24.03.2026 World-Tour, News, Race news

THE BELGIAN CHAPTER BEGINS FOR THE CLASSICS-KEEN

Although Omloop Nieuwsblad – the Flemish spectacle that traditionally signals the start of the spring classics – took place nearly one month ago, it remains the last race that the WorldTeam has contested on Belgian soil.

With three consecutive racing weekends in Italy complete, alongside a successful Vuelta a Extremadura campaign in Spain, we return to cycling’s heartland for a crescendo towards the major cobbled highlights.

Four riders – Zoe Bäckstedt, Chiara Consonni, Nastya Kolesava and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka – are pencilled in to line up at all three WorldTour races in the coming week: Ronde van Brugge (March 26), In Flanders Fields (March 29), and Dwars door Vlaanderen (April 1). The trio subtly decrease in distance – 144km, 135km and 129km – while elevation ramps up in the latter two.

For the opening appointment, formerly known as Classic Brugge-De Panne, the quartet will be joined by Maike van der Duin and Maria Martins. For In Flanders Fields, Maike switches out while Rosa Klöser comes in. The roster for Dwars door Vlaanderen will be confirmed following the opening two races, and again ahead of the prestigious Ronde van Vlaanderen on April 5.

All up, it’s a nearly two-week block where teams hunker down in their Belgian bubbles – reacquainting themselves with the quirks of the spring classics, dialling in the details, and developing a sense of preparedness. Meanwhile, fanfare and noise from the outside keeps building. By Easter Sunday, Ronde van Vlaanderen will once again bring a cycling-mad nation to a standstill, before attention turns to Paris-Roubaix across the border on April 12.

Circling back to Ronde van Brugge, it was here that Chiara picked up her first WorldTour podium of 2025, delivering a powerful kick to finish just behind sprinter surpreme Wiebes (SDW). While the course has had a major overhaul, no longer spanning west from Brugge to De Panne, the essence remains. Now entirely centred around charming Brugge, the race is set on long but fast laps, with tight corners, narrow roads and exposed sections providing those quintessential Belgian racing ingredients. It’s been previously dubbed the unofficial world championship for sprinters, and while a bunch kick is still likely, the forecasted winds could make it a very reduced one.

The second race, In Flanders Fields, has also undergone a revamp heading into 2026, most notably with a 35km reduction in distance. What remains the same is an attritional middle phase that gives the race an air of unpredictability. Some years, moves go in the demanding ‘hill zone’ and never come back; other times, the game board resets for a sprint. The Kemmelberg is the most iconic of the six featured climbs, standing as both a physical and symbolic centrepiece, steeped in the wartime history that underpins the event. The second, brutal ascent is tackled with 35km remaining, and after passing through the historic Menin Gate in Ypres, the race continues along the usual straight, flat run-in to Wevelgem. Wind conditions often play a decisive role in determining whether a larger bunch or a small group of escapees reach the finish first.

Despite similar climbing totals, In Flanders Fields and Dwars door Vlaanderen offer two very different tests. The latter offers both a primary objective for some, and a final ‘Ronde’ rehearsal for others. True to its name, ‘across Flanders’ shares many roads with its illustrious sibling, the Tour of Flanders, just condensed into a shorter, more manageable package. In 2026, it sticks closely to a familiar formula of Flandrien fixtures, with six cobbled sectors and eight climbs. The only major change for this 14th edition is its debut on the Women’s WorldTour calendar, potentially adding an extra layer of intensity.

Zoe’s home sits on the Dwars door Vlaanderen course , which is one of the reasons it’s her favourite race out of the three:

“I have to say, I’m quite looking forward to Dwars door Vlaanderen, being an extremely home race for me. I’m excited for it – some climbs in there that I think could be good for myself, and with cobbles too. The last time I did it, I wasn’t amazing and didn’t do great, but I still had a solid ride and I hope that I can better that result. But, I’m also excited for all of the races because now after a longer break without racing, I’m ready to get back into it.”

Zoe last raced at Vuelta a Extremadura from March 6-8, where she stormed to victory in the stage one time trial. She’s happy with how preparations have gone since then:

“I think my fitness level is good. I’ve done some good training in the last couple weeks after Extremadura with some nice time at home, also to relax a little bit. It was a busy end to the cyclo-cross season as I went directly into UAE Tour, training camp and then Omloop. So, it was a super busy start to the road season, but now it’s nice that I’ve had this time at home, just to recharge, so I’m feeling ready for these next races.”

After highlighting that each race presents its own unique challenges, Zoe adds:

“De Panne is definitely a day for Chiara; if we can be in that front echelon when it goes, looking at the wind, then I would like to be able to give my all for her to have a good result. That’s something that I think is coming – she’s riding well, she’s got good legs, so it’s just about putting all the pieces together and giving her the best lead-out possible. That’s also a goal of mine, even if it’s a goal for someone else. Then, Gent [In Flanders Fields] is going to be interesting. A completely different course and a lot shorter in distance, but the same amount of climbing as the previous year. Who knows what’s going to happen in these next few races.”

Live coverage for most events can be found on TNT Sports, Eurosport, Discovery+, FloBikes, Sporza/ VRT, SBS Sport (In Flanders Fields only) and other regional broadcasters. Updates will also be available on X via #RondevanBrugge, #IFF26 and #DDV26, as well as through CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto social channels.

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