The two Belgian one-day races are the final events in which our riders will take part before the start of the National Championships.
Won in the past by riders of high caliber, such as Marcel Kint, Rik Van Steenbergen, Rik Van Looy, Patrick Sercu and Freddy Maertens, the Brugge Cycling Classic returns to the international scene this year, when the riders will take on a fairly flat course just short of 200 kilometers, which should conclude in a bunch gallop, although the crosswinds could play an important role.
Quick-Step Floors – the most successful outfit of the season – will head to the Ride Bruges with a five-man squad consisting of Tim Declercq, Dries Devenyns, Pieter Serry, Petr Vakoč and Julien Vermote, who can leave their mark on Sunday's race.
Three days later, Tim and Pieter will line out for the 70th edition of Halle Ingooigem, where they'll be joined by New Zealand National ITT Champion Jack Bauer, Iljo Keisse and neo-pro Enric Mas. The race, won three times in the past decade by our team, will follow a 201km-route that includes Kanarieberg, Knokteberg and Tiegemberg, as well as several cobbled stretches, before easing up in the second half of the race, when the peloton will attempt a regrouping.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele