The barometer for the Tour of Flanders: in which code do the favorites start? † Tour of Flanders

The names in this barometer are based on previous reports about participation in the Tour of Flanders. A preliminary/official list of participants will not be released by the organization until later this week. We list the teams alphabetically.

Wednesday does Mathieu van der Poel his happy entry into Dwars door Vlaanderen. The dabbling about cobblestones becomes a new test for his back, although the chronic ailment seems to have been forgotten for a while.

The 3rd place in Milan-Sanremo was already a great boost, during the tough cycling week in Italy Van der Poel was able to race as he likes to do: attack, wear himself and the others and win for dessert.

“It was the perfect preparation for what follows,” he encouraged himself.

Gianni Vermeersch will be his right hand, Gent-Wevelgem learned. Unless he dives into the moat again. Of Jasper Philipsen can be played if the price remains locked for a long time.

Greg Van Avermaet will have to race on Sunday as he did between Ypres and Wevelgem: aggressive and with his best reading glasses. At 36, he has to use all his métier and then a podium place like last year is not excluded.

As in 2021, however, the spring block in French salaried employment cannot convince. After his illness, Oliver Naesen aim for the pre-final to do his leader a favor.

Vincenzo Nibali has already put away his plans to drive almost all monuments this year and Aleksej Lutsenko is also not available. The Kazakh broke his collarbone on stage last weekend. The medical record of Gianni Moscon still contains too many question marks to claim a role.

After his monumental spring festival in Sanremo ended Matej Mohoric Friday (4th) and Sunday (9th) in the top 10. The Slovenian comes into its own even better in longer and grueling races. That should give confidence towards Sunday’s high mass.

The absence of Sonny Colbrelli is of course a loss, but Dylan Teuns join. With a 12th place in a difficult Tour of Catalonia, he will not grumble too much about his form.

The round core is harvesting thanks to Sergio Higuita, but the truss for the classics is not yet ripe for picking. Nothing suggests that Nils Politt’s legs will shine as brightly as his snow-white teeth.

Unless Bryan Coquard is added to the squad, the Red Shirts will have to raise their hands en masse for an early flight spot.

Expectations were high for the season, but it’s not all rosy for the Americans.

Michael Valgren clings on, but lacks a touch of magic. A top rating of Alberto Bettiol would be an even bigger surprise than his stunt in 2019.

The report after last week is mostly positive. Even more, captain Stefan Kung finished 3rd in Harelbeke and can rely on a strong collective.

Especially because Valentin Madouas Friday (7th) excelled in a field where you would not immediately expect that from him. It is a block in which you can search for a joker.

The return of Thomas Pidcock on Flemish roads was not a bull’s eye. The stomach and liver problems drag on – not for the first time in his career – and blood tests were also inconclusive. Pidcock struggles to digest carbs and that’s a big constraint for Sunday’s festivities.

Dylan van Baarle is gradually getting on his best legs and almost always cycles silently between them. The fall of Jonathan Narvaez on the Kemmelberg looked painful. His absence could be a major setback.

Maybe Ethan Hayter will receive an invite after all?

After the moment of Sunday’s glory, the team does not forge the iron when it is hot: Biniam Girmay has boarded a plane to his homeland.

His teammates will of course be cycling on a cloud and can also rely on the numerical presence in the final of Gent-Wevelgem. Already seems Alexander Kristoff really don’t have the legs of 2015 anymore.

Sep Vanmarcke considered himself a “participant” upon his return and by no means a favorite. That self-knowledge is justified by his triple sick leave. Vanmarcke has a box of candles lit for April 17, the day of Paris-Roubaix.

Victor Campenaerts has been shouting from the rooftops for weeks that Dwars door Vlaanderen must become its high point.

His most important spring date will follow on Wednesday, but then he must finally be free from falls and material problems.

Philippe Gilbert and Arnaud De Lie follow different paths, Florian Vermeersch is gradually coming under steam.

Tim Wellens pops up again on Wednesday in Dwars door Vlaanderen. An addition of the Tour of Flanders to his program is not excluded.

The team is heading offensively, but still encounters its limitations on Flemish soil. Unless Ivan Garcia Cortina brings the flandrine content in itself to life?

‘s legs Kasper Asgreen to run as it should, but the Dane also has to learn to deal with “the new normal”: in the finals he was almost invariably isolated until now.

The jersey number 1 will give him a boost anyway, but Asgreen prays that the speedy return of Yves Lampaert in Wevelgem – he considered his place in the thinned peloton to be “a miracle” – gets an extension and that Florian Senechal has gradually come under all the plagues of Egypt.

A coughing Davide Ballerini and an anonymous Zdenek Stybar only seem to be nominated in the “best supporting actor” category.

Met Michael Matthews In your top 10, you usually aren’t doing anything wrong. But could it be just that little bit more this year?

He won the opening stage in Catalonia, cheered a day later as the lead-out of team mate Kaden Groves and disappeared sick from the stage race the next day. The last straight line is therefore not worry-free.

Unless they change course, Søren Kragh Andersen will skip Flanders and Roubaix for the climbing classics. However, the only WorldTour team without a win could really use the Danish sniper. John Degenkolb has long ceased to be a safe investment.

“Not tiptop and a bit tired”, let Wout van Aert note in Wevelgem. Is it allowed just after his demonstration in Harelbeke?

The Belgian champion has to listen to his body this week and does not participate in Dwars door Vlaanderen. He remains the top favorite for next Sunday.

His team confirmed last week that the shortcomings of recent years have been radically wiped out: who will be 2nd in Harelbeke and Wevelgem – Christopher Laporte so -, is more than a shade favorite. Also the return of Tiesj Benoot was more than satisfactory.

More than ever, all eyes will be on the yellow bees: are the shoulders strong enough to carry the Monument from Antwerp to Oudenaarde?

Jasper Stuyven could say he “crawl under a rock” after his 4th place Sunday. Another 4th: with the World Cup in Leuven still fresh in mind, it is gradually becoming a trauma for Stuyven.

His sprint was not successful, but that is no shame after his stomach flu towards Sanremo. Some good training and some rest moments can give him that little bit of punch that is still missing.

“Shit happens”, zei Mads Pedersen then again after E3, in which he disappointed yet again.

A hungry Pedersen was one of the strongest riders in Gent-Wevelgem two days later, but his 2nd place of 2018 in Oudenaarde is gradually crying out for confirmation in the heavy cobblestone work.

If only his legs roared as loudly as Peter Sagan nowadays in newspaper interviews.

Hedonist Sagan may be blowing a new wind at TotalEnergies, but he is not in the first fan himself and drops out for the Ronde.

team mate Dries Van Gestel has the wind in his sails and after his 3rd place in Wevelgem can dream of a top 10 listing.

2nd place from Anthony Turgis on the Via Roma did not immediately receive a follow-up, but the Frenchman (8th in 2021, 4th in 2020) certainly deserves a star.

Wherever you go this week on Flemish roads, you will get there Tadej Pogacar against.

On Wednesday he greets the cobblestones in Dwars door Vlaanderen, on Sunday he will be present again in the Tour of Flanders after a first acquaintance with the youth.

Pogacar should be able to score high with his class and talent, but the Slovenian will not be as strongly surrounded as in the mountains.

that guide Matteo Trentin still suffers from a concussion after a fall in Paris-Nice, is a draw through the bill.

Or are they still conjuring Marc Hirschi out of their hat?