The 72nd edition of the Belgian event will see Giro d'Italia points classification winner Fernando Gaviria resume racing after an injury lay-off.
Held in the West Flanders province, Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde started out as a criterium more than seven decades ago, and since then has grown into a 1.1 race, part of the Europe Tour. Won over the years by some of cycling's biggest names, including four Quick-Step Floors riders, the Belgian one-day race – a real Flandrian delight – takes place in the town of Meulebeke and consists of 14 laps of an undulating circuit, which includes some cobblestone stretches that should bring the race to life long before the finish.
Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde will mark Fernando Gaviria's return to competition, nearly three months after his last outing, at the Hammer Series Limburg. The 23-year-old Colombian, who took the Giro d'Italia by storm in May, winning the coveted maglia ciclamino and four stages in the process, has overcome a calf injury and will now slowly begin his build up for the final weeks of the season, his most successful since turning pro.
Joining Gaviria for the 172km-long Belgian one-day race will be Belgian Tour runner-up Rémi Cavagna, stagiaire Przemysław Kasperkiewicz, Iljo Keisse (who took a beautiful solo win here, four years ago), Davide Martinelli and Martin Velits.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
