One of the hardest races of the season, a 278.2km sufferfest, the Ronde van Vlaanderen is back this Sunday with its 110th edition, which starts in Antwerp and finishes in Oudenaarde. The course packs 16 climbs, all of them coming in the second half of the day, and positioning will be key there.
Since the course was changed 14 years ago, Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg have become the defining combo of the race and the last two hurdles that those vying for a good result will have to overcome. But these aren’t the only difficulties of this relentless course, which will feature some of Flanders’ most iconic climbs, including Molenberg, Taaienberg, and Koppenberg (with its insane 22% gradients), which can play a crucial role in the way things will look in Oudenaarde, after six hours of racing.
