This year’s Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) has been one of the most anticipated races of the season so far, with a resurgent Tom Boonen and a mind-bogglingly strong Fabian Cancellara set to renew their rivalry for the title of Greatest Classics Rider in the World Ever™. But the Ronde is so much more than any individual rider. To many, it’s the greatest race in the calendar and the very beating heart at the centre of Belgian cycling. So what’s it all about?

What kind of race is it?

The Ronde van Vlaanderen is one of the five Monuments in the Classics calendar and is considered by many to be the hardest one-day race of the year. Continue reading →