Team Picnic PostNL

With lots of climbing on the menu throughout the week we should see some exciting battles between the mountain goats when the road goes upwards, while the opportunists hunt out their moments.

A flat route from Brugge towards the Belgian coastline in De Panne that typically lends itself to a sprint finale but as we have seen in recent years, the wind can cause havoc and reduced groups battle it out.

A race we have great memories of from back in 2023 where we tore things to shred in the crosswinds, the outcome of the race this year will depend on the attitude of the peloton and the weather.

Famously named after an old collection of European motorways that connected Lisbon to Stockholm, and which ran close to the start and finish town of Harelbeke, expect this “mini-Flanders” to be exciting.

Backloaded with climbs and cobbles; the direction of the wind on the journey back to Weveglem often decides how big of a group approaches the finish and the type of rider that will compete in the final.