It’s not the best-known race on the calendar, but it’s a cracking race to watch. The past winners include Emma Johansson (x2), Lizzie Deignan (x2), Emily Collins, Marta Bastianelli, and defending champion Jolien D’Hoore.
Having been a national event (1.NE) up until 2011, it was upgraded to 1.2 and continues to attract an even stronger field now as a 1.1 classification race. The main reason for this is that it follows the day after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (also a 1.1. event) so it is a logistically easy race to take part in, just over an hour’s drive to Tielt-Winge along the E40 and skirting Brussels on the E19. The other, more minor reason, is that it kicks off the Lotto Cycling Cup for 2018; that means more broadcast time and pictures in the papers for the sponsors.
The route
The race is centred on the town of Tielt-Winge, and is organised by Cycling Team Tilt. There’s one big 52.16 kilometer loop, anti-clockwise out towards Lubbeck, and round by Saint-Joris and Molenbeek-Wersbeek. Then six shorter loops of 13.3 kilometer for a total race distance of a snip under 132 kilometers.
There are no major difficulties, nothing on the scale of the challenges of Het Nieuwsblad the day before, and no risk of altitude sickness. It’s more the weather that could be a factor if things turn nasty.
Contenders?
Last year, Wiggle-High5 used a brilliant team performance, and the self-sacrifice of Elisa Longo Borghini to set up Jolien D’Hoore for the win. The Belgian Bullet returns but in the colors of Michelton-Scott, while Wiggle will have the Garner sisters and Audrey Cordon-Ragot among others. Boels-Dolmans will have (hopefully) the world champion Chantal Blaak.
Canyon-SRAM and Cervelo-Bigla will be at the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, but Sunweb will have a strong line-up headed by Ellen Van Dijk and Leah Kirchmann. Cylance, Alé Cipollini, FDJ and Waowdeals will all send potential winning line-ups, too.
It should be a proper, old-school Belgian spring race: stark landscapes, ploughed fields ready for sowing, muted colors, and hard racing. The race is broadcast live here with highlights on Eurosport1 in Europe later.
As per usual, with women’s racing, the prize pot is hardly overflowing. A grand total of €2,460 is available with the winner pocketing €380, barely enough to cover fuel a decent team dinner, with an extra €100 up for grabs in both the mountains and sprints competition.