Mark Cavendish (Sky) at Dwars Door Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
A relaxed Oscar Freire (Katusha) at the start.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) signs an autograph before the start.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) begins his Belgian campaign at Dwars Door Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda) signs on in Roeselare.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda) shares his thoughts before the start of Dwars Door Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Nico Eeckhout (An Post-Sean Kelly) won Dwars Door Vlaanderen in 2001 and 2005.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
For the road. The peloton ready for the start of Dwars Door Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Carlos Barredo (Rabobank) samples the atmosphere in Roeselare.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Grega Bole leads the Lampre-ISD charge.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
The peloton gathered in Roeselare for the start of Dwars Door Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Mark Renshaw (Rabobank) is chasing sprint victory.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Mark Renshaw (Rabobank) checks his steed before the start in Roeselare.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
CJ Sutton lines up as part of a six-man Sky team.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Oscar Freire (Katusha) has the quality to win in Belgium/(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Aliaksandr Kuschynski (Katusha) at the start in Roeselare.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep).(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Irish champion Matt Brammeier (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) at Dwars Door Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Mark Cavendish (Sky) is looking to put his Milan-San Remo disappointment behind him.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) en route to the start.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Sep Vanmarcke (Garmin-Barracuda) is a popular figure after his win at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) rides to the start.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda) reminds himself of the day's key moments.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Just ten days from the Tour of Flanders, the cobbled classics campaign began in earnest on Wednesday with Dwars Door Vlaanderen. The 200km race from Roeselare to Waregem features no fewer than 13 hellingen and is often offers a solid form guide ahead of De Ronde.
Twelve months ago, it was Nick Nuyens who triumphed, and his clever win in Waregem presaged a similar triumph at the Tour of Flanders. The Belgian is absent through injury this time around, but there was no shortage of classics contenders on the startline in Roeselare on Wednesday morning.
Sep Vanmarcke (Garmin-Barracuda), Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia), Stijn Devolder (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) should all be in the hunt for major wins in the weeks to come, and they all be looking to draw first blood on the road to Waregem.
Given that 2012 sees the route of the Tour of Flanders become ever more difficult, however, the sprinters know that opportunities are at a premium in Belgium this spring, and they will be hoping that the balance of Dwars Door Vlaanderen’s varied route tips in their favour this year.
The summit of the final climb, the Nokereberg, comes with just under 8km to go, but the flat, fast run-in to Waregem will give the sprinters a chance to get back into the fray. After missing out in Milan-San Remo, Oscar Freire (Katusha), Mark Renshaw (Rabobank), Matt Goss (GreenEdge), Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda) and Mark Cavendish (Sky) should not be lacking in motivation here.
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