GEARED UP FOR THE RONDE, BELGIUM’S BIG DAY

That wildly awaited Sunday in April is almost here, when the cycling (and chocolate-loving!) nation of Belgium hits the brakes for a day. Although the dates align with Easter this year, chocolate eggs are likely to be overlooked for a far more compelling attraction: the renowned Ronde van Vlaanderen.

Tackling an Easter Sunday hunt for some of cycling’s greatest glory are Zoe Bäckstedt, Chloé Dygert, Rosa Klöser, Nastya Kolesava, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.

Zoe lines up for her second appearance at the biggest of the Flemish spring classics, having made her debut in 2023. Following a fourth-place finish at Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday – often viewed as the final dress rehearsal for Sunday – she has already shown strong form heading into the big showdown.

“It’s been some time since I last raced Ronde van Vlaanderen, so I’m excited to get back out there. I don’t have specific expectations, but I’d like to be in a good group at the end of the race. We’re on the start line with a strong team and, of course, we’re aiming for a good result.”

While Zoe, along with Nastya and Agnieszka, have completed all three Flemish classics over the past week, Cecilie and Chloé will make their Belgian season debuts. For Chloé in particular, it represents a significant return after crashing out of January’s Australian racing block and working her way back from a difficult knee injury.

“My recovery has been very hard, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I feel like I train better under pressure, and I’m as fit as I can be with the few weeks of preparation that I’ve had.”

She remains realistic about her form, but sees both challenges and opportunities from her enforced racing break.

“It’s hard to say without having raced, but I hope I’m healthy and fit enough to be competitive. Having done the race before, I have the knowledge of how it unfolds, so now it’s just a matter of being able to race along with it. I wouldn’t say this break is an advantage for Flanders, but for the rest of the season, with Worlds as the main goal, it may have been the best possible thing to happen to me.”

As the pinnacle of the Belgian spring classics, the race is a concentrated showcase of quintessential Flemish racing; 164km with 1426m of elevation, winding through rolling landscape and tackling every challenge deemed worthy. For riders and teams alike, it’s a day where preparation and fortune must line-up perfectly, offering the chance to seize success at the very highest level.

This year’s course, like previous editions, can be divided into two general phases – before Oudenaarde and after. The town, both a regional and cycling hub, marks the 78km point in an epic day out. The opening section delivers the first feel of cobbles in the Lange Munte sector after 29km, followed by two more cobbled passages before reaching Oudenaarde. After that, the race-defining sectors begin; a relentless sequence of climbs and cobbled stretches demanding constant vigilance, positioning, and proximity to the front of affairs.

Compared to 2025, the number of climbs has dropped from 12 to 9, omitting known ascents such as the Berendries and Valkenberg. Still, Ronde van Vlaanderen remains the longest one-day race of the season, and the notorious Koppenberg – where walking is sometimes inevitable – returns for its third year. The final 45km are tried and tested; the iconic Kwaremont-Paterberg combo delivers the last chance for decisive uphill action, before 15km of flat, unremarkable roads lead to a finish that is anything but.

While the WorldTeam enjoy their final Ronde preparations on Saturday, a Generation squad of Erja Bianchi, Emily Dixon, Tsige Kahsay Kiros, Jule Märkl, Awen Roberts and Weronika Wąsaty will line up at the hilly, circuit-based NXT Classic near Maastricht, the Netherlands. Monaliza Araya Chneslasie will then join for Ronde de Mouscron on April 6.

HOW TO FOLLOW

NXT Classic | UCI 1.2 | April 04 | 116.1km | 1303m elevation | Start 12:30 CET – fastest finish 15:52.

Live coverage TBC. Stay updated online with #NXTClassic.

Ronde van Vlaanderen | 1.WWT | April 05 | 164.2km | 1426m elevation | Start 13:10 CET – fastest finish 17:37. 

Live from 15:00 CET on TNT Sports, Eurosport, HBO Max, FloBikes, Sporza/ VRT, SBS Sport and other regional providers. Stay updated online with #RVV26 and #FLCS.

Ronde de Mouscron | UCI 1.1 | April 06 | 125km | 914m elevation | Start 12:00 CET – fastest finish 15:15.

Live from 13:30 CET on TNT Sports, Eurosport, HBO Max, FloBikes, Proximus Pickx and other regional providers. Stay updated online with #RondedeMouscron, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto social channels for team updates on all races.