Ypres > Wevelgem 253km

We’ve got a rampant Van der Poel and a Visma team left to lick their wounds and go back to the drawing board, but this is a totally different race compared to E3. First of all, there’s the distance, 253km is a long way, a significant amount of distance which makes the last ascent of the Kemmelberg feel like Ventoux. Then there’s the wind, which will make the race very demanding for an awful long time. Last year, Van Aert and Laporte were untouchable, going away on the second ascent of the Kemmelberg, which isn’t a move that usually works, but they were a level above everyone else. This year, Visma don’t come with their top team, and Van der Poel is back for the first time since 2020. The Kemmelberg is a climb he’s only encountered on two occasions in races, he did this race in 2020 and 2019, the cobbles will be worried that he’s back.