2020 Tour of Flanders Race Preview
The details of this year's 2020 Tour of Flanders are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The cobblestones and punishing climbs of the Flemish Ardennes are set to provide the backdrop for one of the most eagerly anticipated classics of the delayed 2020 season. The Tour of Flanders, or Ronde van Vlaanderen as it is known locally, carries a weight of history and tradition that sets it apart from almost every other race on the calendar, and this year's edition promises to be no different despite the unusual circumstances that have pushed the event back from its usual April slot into October.
The race covers around 243 kilometres from Antwerp to the finish in Oudenaarde, and the route throws up its customary collection of brutal short climbs with gradients that would test the strongest legs in the peloton. The Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg in the final kilometres remain the decisive battleground where races are so often won and lost, with the Koppenberg, Taaienberg, and Wijnpers among the earlier challenges that will splinter the peloton long before the real racing begins.
Mathieu van der Poel arrives as one of the outstanding favourites after his extraordinary performance in 2019 when he animated the race brilliantly before eventually finishing second. The Dutchman has matured into one of the most complete one-day racers in the world and carries the weight of expectation comfortably. His rival and sometime friend Wout van Aert represents perhaps the most formidable opposition, a man equally at home on the cobbles and bergs and who has shown devastating form throughout the shortened season.
Defending champion Alberto Bettiol will be hoping to repeat his surprise victory from 2019, though he will know that the full force of the peloton will be more alert to his threat this time around. Greg Van Avermaet, a man who has threatened to win Flanders on numerous occasions, will again be targeting the race as one of his primary objectives of the season.
The weather in October can be unpredictable in Flanders, and rain and wind could play a significant role in shaping how the race unfolds. A wet edition would suit the more powerful classics men while dry conditions might open things up to a wider range of finishers. Whatever the weather brings, the roads around Oudenaarde are expected to be lined with passionate fans supporting their heroes through one of sport's most beloved and cherished events.
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