Tom Boonen, Nikolas Maes, Gert Steegmans, Kevin De Weert and Matteo Trentin performed Ronde van Vlaanderen course reconnaissance on Wednesday. They rode 165km, which included all three laps of the final portion of the race. There were no complications or accidents with training, so the team certainly got quality time in the saddle.
"I think it is important to look at the parcours," Sports Director Wilfried Peeters said after training. "However, it's important to also look at the tactics with the slightly different parcours. For all of the teams this is new. Many have questions, now that we're looking at the Kwaremont and the Patersberg three times, which we've known for a while now has been the final. I think we need to look at the situation of the race. Next we will meet together and discuss the parcours and tactics and what we must do on Sunday."
The weather was certainly mild. When the team started riding, there was very little wind and the temperature was 14 degrees Centigrade. However, by noon, the temperature reached 21 degrees Centigrade. Peeters warned that the weather on Sunday will likely be a different story.
"The weather on Sunday is supposed to be only 10 degrees," Peeters said. "There will also be a little more wind, but we will see how that affects the race."
Despite Ronde van Vlaanderen having a slightly different course this year, Peeters thinks the route is not what makes the race.
"It is the riders who make the race, not just the parcours," Peeters said. "If the peloton is too close together, the course is not that hard. But with Tour of Flanders, we know it can break open after any corner. You need very good legs when that happens, and Tour of Flanders is then a hard race."