner Adrie Visser, now riding for Skil-1t4i
(image credit: Highroad Sports)

At this end of the race, it seems hard to see past Rabobank, probably the most well-drilled team in women's cycling right now - especially since the team reported on Tuesday afternoon that Marianne Vos has recovered from the illness that kept her away from the Ronde van Vlaanderen and will be back for this race. We've seen that this is a parcours that favours attacks and sprints, and when it comes down to transmitting sheer power through the chain and back wheel into the road, Vos is without equal. Rabo hasn't put all its eggs in one musette, either - should Vos be forced to abandon, Iris Slappendel and Annemiek van Vleuten are more than capable of taking the race. AA Drink-Leontien.nl are a squad worth watching too, as would be any team that was sending both lightning fast Lizzie Armitstead and Kirsten Wilde. Specialized-Lululemon have Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, another experienced rider who specialises in power, and Clara Hughes - anyone who rememebers Hughes' spectacular solo break at the Copenhagen World Championships will not be surprised if she picks up points and perhaps even a stage win. GreenEDGE have been on a winning streak since the start of the season and with Loes Gunnewijk (second place last year) and Judith Arndt onboard, that state of affairs may continue. Nicole Cooke of Faren-Honda is another rider who is very good at riding bikes very fast - she too is likely to do well. Finally, Skil-1t4i, the team led by last year's winner Adrie Visser.

To sum up, Vos is top choice (just as she is in any race, regardless of the terrain); but there are numerous riders who will chase her all the way - and when conditions are right, each of them is capable of performing exceptionally well.

RTL7 coverage

Note times are CET - minus 1 hour for BST
(image credit: Energiwacht Tour)

Stage 1 / 2 / 3 / 4a-4b / 5 / Guide / Video Vault

Ronde van Vlaanderen 2012

Mens's Parcours - Women's Parcours - Favourites - TV Coverage

Men's parcours - click to enlarge
(image credit: Flanders Classics)

For many fans and riders, the professional cycling calendar revolves around the Classics - even the Grand Tours are secondary in the opinions of some. The Classics revolve around the five Monuments, which means that since the Flanders Classics are often considered the most important Classics, the Ronde van Vlaanderen is the Monument of the Flanders Classics it is, for some people, the most important race of the year.

It's not hard to see why. The Ronde has history, having begun right back in 1913 and continuing through the Second World War (the only Classic to have done so on Nazi-occupied soil - see our "24 Ronde van Vlaanderen Facts" for more) and the sheer difficulty of the race has only added to its legend. This year's edition, which will take place on Sunday the 1st of April, is no different - the 255km parcours takes in some of the toughest cobbles and climbs Belgium can offer, and with the creme-de-la-creme of international cycling taking part competition will be exceptionally high.

Men's Parcours
The initial part from Brugge is relatively straight forward with a small slimb just after 30km into Torhout, this year's Dorp de Ronde - a village or town along the route, chosen to be celebrated by the race, and in this case the birthplace of Karel Van Wijnendaele who first dreamed up the Ronde and directed it for many years (Podium Cafe has a very excellent article on that). Then, the terrain settles down again until 85km, ready for a nasty little climb at Kruishoutem followed by the 1.8km Huisepontweg cobbled section. Then, almost as soon as that's over, there's another 2km of cobbles at Doorn.

Paddestraat
(image credit: LimoWreck CC BY-SA 3.0)

The first of two feed stations comes round at 102.7km, where riders will want to load up on the energy gels because 6.6km away is the first of the big climbs: Taaienberg, which only reaches 57m above sea level and is only 0.8km long, but at its steepest part hits 18% - and it's cobbled for half a kilometre, just to prevent it being too easy. Eikenberg comes next, 6.4km up the road and just nudging 10% at the steepest part with cobbles for 1.1km. Three more sets of cobbles follow: Holleweg (117.1km), 1.5km; Ruiterstraat (18.6km), 0.8km; Kerkgate (121.9km), 1.5km. Climb 3 is the Molenberg (131.3km), a narrow cobbled lane that hits 14.2% at the toughest section. 4.7km away is Paddestraat, the longest cobbles at 2.2km and the site of a monument to the race and those who were fastest to complete the section. The name, which translates into English as Mushroom Street, suggests it can be damp; and it can be - if it's rained any time recently (which is usually has in Flanders) the stones become treacherously slippery.

9.7km from Paddestraat is Climb 4, Rekelberg (145.7km). There are no cobbles here and, reaching "only" 9%, it's a fairly easy section by the standards of this race. 3.3km away is Berendries, Climb 5 and as steep as 12.34%, partially sunken into the surrounding landscape and sometimes very slippery as a result. A much easier 7.8km leads to Climb 6, Valkenberg (156.8km), which hits 15%; then there are 20.5km in which to let the knees stop burning before arrival at Climb 7 - Oude Kwaremont which, though not too steep at 11% maximum, has 1.5km of cobbles. Paterberg, Climb 8 (183km) follows. With a maximum gradient of 20%, it's the second steepest section of the race and frequently the site of abandonments.

Just over 10km from Paterberg is the legendary, malevolent Koppenberg (Climb 9, 189.6km), one of the most feared climbs in professional cycling. Officially, the steepest part of Koppenberg is 22%, but as the riders pack themselves into the narrow 600m cobbled section between the banks either side some of them will have no choice but to take the inside line around the bend where it reaches 25%. Not all of them will make it up without having to get off and push and some won't ever make it to the top. The second feeding station at 192.2km will be a welcome sight, offering an opportunity to raise blood sugar levels and bring some relief to starved, agonised muscles.

Men's altimetry - click to enlarge
(image credit: Flanders Classics)

The riders will just have had time to gulp down an energy gel (best way - the faster you eat them, the less you taste them) by the time they arrive at the 2km Mariaborrestraat cobbles and then Climb 10, Steenbeekdries at 194.9km with a maximum gradient of 12.8%. Another 08km of cobbles lies at Donderij, then Climb 11 at 210.1km - Kruisberg, long at 1.875km but mercifully 9%.

Having looped around, the parcours makes a second ascent of Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg for Climbs 12 and 13 (220km, 223.4km) before moving on to Hoogberg-Hotond (Climb 14, 230.4km), the highest point in the race at 110m reached after a little under 3km of climbing - the gradient is low, 8% at the steepest part. Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg are climbed for a third time in the final 17km (Climbs 15 and 16, 240.2km and 243.6km) before the last approach to Oudenaarde and the finish line. (Parcours details)

Ronde van Vlaanderen voor Vrouwen

Women's Parcours - click to enlarge
(image credit: Flanders Classics)

The Ronde's organisers were among the first to realise that running a women's race alongside the men's would bring extra spectators and, since the infrastructure and TV crews were already in place, bring enormous benefits for women's cycling. Thus, the inaugural Ronde van Vlaanderen voor Vrouwen took place in 2004 and has been held every year since, gradually becoming one of the premier events on the women's racing calendar and, as by far the most difficult of the one-day races, a much sought-after victory by the top riders.

The parcours starts and ends in Oudenaarde, following a less complex route of 127km in total. The flat initial section is shorter than the men's at 39km, then the riders arrive at Paddestraat, followed by Rekelberg (48.6km); Berendries (52.1km); Valkenberg (59.8km); Kaperij (72.1km, max. gradient 8%); Kanarieberg (79.4km, max. 14%); Kruisberg (91.2km); Oude Kwaaremont (101km); Paterberg (104.4km) and Hoogberg-Hotond (111.4km). (Parcours details)

Women's altimetry - click to enlarge
(image credit: Flanders Classics)

The Race-Losing Curse, a.k.a Cyclopunk's Top Tip

Tom Boonen
(image credit: Tete de la Course CC BY-SA 2.0)

Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) is on excellent form right now and has already proved he's got the legs for Flanders this year with second place at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and stunning wins at Gent-Wevelgem and the E3 Harelbeke, making him the favourite of many fans and riders alike. However, he's not going to be allowed to simply cruise up to the finish and take the trophy - this is hard race with a hard parcours, which can easily ruin anyone's chances even without 24 other teams sending their hardest men to try to keep him from victory.

Among them are Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen, undoubtedly one of the toughest 24-year-olds cycling has ever seen and a rider who has already proved himself in the Classics on several occasions; and Fabian Cancellara, the World Time Trial Champion-turned-Classics-specialist who has twice missed out on what seemed likely triumphs in recent weeks and will want this race both to prove his detractors wrong and for psychological value in the run-up to next Sunday's Paris-Roubaix. Then there's the entire BMC team: Gilbert, Ballan, Phinney, Hincapie, Hushovd, van Avermaet, Burghardt, Quinziato - any one of them could win this race. (Start list, subject to change)

Marianne Vos

The Race-Losing Curse only applies to men's races - in any race involving the incredible 24-year-old Dutch woman Marianne Vos, simply listing her as favourite and waiting for yet another near-inevitable victory will see you through at least 99% of the time. With a very strong Rabobank team behind her and with 11 races already won since New Year she was the immediate favourite this year, despite the race having slipped her grasp in the past - however, on Saturday morning it was announced that she's ill and won't be riding, so as to recover and avoid jeopardising the rest of the season. Get well soon, Marianne!

That leaves at least 20 riders with a very real chance of reaching the top step of the podium. Marianne's team mates Sarah Duster and Annemiek van Vleuten are obvious choices, but so are Evelyn Stevens, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg and Trixi Worrack(Specialized-Lululemon), Emma Pooley (AA Drink-Leontien.nl), Judith Arndt and Loes Gunnewijk (GreenEDGE), Emma Johansson (Hitec Products-Mistral Home), Nicole Cooke (Faren-Honda) and numerous others. Vos is a superstar and her absence will always detract from any race, but with less than 24 hours to go this announcement throws everything into a fascinating state of flux. (Start list subject to change)

TV coverage
In Britain, Eurosport are covering the race in two parts. The first begins at 11:45GMT, the second at 14:15, then there's highlights at 17:00 and 21:50. The broadcaster is likely to have coverage in other nations too, check local listings for details. There are likely to be numerous online streams of varying legality; as ever Sports-Livez is a good place to start with several channels, many of them non-georestricted.

Official Site
Sarah Connolly on the Women's Race
Jens (Podium Cafe) on the exclusion of the Muur
Graham Watson on Cancellara's chances

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and live streams

Oude Kwaaremont many only reach 111m above sea level,
but like several of the hills in this race it's one of the most
respected climbs in cycling
(image credit: Marcel Baguette CC BY-SA 3.0)

The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the opening event of the Belgian cycling season, is a race for the hard men and women of cycling with its tough hills and bone-shattering cobbles. Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne has more of the same, but less of it. Make no mistake, however - this is not an easy race for anyone. There are some steep hills along the 195km parcours, but with the last one some 50km before the finish line this is a competition that can suit the sprinters; which is a likely reason that in the 67 years the two races have been run nobody has ever managed to win both in a single season.

The race starts in Kuurne but never quite reaches Brussels, turning back at Galmaarden some 25km from the capital. It's on the return that it encounters the low but very steep climbs of the Flemmish Ardennes, taking in some of the same hills as the Omloop but adding a few others for good measure; several of them approaching or even surpassing a 10% gradient. The first is Edelareberg, 28km from the start; then there's La Houppe after 86km; Kanariebeg at 94km; Kruisberg at 99km; Oude Kwaaremont at 105km and cobbled for the last 1.6km; the Cote de Trieu at 119km, Tiegemberg at 131km and finally the entirely cobbled Nokereberg at 142km.

Cav at Gent-Wevelgem, 2009
(image credit: Thomas Ducroquet CC BY-SA 3.0)

Predictions: Several teams are sending the biggest of their hitters to this race - when riders such as Tom Boonen (winner in 2007/2009 and the only rider still active to have won two editions), Andre Greipel and Greg Van Avermaet are competing, it's exceedingly difficult to make a prediction. However, take a look at Team Sky: they have Flecha, an excellent Classics rider albeit one who will be tired from the Omloop; Ian Stannard, who was third here in 2010; Christopher Sutton, who won this race last year; Jeremy Hunt, third in 2009; Mathew Hayman, a rider who has specialised in the cobbled Classics for almost a decade and Alex Dowsett, young, eager and looking for glory. Six good, strong riders, each of them capable of winning this race on a good day.

They also have Mark Cavendish. We all know that Cav can't climb, but while the hills of the K-B-K are steep none are long in comparison to the giants of the Grand Tours - and while it takes him a long time and a lot of effort to get up those, get up them he does. If Sky can get him to those last 50km in one piece, protect him until the finish line is in sight and then light the blue touchpaper, there's only one possible outcome. 

It'll be tough to do it, but would leave no doubts that Sky is now complete and ready to take on the world. That is a prize that will encourage heroic effort. (It'll also be the third anniversary of the day when Team Sky was announced to the world, so what better way to celebrate?)

(start lists, live streams and other shiny stuff after the map...)

click to enlarge

Sports-Livez live streams 1 / 2 / 3 / 4  / 5 / 6
Sporza

(available from 14:00 CET/13:00 GMT, 26th of February)

Tickers: If you're stuck at work and your idiot boss thinks that watching cycling isn't important, you can still follow the action via a live ticker (which is far harder for anyone to notice on your screen). Several are available, including some that autotranslate into English with varying and sometimes amusing degrees of success, such as Sporza and Sport.be. Cycling News has one in English, though in our experience they're not as quick with the updates as the foreign tickers.

Weather: Little change from the Omloop, which benefitted from what was probably about the best weather a Belgian February can offer. If anything, a little warmer due to lighter wind. While it may be cloudier, no rain is expected.

Starters

SKY
Team (GBR)

1.
Cavendish
Mark
 (GBR)

2.
Sutton
Chris (AUS)

3.
Flecha
Juan
Antonio (ESP)

4.
Dowsett
Alex (GBR)

5.
Barry
Michael (CAN))

6.
Hunt
Jeremy (GBR)

7.
Haymann
Matthew (AUS)

8.
Stannard
Ian (GBR)

OMEGA
PHARMA_‐
QUICK‐STEP (BEL)

11.
Boonen
Tom

12.
Steegmans
Gert

13.
Velits
Martin (SVK)

14.
Ciolek
Gerhald (GER)



15.
Van
Keirsbulck
Guillaume

16.
Maes
Nikolas

17.
Terpstra
Niki (NED)

18.
Vandenbergh
Stijn

LOTTO
‐
BELISOL (BEL)

21.
Greipel
Andre (GER)

22.
Henderson
Greg (AUS)

23.
Bak
Lars (DEN)

24.
Reynes
Vicente (ESP)

25

Sieberg
Marcel (GER)

26
.Cordeel
Sander

27.
Van
Genechten
Jonas

28.
Willems
Frederik

KATUSHA (RUS)

31.
Paolini
Enrico (ITA)

32.
Galymzyanov
Denis (RUS)

33.
Kristoff
Alexandr
 (NOR)

34.
Gusev
Vladimir (RUS)

35.
Kuchynski
Aleksandr (BLR)

36

Selig
Reudiger (GER)

37.
Haller
Marco (AUT)

38.
Isaychev
Vladimir (RUS)

RABOBANK (NED)

41.
Renshaw
Mark (AUS)

42.
Breschel
Matti (DEN)

43.
Tankink
Bram (NED)


44.
Bol
Jetse (NED)


45.
Leezer
Tom (NED)

46.
Wijnants
Maarten

47.
Flens
Rick (NED)

48.
van
Winden
Dennis (NED)

GARMIN
‐
BARRACUDA (USA)

51,
Farrar
Tyler (USA)

52.
Klier
Andreas (GER)

53.
Maaskant
Martijn (NED‐)

54.
Kreder
Michel (NED)

55.
Fischer
Murilo
 (BRA))

56.
Rarthe
Jacob (USA)

57.
Bauer
Jack (NZL)

58.
Rosseler
Sebastien

GREENEDGE (AUS)

61.
Keukeleire
Jens

62.
Kruopis
Aidis (LIT)

63.
Meyer
Travis (AUS)

64.
Mouris
Jens (NED)

65.
Docker
Mitchel (AUS)

66.
Vaitkus
Thomas (LIT)

67.
Tuft
Svein (CAN)

68.
Wilson
Matthew (AUS)

FARNESE
VIVI

–
SELLE
ITALIA (GBR)

71.
Pozzato
Filippo (ITA)

72.
Balloni
Alfredo (ITA)

73.
Gatto
Oscar (ITA)

74.
Favilli
Elia (ITA)

75.
Mazzanti
Luca (ITA)

76.
Hulsmans
Kevin

77.
Giordani
Leonardo (ITA)

78.
Riccibitti
Davide (ITA)

BMC
RACING
TEAM. (USA)

81.
Ballan
Alesandro (ITA)

82.
Van
Avermaet
Greg

83.
Phinney
Taylor (USA)

84.
Quinziato
Manuel (ITA)

85.
Blythe
Adam (GBR)

86.
Schär
Michael (SUI°

87.
Wyss
Danilo (SUI)

88.
Lodewyck
Klaas

AG
2R
–
LA
MONDIALE (FRA)

91.
Elmiger
Martin (SUI)

92.
Goddaert
Kristof

93.
Hinault
Sébastien (FRA)

94.
Shpilevskiy
Boris (RUS)

95.
Casper
Jimmy (FRA)

96.
Belletti
Manuel (ITA)

97.
Mondory
Lloyd (FRA)

98.
Ravard
Anthony (FRA)

VACANSOLEIL
–
DCM (NED)

101.
Devolder
Stijn

102.
Van
Hummel
Kenny (NED)

103.
Feillu
Romain (FRA)

104.
Boeckmans
Kris

105.
Mol
Wouter (NED)

106.
Mortensen
Martin (DEN)

107.Selvaggi
Mirko (ITA)


108.
Pavarin
Marcello (ITA)

TEAM
NETAPP (GER)

111.
Schillinger
Andreas (GER)‘

112.
Seubert
Timon (GER)

113.
Koenig
Leopold (GER)

114.
Barta
Jan (CZE)

115.
Benedetti
Cesare (ITA)

116.
Schorn
Daniel (AUT)

117.
Huzarski
Bartosz (POL)

118.
Dietziker
Andreas (SUI)

FDJ_‐
BIG
MAT (FRA)

121.
Hutarovich
Yauheni (BLR)

122.
Bonnet
William (FRA)

123.
Rasch
Gabriel (NOR)

124.
Guesdon
Frédéric (FRA)

125.
Boucher
David (FRA)

126.
Ladagnous
Matthieu (FRA)

127
.Demare
Arnaud (FRA)

128.
Rollin
Dominique (CAN)

ACCENT
JOBS‐WILLEMS
VERANDA’S
 (BEL)

131.
Hoste
Leif

132.
Van
Dijk
Stefan (NED)

133.
Drucker
Jempy (LUX)

134.
Cappelle
Andy

135.
Van
Landschoot
James

136.
De
Wilfde
Sjef

137.
Goris
Rob

138.
Caethoven
Steven

EUROPCAR (FRA)

141
.Voeckler

Thomas (FRA)

142.
Arashiro
Yukiiya (JPN)


143.
Chavanel
Sébastien (FRA)

144.
Gaudin
Damien (FRA)

145.
Haddou
Said (FRA)

146.
Veilleux
David (CAN)

147.
Hurel
Tony (FRA)

148.
Turgot
Sébastien (FRA)

TEAM
TYPE
1
–
SANOFI (USA)


151.
Bodrogi
Laszlo (FRA).

152.
Bazzano
Alessandro (ITA)

153.
Colli
Daniele (ITA)

154.
Eldridge
Joe (USA)

155.
Fortin
Filippo (ITA)

156.
Laengen,
Vegard
Stake (SLO)

157.
Serebrykov

Aleander (RUS)

158.
Verschoor
Martijn (NED)

SAUR
–
SOJASUN. (FRA)

161.
Engoulvant
Jimmy (FRA)

162.
Martias
Rony (FRA)

163.
Galland
Jérémie (FRA)

164.
Laborie
Christophe (FRA)

165.
Lemoine
Cyriel (FRA)

166.
Paiani
Jean‐Lou (FRA)

167.
Coyot
Arnaud (FRA)

168.
Tortelier
Etienne (FRA)

TOPSPORT
VLAANDEREN‐MERCATOR
 (BEL)

171.
Lietaer
Eliot

172
Wallays
Jelle

173.
Neyrinck
Stijn

174.
De
Vreese
Laurens

175.
Vanoverberghe
Arthur

176.
Vanspeybrouck
Pieter

177.
Van
Staeyen
Michael

178.
Vandousselaere
Sven

BRETAGNE
–
SCHULLER (FRA

181.
Dion
Renaud (FRA)



182.
Pichon
Laurent (FRA)

183.
Lequatre
Geoffroy (FRA)

184.
Delpech
Jean‐Luc (FRA)

185.
Blot
Guillaume (FRA)

186.
Lebon
Johan (FRA)

187.
Halleguen Matthieu (FRA)

188.
Vachon
Florian (FRA)

COFIDIS,
le
crédit
en
ligne. (FRA))

191.
Duque
Leonardo (COL)

192.
Fouchard
Julien (FRA)

193.
Saramotins
Aletjej (LET)

194.
Labbe
Arnaud (FRA)

195.
Garcia
Egoitz (ESP)

196.
Barle
Florent (FRA)

197.
Petit
Adrien (FRA)

198.
Demaret
Jean‐François (FRA)

PROJECT
1t4i (NED)

201.
Degenkolb
John (GER))

202.
De
Kort
Koen (NED)

203.
Curvers
Roy (NED)

204.
De
Backer
Bert

205.
Timmer
Albert (NED)

206.
Klemme
Dominic (GER)

207.
Veelers
Tom (NED)

208.
Stamsnijder
Tom (NED)

LANDBOUWKREDIET
 (BEL)

211.
Stallaert
Joeri

212.
Devillers
Gilles

213.
Traksel
Bobbie (NED)

214.
Honig
Reinier (NED)

215.
Claeys
Kevin

216.
Planckaert
Baptiste

217.
Breyne
Jonathan

218.

Delfosse
Sébastien

SPIDERTECH
POWERED
BY
C10 (CAN)

221.
Bell
Zachary (CAN)

222.
Boiven
Guillaume (CAN)



223.
Houle
Hugo (CAN)

224.
Gilbert
Matin (CAN)

225.
Lacombe
Keven (CAN)

226.
Boily
David (CAN))

227.
Mc
Carty
Jonathan (USA)

228.
Seelander
Bjorn (USA)

AN
POST
–
SEAN
KELLY
TEAM (BEL)

231.
Eeckhout
Niko

232.
Ghyllebert
Pieter

233.
Bagdonas
Geminidas (LTU)

234.
Ennekens
Stijn

235.
McNally
Mark (GBR)

236.
Benett
Sam (IRL)

237.
Cassidy
Mark (IRL)

238.
Van
Bilsen
Kenneth

WALLONIE
–
BRU
–
CR.
AGRICOLE
(BEL)

241.
Bertholet
Quentin

242.
De
Witte
Jonathan

243.
Dron
Boris

244.
Everard
Laurent

245.
Polazzi
Fabio

246.
Legrand
Philippe

247.
Stenuit
Robin

248.
Van
Hoecke
Justin