Belgian a favourite to add De Ronde to his palmares
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Greg Van Avermaet and Jempy Drucker did their recon the day before but joined in for some of the fun on Thursday (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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The Kanarieberg (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Stefan Kung is the first to the top (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Martin Elmiger and Manuel Quinziato reach the top of the the Kanarieberg (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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The big push up the Kwaremont (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Martin Elmiger joined the BMC team over the winter (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Manuel Quinziato earned his law degree just a few weeks ago (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Silvan Dillier returns to the Tour of Flanders after missing it in 2016 (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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It is hard to convey the steepness of the Koppenberg with a camera (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Silvan Dillier must have got a bit warm in this with the temperatures hitting over 20 degrees (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Stefan Kung pushes on up the Koppenberg (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Daniel Oss looks calm and collected, he's done this many times before (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Fran Ventoso tries to ride the small smooth section at the side of the cobbles (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Riding the cobbles is tiring work (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Manuel Quinziato stretches it out (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Daniel Oss with Fan Ventoso (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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The BMC team powers up the second part of the Haaghoek section of cobbles (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Some last-minute bike checks for Martin Elmiger (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Daniel Oss ready for the off (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Stefan Kung waiting at the start point, on the side of the road (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Manuel Quinziato grabbing something from the car ahead of the ride (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Manuel Quinziato and Stefan Kung (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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The riders set off (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Stefan Kung and Greg Van Avermaet lead the way (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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The riders make their way up the Wolvenberg, one of the few climbs without cobbles (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Jempy Drucker with Silvan Dillier at the front of the bunch (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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The sun was out in force for the team's recon (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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The riders cross the 1.5km Holleweg (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Stefan Kung (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Daniel Oss with Jempy Drucker making their way over the Holleweg cobbles (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Greg Van Avermaet completes one of his final sections for the day (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
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Fran Ventoso checks his handlebars after the ride (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
The days until the 2017 Tour of Flanders can be counted on one hand and the final tweaks are being made in preparation for the second Monument of the season. In distinctly un-spring-like weather, BMC Racing set out to do their final recon of the new route, which will take the riders from Antwerp to Oudenaarde and over 18 climbs.
This would not be a full-blown run through the 260km course, but a look at the some of the most pertinent of moments in the finale. Having driven out towards Oudenaarde from their hotel near Ghent, the riders set off from roadside near the finish of the race.
They were joined, at times, by fans and at one moment rode with their rivals for Sunday Trek-Segafredo as they headed over the Oude Kwaremont, Eikenberg, Koppenberg, Paterberg, Kwaremont and more.
Team leader, Greg Van Avermaet and sprinter Jempy Drucker had already done their own recon on Wednesday and only joined their teammates for the opening section before heading back to the hotel to rest up ahead of the race on Sunday. The remaining six riders carried on to complete a four-hour ride before returning back to base.
Flick through the photos above to see BMC on their recon of the Tour of Flanders route.
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Born in Ireland to a cycling family and later moved to the Isle of Man, so there was no surprise when I got into the sport. Studied sports journalism at university before going on to do a Masters in sports broadcast. After university I spent three months interning at Eurosport, where I covered the Tour de France. In 2012 I started at Procycling Magazine, before becoming the deputy editor of Procycling Week. I then joined Cyclingnews, in December 2013.
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