In the absence of Wout van Aert, defending champion, the fight for the tricolor jersey promises to be open and exciting. Sunday in Middelkerke, the road race of the Belgian Cycling Championships might smile on a sprinter.
The course, 208.7 kilometers long and designed by Johan Museeuw, double Belgian champion, will first crisscross the hinterland and the polders with a passage in the Moëres, a sector always very exposed to the wind. The final will consist of six laps of a circuit laid out in Middelkerke, around the Koninginnenlaan.
In the absence of Van Aert, hit in the knee during a training camp for the Tour de France, the fight looks very open because several riders seem able to shine in the sprint. No one is above the fray, however. In effect, Arnaud DeLie, Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier, Gerben Thijssen, Timothy Dupont et Jordi Meeus all have assets to be used in the event of a large influx.
Alpecin-Fenix, with a trifle of 21 riders including its development team, will have the advantage of numbers. The formation will therefore be able to afford to burn a few cartridges in order to place its sprinters Philipsen and Merlier in the best conditions. The ProTeam team can also count on Dries De Bondtwinner in 2020 following a solo number.
At Lotto Soudal, the main headliners are Arnaud De Lie, Tim Wellens et Philippe Gilbert. The Remoucastrien, double Belgian champion (2011, 2016), will play his last National.
The Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team seems to want to take on the outsider’s costume but the Wolfpack, with the former tricolor jersey wearer Yves Lampaert et Remco Evenepoel, 3rd in 2021, might pull the chestnuts out of the fire. Evenepoel, crowned with a title on Wednesday, impressed at Gavere and might make everyone agree.
It will also be necessary to monitor Oliver Naesen et Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R Citroen), Jens Debusschere (B&B Hotesl-KTM), Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Jasper Stuyven et Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo), 2nd back Wout van Aert last year in Waregem.
