Tour of Flanders - Women 2014: Preview

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Marianne Vos (Rabobank Liv/Giant) wins the Tour of Flanders for the first time in her career and extends her World Cup lead. (Image credit: AFP)

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2010 women's Tour of Flanders champion Grace Verbeke returns to defend her title on Sunday. (Image credit: CJ Farquharson)

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The 2009 Women's Tour of Flanders podium (Image credit: Davide Tricarico/ladiescycling.net)

The defending Tour of Flanders champion Marianne Vos has decided to take a late start to the 2014 season, leaving the fight for victory in the capable hands of her Rabo Liv teammate Anna van der Breggen, currently second in the World Cup rankings. But can they withstand the pressure from current World Cup leader Lizzie Armitstead and her powerful world time trial champion teammate Ellen van Dijk, and World Cup chaser Emma Johansson and Orica-AIS?

The third round of the World Cup is sure to be full of attacks, beginning from the start in Oudenaarde, and all across the 139.6km course and its four cobbled sections and 10 cobbled climbs.

Marianne Vos launched her winning attack last year on the Oude Kwaremont, taking along Elisa Longo Borghini, Emma Johansson and later Ellen van Dijk along before handily defeating them in the sprint.

This year, expect Van der Breggen to repeat the aggression she displayed in the Ronde van Drenthe, but with more fire to overcome the hard earned lesson she was given by Armitstead in the two-up sprint.

Fresh off her Trofeo Alfredo Binda victory, Johansson will toe the line with increased confidence and motivation to go after the coveted 120 points at the finish line in Oudenaarde.

New this year are the minor classifications - the sprint, mountains and young rider jerseys. Iris Slappendel of Rabo-Liv will take the start in her UCI Women Road World Cup sprint jersey. She leads the classification with twelve points. With only one sprint, at the finish line in Oudenaarde, her lead can only be threatened if her teamate Anna van der Breggen wins the race or finishes in second place.

Rabo-Liv have another leader’s jersey in the team with Pauline Ferrand-Prevot as best young rider. She is at six points, just like Thalita de Jong and Elena Cecchini.

With both the Leberg and the 12.9 % average Paterberg counting towards the mountain classification and twelve points up for grabs, Alena Amialiusik will have to fight hard to keep her leading position in the mountain classification.