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This weekend is the traditional opening of the Belgian cycling season, with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race on Saturday and the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne race on Sunday.
The 2012 edition of the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is shaping up as a real classic with big World Tour names such as Mark Cavendish and Tom Boonen taking part.
This UCI Europe Tour race was won by Australian Chris Sutton in 2011, and all Australian cycling fans will hope that Australia maintains this title.
The name of the race is misleading, as the race doesn’t actually reach Brussels. The race starts in Kuurne in the west of Belgium, and then heads out towards Brussels, but 25km from Brussels the race turns around to head back to Kuurne.
Eight hills are climbed over the 198km race, the last severn of which come in quick succession. The race finishes with a couple of 16km laps around Kuurne, followed by the inevitable sprint finish, with the sprinters who survived the hills then fighting it out for glory.
Here are some of the big contenders:
Chris Sutton: The Aussie Sky rider will be out to defend his title, even though the field in 2012 is of a higher calibre than 2011.
He is yet to post a major result in 2012, but is supported by a very strong team, with the likes of Juan Antonio Flecha and fellow Aussie Matthew Hayman to support him if he gets chosen as team leader ahead of Mark Cavendish.
Mark Cavendish: The World Champion is likely to be chosen as team leader ahead of Sutton. The ‘Manx Missile’, as he is known, is arguably the best sprinter in the world with 20 Tour De France stage wins under his belt in just four years. He has had a strong start to the season, collecting 2 stages at the Tour of Qatar.
Tyler Farrar: The American redhead is a favourite with second place at the Tour of Qatar his major achievement of 2012. He is an extremely strong sprinter, and is likely to take a podium spot.
Andre Greipel: The leader for new Belgian team Lotto-Belisol is off to a flyer in 2012. He is in superb form coming into the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, having won three stages in the Tour Down Under and two stages in the Tour of Oman. The in form rider at the moment, it looks like the German is a force to be reckoned with.
GreenEDGE: The new Australian team on the world tour is in for some big results, with the team fielding a strong squad for the Belgian race.
Belgian Jens Keukeleire looks like the team leader, with the exciting young sprinter likely to be lead out by Lithuanians Tomas Vaitkus and Aidis Kruopis as well as Australian Mitchell Docker in the final sprint.
Other Australian prospects: Apart from Chris Sutton and the GreenEDGE crew, Australia has a two other riders competing in the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Cavendish’s former lead out ace Mark Renshaw is leading the Rabobank team, and Sky domestique Matthew Hayman could surprise with his sprinting talents.
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