BMC, Astana, Team Sky, IAM Cycling, Movistar and Southeast training ahead of Sunday's De Ronde
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Team Sky's Michał Kwiatkowski on the Kopperberg during a recon(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
There was some mud on the Kopperberg during the recon(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Heinrich Haussler powers away from the traffic jam on the Kopperberg(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Geraint Thomas walking his bike up the Kopperberg(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
There were plenty of fans heading out for a ride of the Flanders route(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Geraint Thomas is unlikely to have this much room come race ay(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
The Oude Kwaremont will again be a vital climb in the Tour of Flanders on Sunday(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Belgian Greg Van Avermaet (L) of BMC Racing Team and Swiss Michael Schar (Front) of BMC Racing Team practice during a track reconnaissance, on April 1, 2016, ahead of Tour of Flanders
There is big build up to the 100th Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
The Team Sky car tries to avoid reenacting the famous Jesper Skibby incident on the Koppenberg(Image credit: Sirotti)
Traffic jam on the Koppenberg(Image credit: Sirotti)
Salvatore Puccio (Sky)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Lars Boom enjoying a morning stroll on the Koppenberg(Image credit: Sirotti)
IAM Cycling mix with the tourists on the Koppenberg(Image credit: Sirotti)
IAM Cycling mix with the tourists on the Koppenberg(Image credit: Sirotti)
Chaos on the Koppenberg as cyclotourists mix with the pros(Image credit: Sirotti)
The Koppenberg awaits the Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Sirotti)
Filippo Pozzato and his Southeast teammates take a stroll up the Koppenberg with the cyclotourists(Image credit: Sirotti)
The Koppenberg awaits the Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Sirotti)
The start of the Koppenberg awaits the Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Sirotti)
The Koppenberg awaits the Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Sirotti)
The Southeast team tackles the Koppenberg on foot(Image credit: Sirotti)
Astana on the Koppenberg(Image credit: Sirotti)
Lars Boom gets some help up the Koppenberg(Image credit: Sirotti)
The Telenet-Fidea riders are more familiar with the Koppenberg in winter.(Image credit: Sirotti)
BMC Racing training ahead of Tour of Flanders
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) out with his team training ahead of Tour of Flanders
BMC's Taylor Phinney training ahead of Tour of Flanders
Italian Filippo Pozzato of Southeast-Venezuela (C) practices during a track reconnaissance, on April 1, 2016, ahead of the Tour of Flanders
Italian Filippo Pozzato of Southeast-Venezuela (2L) practices with teammates during a track reconnaissance, on April 1, 2016, ahead of the Tour of Flanders
Australian Heinrich Haussler of IAM Cycling practices during a track reconnaissance, on April 1, 2016, ahead of the Tour of Flanders
Australian Heinrich Haussler of IAM Cycling pictured during a track reconnaissance, on April 1, 2016, ahead of Tour of Flanders
Costa Rican Andrei Amador of Movistar Team pratices during a track reconnaissance, on April 1, 2016, ahead of the Tour of Flanders
Two days away from the 100th edition of the Tour of Flanders and teams have been spotted training on parts of the course Friday. Sunday's 250km race will begin in Brugge, with an official start in Loppem, before heading south to the finish in Oudenaarde.
The route will take the peloton over 18 categorized climbs beginning at the 103km mark with the Oude Kwaremont, and then finishing with the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg, which is the steepest climb at 12.5%, at kilometres 238 and 242, respectively. In between, riders will face the Koppenberg, which boast an 11% grade.
Riders from teams Astana, IAM Cycling and Team Sky took to the Oude Kwaremont and the Koppenberg, many of them walking up the steep ascent likely saving their legs for the big day on Sunday.
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