tour of flanders predictions

Advantage Mathieu van der Poel and Lotte Kopecky at the Tour of Flanders

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Fans of the Tour of Flanders will be denied another showdown between Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease A Bike) this year, after the Belgian sustained multiple fractures in a heavy crash during Dwars door Vlaanderen.

It leaves Van der Poel as the clear favourite, with on-song Dane Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) stepping into the breach as the rider most likely to challenge the imperious Dutchman.

With reigning champion Tadej Pogačar from this year's startlist, the two men will feel more confident. But a Classics win is always reliant on a certain amount of luck, and Van der Poel and Pedersen certainly won't have it all their own way.

Meanwhile the women's race is also something of a clash of the titans, with two-time winner and defending champion Lotte Kopecky and her SD Worx-Protime team-mate forming a potent pairing who will nevertheless have to contend with the likes of Dwars door Vlaanderen winner Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease A Bike) and British hopeful Pfeiffer Georgi (dsm-firmenich PostNL) among others.

This year sees Antwerp take over from Bruges as the alternating host city of the race. The route remains broadly similar to previous years, with greater use of wider roads early on to help prevent crashes being the only change.

For the men, the first berg of 17 will be the Oude Kwaremont, tackled after 137km of racing, while the Wolvenberg at the 72km point is the first of 12 such tests in the women’s race. The Wolvenberg is where both men's and women's races converge, after which the climbs come thick and fast.

It's the final one-two punch of Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg that often proves the most decisive. Controversial when first devised in 2012, particularly as it meant the omission of the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen, this finale has since won fans over with its own unique character, which is also influenced by the double punch of the long, gradual Kwaremont and the short yet ultra-steep Paterberg.

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Tour of Flanders 2024 Key Info

Date: March 31 2024 Location: Antwerp 2023 winners: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates, men); Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx, women) TV: Discovery+ / Eurosport Distance: 270km (men); 163km (women)

Tour of Flanders 2024 route

This year's men's race continues the annual trading game between Bruges and Antwerp, with the latter hosting the start on Sunday. Riders will find bigger roads than before waiting for them as they begin the long haul south-west towards berg country.

The fun begins with the first of three passes of the Oude Kwaremont, and the climbs come thick and fast after that as the race follows a spaghetti-like parcours around the hills of Flanders just south-east of the finish town of Oudenaarde. On the way they take in famous climbs including the Wolvenberg, Molenberg, Berendries and the Koppenberg on the way to a total 17 climbs, finishing with the one-two of the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg with 13 flat kilometres to the line.

The women begin in Oudenaarde, where both races finish. They first head north-east away from the city to complete a circuit of the flatter terrain around Zottegem, looping back towards Oudenaarde to begin the day's climbing at 72km with the Wolvenberg. A similarly serpentine route to that of the men sees them tackle a total 12 classified climbs, including the Molenberg, Berendries and the Koppenberg, along with that final Kwaremont/Paterberg one-two at the end.

Tour of Flanders 2024: Riders to watch

Mathieu van der Poel Alpecin-Deceuninck ***** The Dutch rider looks imperious this season – always at or near the head of affairs in every race he has ridden and with a win at the E3 Saxo Classic and second at Gent-Wevelgem under his belt already. He's had a mercurial last couple of seasons, but covered himself in glory in the Classics last year and seems to be set to repeat the feat this time around. The fact that Wout van Aert has now been ruled out – albeit in very unfortunate circumstances that VDP would not have wished for – won't exactly hurt his chances either.

Tiesj Benoot Visma-Lease A Bike *** With Benoot's team-mate and compatriot Wout van Aert recovering from a nasty crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen and other team-mates like Dylan Van Baarle having been ill, this could be Benoot's opportunity to step up from nearly man to winner at Flanders. He has been fifth here before – back in 2015 – and won Strade Bianche in 2018 . With a following wind and a bit of luck a podium, or even a win, here is not beyond him.

Mads Pedersen Lidl-Trek **** The Dane was third here last year and eighth the year before that. Considering that he seems to be in the form of his life – and the absence of one of his main Classics rivals, Wout van Aert – what's to say that Pedersen cannot finally achieve victory in what is one of the most revered one-day races of the season. Pedersen proves himself to be ever-more versatile, with overall wins in the Etoile de Bessèges and Tour de la Provence stage races, plus the more recent Gent-Wevelgem already this season.

Lotte Kopecky SD Worx-Protime ***** Of all the cards the Belgian team could play, right now Kopecky looks like the most likely to bring them success. She has been a playmaker in pretty much every race she has entered this season and already has four wins under her belt, including Strade Bianche . Riding alongside her, and even for her, will be at least four other potential victors – Demi Vollering, Marlen Reusser and Lorena Wiebes – ready to take over if Kopecky falters.

Elisa Longo Borghini Lidl-Trek **** The Italian has amassed a huge palmarès across Classics and stage races alike, despite spending most of her career riding in the company (under the shadow?) of greats like Annemiek van Vleuten and Anna van der Breggen. She has Lotte Kopecky to deal with these days, but that hasn't stopped the 32-year-old from putting in a solid shift so far this season already, with podiums at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Strade Bianche, and a win at Trofeo Oro in Euro.

Kasia Niewiadoma Canyon-SRAM **** The reigning gravel world champion was left heartbroken after missing out on a podium spot at Strade Bianche earlier this month. That was her most recent result, and one she may be eager to atone for at the Tour of Flanders this weekend. She was fifth here last year – the latest in a litany of top-10s stretching back 10 years. The Polish rider looks to be on form, with five top-seven finishes out of six race days this season, though there is of course the small matter of the SD Worx team standing between her and a win at Flanders.

Tour of Flanders 2024 men's start list

Alpecin-Deceuninck VAN DER POEL Mathieu PHILIPSEN Jasper BALLERSTEDT Maurice GROVES Kaden KRAGH ANDERSEN Søren DILLIER Silvan VERMEERSCH Gianni

Intermarché-Wanty GIRMAY Biniam DE POOTER Dries PAGE Hugo PETIT Adrien REX Laurenz TEUNISSEN Mike ZIMMERMANN Georg

Soudal Quick-Step ALAPHILIPPE Julian ASGREEN Kasper LAMPAERT Yves MOSCON Gianni PEDERSEN Casper VANGHELUWE Warre WARLOP Jordi

Team Visma-Lease a Bike AFFINI Edoardo BENOOT Tiesj JORGENSON Matteo VAN DIJKE Mick VAN DIJKE Tim TRATNIK Jan VAN BAARLE Dylan

Arkéa-B&B Hotels SÉNÉCHAL Florian GRONDIN Donavan ALBANESE Vincenzo MCLAY Daniel MOZZATO Luca SCOTSON Miles

Astana Qazaqstan Team BOL Cees BRUSSENSKIY Gleb FEDOROV Yevgeniy GAZZOLI Michele GIDICH Yevgeniy GRUZDEV Dmitriy SYRITSA Gleb

Bahrain-Victorious MOHORIČ Matej GOVEKAR Matevž GRADEK Kamil MIHOLJEVIĆ Fran PASQUALON Andrea WRIGHT Fred BURATTI Nicolò

BORA-Hansgrohe KOCH Jonas MEEUS Jordi HALLER Marco HERZOG Emil LÜHRS Luis-Joe DENZ Nico MULLEN Ryan VAN POPPEL Danny

Cofidis ALLEGAERT Piet DE GENDT Aimé DEBEAUMARCHÉ Nicolas MAHOUDO Nolann NOPPE Christophe RENARD Alexis ZINGLE Axel

Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale GAUTHERAT Pierre BOASSON HAGEN Edvald NAESEN Oliver DE BONDT Dries DE PESTEL Sander POLLEFLIET Gianluca TOUZÉ Damien TRONCHON Bastien

EF Education-EasyPost BETTIOL Alberto BISSEGGER Stefan DOULL Owain HONORÉ Mikkel Frølich POWLESS Neilson RUTSCH Jonas VALGREN Michael

Groupama-FDJ KÜNG Stefan ASKEY Lewis BYSTRØM Sven Erik LE GAC Olivier MADOUAS Valentin RUSSO Clément WATSON Samuel

INEOS Grenadiers TARLING Joshua NARVÁEZ Jhonatan ROWE Luke SHEFFIELD Magnus SWIFT Ben SWIFT Connor TURNER Ben

Lidl-Trek HOOLE Daan PEDERSEN Mads DECLERCQ Tim KIRSCH Alex MILAN Jonathan SKUJIŅŠ Toms STUYVEN Jasper THEUNS Edward

Movistar LAZKANO Oier CANAL Carlos CAVAGNA Rémi GARCÍA CORTINA Iván JACOBS Johan MILESI Lorenzo ROMEO Iván

Team dsm-firmenich PostNL DEGENKOLB John BEVIN Patrick BITTNER Pavel EDDY Patrick EEKHOFF Nils FLYNN Sean MÄRKL Niklas

Team Jayco AlUla MATTHEWS Michael DURBRIDGE Luke JANSEN Amund Grøndahl MEZGEC Luka O'BRIEN Kelland REINDERS Elmar WALSCHEID Max

UAE Team Emirates WELLENS Tim OLIVEIRA Ivo BJERG Mikkel COVI Alessandro HIRSCHI Marc MORGADO António POLITT Nils

Israel-Premier Tech FUGLSANG Jakob BOIVIN Guillaume HOULE Hugo NEILANDS Krists STEWART Jake TEUNS Dylan VAN ASBROECK Tom

Lotto-Dstny BEULLENS Cedric CAMPENAERTS Victor DE BUYST Jasper EENKHOORN Pascal GRIGNARD Sébastien VAN MOER Brent BERCKMOES Jenno

Uno-X Mobility KRISTOFF Alexander ABRAHAMSEN Jonas HOELGAARD Markus BLUME LEVY William RESELL Erik Nordsæter TILLER Rasmus WÆRENSKJOLD Søren

Bingoal-WB DE MEESTER Luca DE TIER Floris DESAL Ceriel VAN BOVEN Luca VAN ROOY Kenneth VAN DER BEKEN Aaron VERMOOTE Jelle

Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team CHRISTEN Fabio DEVRIENDT Tom LUDVIGSSON Tobias STEIMLE Jannik ZUKOWSKY Nickolas

Team Flanders-Baloise CLAEYS Arno COLMAN Alex DE VYLDER Lindsay DE WILDE Gilles DEWEIRDT Siebe VAN HEMELEN Vincent VANHOOF Ward VANDENSTORME Dylan

Tudor Pro Cycling Team TRENTIN Matteo BOHLI Tom ERIKSSON Jacob KELEMEN Petr KRIEGER Alexander MAYRHOFER Marius PLUIMERS Rick

Tour of Flanders 2024 women's start list

Team SD Worx-Protime VOLLERING Demi KOPECKY Lotte BREDEWOLD Mischa REUSSER Marlen MAJERUS Christine WIEBES Lorena

AG Insurance-Soudal Team BOOGAARD Maaike BORGSTRÖM Julia GOOSSENS Marthe (LE COURT) PIENAAR Kimberley PLUIMERS Ilse RIJNBEEK Maud

Canyon//SRAM Racing NIEWIADOMA Katarzyna CROMWELL Tiffany CHABBEY Elise DYGERT Chloe PALADIN Soraya TOWERS Alice

CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling Team ARZUFFI Alice Maria BERTON Nina FIDANZA Arianna JASKULSKA Marta KERBAOL Cédrine LACH Marta

FDJ-SUEZ GUAZZINI Vittoria ADEGEEST Loes CURINIER Léa KRAAK Amber VERHULST-WILD Gladys WIEL Jade

Fenix-Deceuninck PIETERSE Puck CANT Sanne COUZENS Millie DE WILDE Julie KASTELIJN Yara KUIJPERS Evy SCHWEINBERGER Christina

Human Powered Health CORDON-RAGOT Audrey EDWARDS Ruth GROSSETÊTE Maëlle KASPER Romy WILLIAMS Lily RAGUSA Katia

Lidl-Trek LONGO BORGHINI Elisa BALSAMO Elisa BRAND Lucinda DEIGNAN Elizabeth HANSON Lauretta VAN ANROOIJ Shirin

Liv AlUla Jayco HOWE Georgie KOREVAAR Jeanne MANLY Alexandra PATE Amber PATERNOSTER Letizia SMULDERS Silke

Movistar SIERRA Arlenis BIANNIC Aude NORSGAARD Emma GUTIÉRREZ Sheyla MACKAIJ Floortje RUIZ PÉREZ Lucía

Roland CHRISTOFOROU Antri COLES-LYSTER Maggie COLLINELLI Sofia DRONOVA-BALABOLINA Tamara NGUYỄN Thị Thật PIRRONE Elena

Team dsm-firmenich PostNL GEORGI Pfeiffer BARALE Francesca KOCH Franziska NELSON Josie SMITH Abi CIABOCCO Eleonora

Team Visma-Lease a Bike VOS Marianne ACHTEREEKTE Carlijn NOOIJEN Lieke RIEDMANN Linda VAN EMPEL Fem VIGIE Margaux

Uno-X Mobility CONFALONIERI Maria Giulia ANDERSEN Susanne BARKER Elinor BERG EDSETH Marte BOILARD Simone KOSTER Anouska 

Cofidis ALZINI Martina BERTEAU Victoire FORTIN Valentine KERN Špela ROY Sarah VAN HAAFTEN Kirstie

Arkéa-B&B Hotels CLAES Lotte COLJÉ Maaike DRUMMOND Michaela FAHLIN Emilia MORICHON Anais SQUIBAN Maëva

Chevalmeire BEX Nathalie ERIKSEN Malin DOBBELAERE Jana KIEKENS Cleo NILSSON Hanna WATTS Emily

EF Education-Cannondale KESSLER Nina BORGHESI Letizia JACKSON Alison LABECKI Coryn RÜEGG Noemi FAULKNER Kristen

Lifeplus-Wahoo BURLOVÁ Kristýna FRANZ Heidi GONZÁLEZ Alicia HARRIS Ella RICHARDSON Kate RYSZ Kaja

Lotto Dstny Ladies DE JONG Thalita AINTILA Wilma DE KEERSMAEKER Audrey BASTIAENSSEN Fauve DOCX Mieke VAN DE GUCHTE Quinty

Proximus-Cyclis CT AERNOUTS Amber BOSKAMP Lente DE GROOT Marieke LÓPEZ Marga MEERTENS Lone VEERMAN Deborah

Team Coop-Repsol RÅNES BYE Camilla GRANGIER India GREENWOOD Monica HAUGSET Sigrid Ytterhus JØRGENSEN Tiril TACEY April

VolkerWessels DEMEY Valerie DIJKSTRA Anneke JANSEN Eline MEERT Marieke SOUREN Scarlett VANPACHTENBEKE Margot

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After cutting his teeth on local and national newspapers, James began at Cycling Weekly as a sub-editor in 2000 when the current office was literally all fields. 

Eventually becoming chief sub-editor, in 2016 he switched to the job of full-time writer, and covers news, racing and features.

A lifelong cyclist and cycling fan, James's racing days (and most of his fitness) are now behind him. But he still rides regularly, both on the road and on the gravelly stuff.

Train now so you won't be caught out later. Heat adaptation strategies for cycling in hot weather

By Greg Kaplan Published 12 June 24

Yep, Zwift Ride has been resurrected. It’s now an entry-level indoor smart bike that’s inexpensive to buy, simple to use and easy to live with. A disappointment for seasoned Zwifties perhaps, but a potential delight for newbies.

By Simon Fellows Published 12 June 24

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Tour of Flanders 2024

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As it happened: Mathieu van der Poel makes history with record-equalling Flanders win

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) took an astounding solo victory at the Tour of Flanders 2024 when he rode away from the field with 45km remaining to stretch out to a winning margin of 1:02.

Behind him, a two-man breakaway of Alberto Bettiol (EF Education–EasyPost) and Dylan Teuns (Israel-Premier Tech) was caught on the finish line by a chase group from which Luca Mozzato (Arkéa - B&B Hotels) sprinted to second place and Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) took third.

Matthews was later relegated for dangerous sprinting, allegedly deviating from his line to not allow Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) to pass him, meaning that fourth-place finisher Pollit moved onto the podium.

Van der Poel was in a league of his own when he attacked on the Koppenberg ascent, with only Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) able to keep any semblance of pace with the World Champion. However, with 40km remaining, Van der Pel moved to a margin of over 30 seconds and was squeezing seconds out of Jorgenson every kilometre.

By the ascent of the Kwaremont, Van der Poel had extended his margin over Jorgenson, Pedersen, and the growing chase group, leaving the remaining 37km an informal victory procession.

Get unlimited access to all of our coverage of the Spring Classics- including reporting, breaking news and analysis from Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and more.  Find out more .

Tour of Flanders route

In 2024, the 108th Tour of Flanders returns to Antwerp which hosts the Tour alternately with Bruges. This year, the 279.8km course underwent several changes for safety reasons , but the finale, featuring Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont, remains unchanged. The pairing is among 17 climbs on the route, which also includes seven cobbled stretches.

Data powered by FirstCycling

Tour of Flanders teams

• Alpecin-Deceuninck
• Arkea-B&B Hotels
• Astana Qazaqstan Team
• Bahrain Victorious
• Bora - hansgrohe
• Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team
• EF Education - EasyPost
• Groupama-FDJ
• INEOS Grenadiers
• Intermarché - Wanty
• Movistar Team
• Soudal Quick-Step
• Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL
• Team Jayco AlUla
• Team Visma - Lease a Bike
• UAE Team Emirates
• Israel - Premier Tech
• Lotto Dstny
• Uno-X Mobility
• Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
• Team Flanders - Baloise
• Tudor Pro Cycling Team

• Tour of Flanders 2024 route
• Tour of Flanders winners 1913-2023
• Tour of Flanders 2024 – Analysing the contenders

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Tour de Suisse

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Mathieu van der Poel will be the one to watch this Sunday in the 2024 Tour of Flanders. The race is sure to produce all sorts of story lines and unpredictability as one of the hardest classics on the cycling calendar.

2024 Men's Tour of Flanders (Ronde van Vlaanderen)

The Tour of Flanders or Ronde van Vlaanderen, as they say here in Belgium, covers some of the most difficult cobbled stretches and climbs throughout the Flemish countryside. It is legendary, one of cycling's five monuments, and as always, should produce edge of the seat action.

We are going to preview the course, the favorites, and why Wout van Aert is not racing, and yes, forecast the weather for Sunday.

Why Wout Van Aert Is Not Racing The 2024 Tour of Flanders

Wout van Aert of Team Visma-Lease a Bike fell in a massive incident with 67 kilometers remaining in the 2024 Dwars door Vlaanderen. He sat on the side of the road, and already you could tell that his chances of racing four days later in Flanders looked slim. The team confirmed later that he had broken his collarbone, and four ribs.

Due to his crash in Dwars, Van Aert will not only miss the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix – races he planned his season around – and the Amstel Gold Race, but is likely to miss the Giro d'Italia in May. We will probably see him race the Tour de France in July which was not originally on his schedule. The incident was a serious blow and setback for the Belgian.

The 2024 Tour of Flanders Course

The 108th Tour of Flanders course winds 270 kilometers (about 168 miles) through the Flemish countryside. Starting from the North in Antwerp, heading south to Oudenaarde, racing on cement motorways and cutting through farms that were once ravaged in World War I on small lanes.

The cobbled sectors like Paddestraat and Stationsberg will rip apart the group of nearly 200 cyclists and the climbs – like the Molenberg, Koppenberg, Kwaremont, Paterberg – will produce the 2024 victor. It's the final two circuits that cover the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg, with just around 12 kilometers to race, that are so crucial – just ask 2023 winner Tadej Pogacar.

The Tour of Flanders Favorites

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates) will not be back to defend his title in the 2024 Tour of Flanders. The Slovenian has other goals, like winning the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, so had to cut some things from his schedule. We just saw him beating up on the competition in the Volta a Catalunya, and he'll next race in Liège-Bastogne-Liège before the Giro d'Italia.

Wout van Aert re-tooled his entire winter and spring to be ready for the two big cobbled classics: Flanders and Roubaix. He's devastated, with broken bones and for sure spirit after everything he sacrificed to be ready.

Mathieu Van Der Poel Leads The Flanders Favorites

Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel is a two-time Flanders winner in 2020 and 2022 and the current world champion wearing the rainbow stripes. He was already the favorite and now stands heads and shoulders above the rest after Van Aert's Dwars crash. He debuted in Milano-Sanremo by helping Jasper Philipsen win, won E3 Saxo Classic over Van Aert, and placed second to Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) in Ghent-Wevelgem.

After seeing the crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen, Van der Poel will surely be happy he skipped the race ahead of Flanders. He will go in as captain, but can play heavily on Philipsen as the team's B-Plan.

Matteo Jorgenson Heads Mighty Visma Squad

Visma-Lease a Bike wanted to do the same with Van Aert and Matteo Jorgenson sitting shotgun. Jorgenson, however, has entered a new dimension after his win in Paris-Nice and of course, Dwars door Vlaanderen. Not only is he a back-up plan, but he's a leader. The American from Idaho will lead the super team into one of the biggest races on the calendar with support from Tiesj Benoot and Dylan Van Baarle.

Mads Pedersen and Lidl-Trek were definitely shaken with the Dwars door Vlaanderen crash. Pedersen could continue after falling, but his right-hand man Jasper Stuyven is out with a broken collarbone. Lidl-Trek will be tested as it tries to rebound, still with a strong team that includes Jonathan Milan, Toms Skujins, Ed Theuns, and Tim Declercq.

Other favorites for Sunday's race include Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) along with teammate Fred Wright. Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) if he is not feeling too much pain from the Dwars crash. UAE Team Emirates with Tim Wellens and Marc Hirschi. Stefan Küng and Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ). And Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost).

Maybe I'm leaving someone out, a surprise winner like Bettiol a few years ago. If you have other names we should watch on the day, let us know.

How To Watch The 2024 Tour of Flanders

FloBikes will show the Tour of Flanders live for all of our viewers in Canada, the United States, and Australia. Highlights, interviews, and on the ground coverage for everyone.

Weather Forecast For The Tour of Flanders

After a few sunny days, more nasty Belgian weather is predicted for the Tour of Flanders this Sunday. Rain clouds are rolling in, all day Saturday and carrying over through Sunday. Expect a wet start to the race as the riders depart from Antwerp. Cold, around 7°C or 44°F, and not improving much during the day with more rain and 14°C or 58°F in the afternoon in Oudenaarde.

It will make the going tough on some of the sectors and climbs, with already bad traction becoming worse. Maybe we'll see less echelons, though, with winds not as high as what we saw in Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday, but still windy from the east, 18kph or 11mph.

We will miss Wout van Aert, but with an American hope, the world champion at his peak, and many others, you won't want to miss the 2024 Tour of Flanders.

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Race Preview: This Sunday is the Tour of Flanders, De Ronde van Vlaanderen, Vlaanderens Mooiste (Flanders’ Most Beautiful), one of the five Monuments and, if you are Belgian or more precise, Flemish, it is the biggest race of the season. We have a look at the history, course and the possible winner.

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This is the holy Flemish cycling week (really two weeks) and the 107th edition of the Tour of Flanders is on Sunday, following the Three Days of De Panne (now the Classic Brugge – De Panne), E3 Saxo Classic, Gent–Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen. The ‘Flemish World Championships’ are always hard fought for, whoever crosses that finish line first in Oudenaarde will be a star for the rest of his life.

The History of De Ronde The first Tour of Flanders was on May 23, 1913. There were only 37 riders in that first event, which was run over 324 kilometres. After twelve hours, Paul Deman was the first to cross the line in Mariakerke. Karel Van Wijnendaele was the man behind the race, he was a journalist and was looking for something new to publicise his newspaper De Sportwereld, so organising the Tour of Flanders was perfect. The early editions were all on the exceptionally bad Flemish cobbles, which the organisers have tried to keep in the race as much as possible. In those early years, De Ronde was occasionally held on the same day as Milano-Sanremo.

Later the organisers wanted to make changes and moved towards the Flemish Ardennes for the climbs of the Kluisberg, Kwaremont and the Kruisberg. In 1950, after the dominance of Achiel Buysse, Briek Schotte and Fiorenzo Magni, the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen added to the course. In the 1970s, the Oude Kwaremont and the Koppenberg were also added. These two climbs are still important. During that time Buysse and Magni both won the race three times and are joint record holders.

Obviously, Belgians have won the Tour of Flanders the most times, sixty-nine. Eric Leman, Johan Museeuw and Tom Boonen, just like Buysse and Magni, have won three times. Fabian Cancellara joined the record holders list in 2014 after his wins in 2010 and 2013. The first Dutch victory came in 1953, when Wim van Est was the winner. He was joined by other men from the Netherlands: Jo de Roo, Evert Dolman, Cees Bal, Jan Raas (twice), Hennie Kuiper, Johan Lammerts, Adrie van der Poel, Niki Terpstra and Mathieu van der Poel (twice). The winners over the last ten years have all been top names: Mathieu van der Poel, Kasper Asgreen, Alberto Bettiol, Niki Terpstra, Philippe Gilbert, Peter Sagan, Alexander Kristoff and Fabian Cancellara.

In last year’s Tour of Flanders the race exploded on the Berendries. A counter-attack including Alberto Bettiol, Mads Pedersen and Ben Turner shook the race up. Then Tadej Pogačar came into action on the Berg Ten Houte, but it was on the Oude Kwaremont that Pogačar attacked for the first time. Kasper Asgreen was on his wheel, while Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock had to chase from further back. After the Oude Kwaremont, Dylan van Baarle escaped with Fred Wright, they were joined on the Koppenberg by Pogačar, Van der Poel and the Frenchman, Valentin Madouas. On the next climb of the Oude Kwaremont, Pogačar gave it another go. Van Baarle and Wright couldn’t hold on, Madouas followed not much later. On the Paterberg, Van der Poel had to grit his teeth to hold the Slovenian. The two raced on together to the finish in Oudenaarde, but Van der Poel and Pogačar started to play games in the last kilometre and Van Baarle and Madouas returned to the front from nowhere. Madouas and Van Baarle passed Pogačar in the sprint, behind second-time winner Van der Poel.

2022 Tour of Flanders Result: 1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Fenix 2. Dylan van Baarle (Ned) INEOS Grenadiers 3. Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ) 4. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates.

Parcours The start of the 2023 Tour of Flanders is in Brugge, not in Antwerp this year, for 273.4 kilometres, the longest Ronde for 25 years, from Brugge to Oudenaarde. The official start, after the neutralised zone is in Beernem. The peloton then goes via Aalter, Tielt and Meulebeke in the direction of Izegem. The race then goes to Harelbeke, Waregem, Deinze and Kruisem, where they will hit the first cobbles of the day, the Huisepontweg, after almost 110 kilometres of racing. Next up is the Korte Ast.

The peloton then starts the usual final of De Ronde. After 136 kilometres of racing comes the Oude Kwaremont for the first time. The race should be ‘full on’ from there, as the climbs follow each other one after the other. The Kortekeer, the Achterberg, the cobbles of the Holleweg, Wolvenberg, Karel Martelstraat and the Jagerij. Plus the climbs of the Molenberg, Marlboroughstraat, the Berendries and finally the Valkenberg all within 35 kilometres.

The top of the Valkenberg is less than 90 kilometres from the finish line. At that point, the riders will have covered almost 200 kilometres. After the Valkenberg it is a good time to attack, but it is also possible on the Berg Ten Houte or the Kanarieberg. After the Kanarieberg it is the second time for the Oude Kwaremont and then the Paterberg.

The first passage of the Paterberg should see more action as the Koppenberg is on the horizon. The Koppenberg is where the favourites will make their move. After Koppenberg, the Mariaborrestraat, Steenbeekdries and Taaienberg come next. Then the Kruisberg, followed 10 kilometres later by the last passage of the Oude Kwaremont.

The Oude Kwaremont for the final time is 16.7 kilometres from the line. The top men should have made the race by this point and will be trying to crack each other. The Paterberg comes as the final obstacle at 13.3 kilometres from the finish. That climb is less than 400 meters long and is perfect for an explosive rider. After the Paterberg the road is flat to Oudenaarde. The wind could make the last thirteen kilometres to the finish on the Minderbroedersstraat very hard for a solo rider.

Climbs: 1. Korte Ast (500m at 4,3%) 2. Oude Kwaremont (2,200 meter at 4%) 3. Kortekeer (1,000m at 6,2%) 4. Achterberg (1,500m at 4,4%) 5. Wolvenberg (645m at 7,9%) 6. Molenberg (463m at 7%) 7. Marlboroughstraat (2,000m at 3%) 8. Berendries (940m at 7%) 9. Valkenberg (540m at 8,1%) 10. Berg Ten Houte (1,100m at 6%) 11. Kanarieberg (1,000m at 7,7%) 12. Oude Kwaremont (2,200m at 4%) 13. Paterberg (360m at 12,9%) 14. Koppenberg (600m at 11,6%) 15. Steenbeekdries (700m at 5,3%) 16. Taaienberg (530m at 6,6%) 17. Kruisberg/Hotond (2,500m at 5%) 18. Oude Kwaremont (2,200m at 4%) 19. Paterberg (360m at 12,9%).

Cobbles: 1. Huisepontweg (600m) 2. Holleweg (1,500m) 3. Kerkgate (2,500m) 4. Jagerij (800m) 6. Mariaborrestraat (2,400m) 7. Stationsberg (600m).

Who Will Win? The three big favourites for the 2023 Tour of Flanders are without a doubt Mathieu van der Poel , Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogačar . Those three have already come to blows this season in Milano-Sanremo and E3 Saxo Classic. Van der Poel and Van Aert took the wins, but Pogačar animated both races. The battle should come from them, but surprises can happen. By any chance there is only two of them together in the final, they might watch each other and someone else could upset the predictions, but with three…. attacks will come.

Mathieu van der Poel could join the three-time Flanders winner’s club on Sunday, he has one of the best records: Fourth in 2019, first in 2020, second in 2021 and first in 2022. The race is made for the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider. He could attack and win solo, or sprint to victory from a small group. Van der Poel is now in top form after a shaky start, but then he won Milano-Sanremo with aplomb and then in the E3 Saxo Classic, he was strong on the climbs. Van der Poel has a good team, Søren Kragh Andersen should be his right-hand man. The Dane finished in the top 10 in both Sanremo and E3. Alpecin-Deceuninck also has Dries De Bondt , he set things up for his leader in the E3 Classic.

Van der Poel’s life long nemesis is Wout van Aert . The Belgian won the E3 Saxo Classic, beating Van der Poel and Pogačar, then he was second to Christophe Laporte after dragging his teammate away for the victory. Van Aert did struggle a little on the Oude Kwaremont in the E3 Saxo Classic, although he did fight back and win. He did say after the race that he didn’t have the punch to follow Pogačar’s attack, but hopes to have that extra bit in the Tour of Flanders. The Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg are climbed several times and are closer to the finish. If Van Aert is with Van der Poel and Pogačar at the finish, then he has to be a favourite as long as he sprints like he did in the E3 and not in the Cyclocross World Championships. Jumbo-Visma also has Dylan van Baarle , last year’s second place and the winner of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Gent-Wevelgem winner, Christophe Laporte , Tiesj Benoot and Nathan Van Hooydonck will be in a very strong team to back Van Aert.

Last year Tadej Pogačar was one of the strongest, if not ‘the’ strongest rider in Flanders. He had Van der Poel in trouble on the cobbled climbs, but in the end, he and Van der Poel let a group come back and he finished fourth. Pogačar fell into a trap set by Van der Poel for the sprint, he shouldn’t let that happen again. Pogačar will need to attack on the Oude Kwaremont. The climb suits him best, it’s longer so he can use his Grand Tour rider climbing talent. A solo from there to the finish wouldn’t be out of the question. Tim Wellens will be there for Pogačar, he has been a good lead-out for Pogačar this year in the Ruta del Sol and on the Poggio in Milano-Sanremo. Also Matteo Trentin can be useful in the last part of the race.

Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pogačar are the top three favourites for Sunday. But in the Tour of Flanders there could be a surprise. Matej Mohorič has not finish outside the top 8 in the last four spring races. In the E3 Saxo Classic he managed to hold the ‘big three’ the longest. Together with Fred Wright , who finished 7th last year, they could put up a fight.

Groupama-FDJ has been more noticeable in the Classics. Stefan Küng and Valentin Madouas are made for the spring races. Küng was 6th in the E3 Saxo Classic and 5th in last year’s Tour of Flanders. Madouas finished 3rd last year and has made Flanders his aim for 2023. It will be hard to follow the big three on the climbs, but if Küng and Madouas can handle the pace, they are very dangerous.

Tom Pidcock is a possible, but he had a bad crash in Tirreno-Adriatico and concussion stopped him racing last week, so his form is unsure. He was impressive in the Strade Bianche and if there’s anyone who can follow Van der Poel, Van Aert and Pogacar, it’s Pidcock. The INEOS Grenadiers also have Magnus Sheffield , Jhonatan Narváez and Ben Turner . Turner started the season well, but a crash took him out. He has returned to racing, but is probably not in top form. Sheffield and Narváez have shown occasional flashes, but Flanders is probably a bit tough.

The Soudal Quick-Step team riders received the wrath of Patrick Lefevere’s tongue after the E3 Saxo Classic. They were a bit more visible in Gent-Wevelgem, but no top 10 finish. There will have to be some improvement in Flanders. Julian Alaphilippe was with Van der Poel and Van Aert in 2020, but he hit a parked moto and hasn’t really been the same since. Alaphilippe has had a win in 2023 and in Milan-Sanremo he finished 11th. Last week he had a mild fever and stomach pain, but the two-time World Champion could surprise. Kasper Asgreen , Yves Lampaert and Florian Sénéchal will also be there for Soudal Quick-Step, but they are not of the same quality. Asgreen showed some good form last weekend. On some of the climbs he was with the strongest riders, but after that he disappeared.

Trek-Segafredo will be looking to Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven . Stuyven crashed in the E3 Saxo Classic, but has been at the front in the other Classics. Pedersen has been very active; 6th in Milano-Sanremo and 5th in Gent-Wevelgem, he also had a victory in Paris-Nice. In 2018, Pedersen finished 2nd in the Tour of Flanders, behind Niki Terpstra. If Pedersen is in a finishing group, his sprint could be a winner.

Matteo Jorgenson is an unknown in Flanders. The young rider won the Tour of Oman and in Paris-Nice he was able to climb with the top men. In the E3 Saxo Classic he was the best behind Van Aert, Van der Poel and Pogacar. But the American is still very inexperienced in the Classics, especially in Flanders. This will be his first Tour of Flanders and its 270 kilometres of climbs and cobbles maybe too much.

Dylan Teuns and Sep Vanmarcke are also possible outsiders. The Belgian riders of Israel-Premier Tech have the experience in the Classics and have had good results in the Tour of Flanders. Teuns was 6th last year and Vanmarcke has been 3rd twice. Vanmarcke was on the podium at Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday. Alexander Kristoff will be there for the Norwegian Uno-X team, he won the race in 2015.

Biniam Girmay hasn’t had the same form as last year. He has been riding well, including a stage win in Valencia, but he has not yet achieved any results in the Classics yet this year. The Eritrean’s best was 18th in Milano-Sanremo. In the Ronde he will have Mike Teunissen with him in the Intermarché-Circus-Wanty team. Benoît Cosnefroy is also an outsider. The Frenchman has never ridden the Ronde, but will have Greg Van Avermaet and Oliver Naesen at his side with AG2R Citroën.

BORA-hansgrohe has no real leader. Nils Politt rode well in the E3 Saxo Classic and Gent-Wevelgem, but no top 10. Bob Jungels could ride well in Flanders, but hasn’t had his best form this year. BORA also has Jordi Meeus , but he also isn’t expected to do much.

Michael Matthews is the leader of the Jayco AlUla team. In 2019 he was 6th and last year he finished 11th, but the Australian has never really been close to the win. He will be joined by Zdeněk Štybar which could be a help. Florian Vermeersch is Lotto Dstny’s man, but will we see him at the front?

Who does PEZ predict? It’s hard to see anyone except one of the ‘big three’ winning: Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert or Tadej Pogačar, but if we have to pick, then it’s MvdP.

Outside bets would be on: Matej Mohorič, Valentin Madouas, Mads Pedersen, Tom Pidcock, Christophe Laporte, Soren Kragh Andersen and Stefan Küng.

# At the time of publishing, the final start list of the Tour of Flanders is not yet available, so there will be changes to the above list of possible winner. ·

*** Stay PEZ for the ‘Race Report’ on Sunday and all the news in EUROTRASH Monday. ***

Alastair Hamilton has been a pro team mechanic on the road, track and mountain bike and worked for the Great Britain team at the World championships in all disciplines. Since moving to Spain and finding out how to use a computer, he has gone from contributor of Daily Distractions at the 2002 Vuelta a España to editor at PezCyclingNews.

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2024 Tour of Flanders Preview: Route, Favorites & History Highlights

The Tour of Flanders, the pinnacle of Flemish cycling, is set to take place with a strong lineup and a challenging course filled with iconic climbs and cobbled sections.

The Tour of Flanders, known as "Flanders' Most Beautiful," holds a rich history and is a prestigious event in the cycling world, showcasing the best of Belgian racing.

• 69 - Number of times Belgians have won the Tour of Flanders, with Eric Leman, Johan Museeuw, and Tom Boonen all securing the victory three times.
• 1.100 - Length in meters of the Kapelleberg, one of the challenging climbs in the race route.
• Mathieu van der Poel is a top favorite after impressive performances in previous editions.
• Wout van Aert's absence due to injuries shakes up the predictions for the race.
• Mads Pedersen, Tim Wellens, and Matteo Jorgenson emerge as strong contenders to watch out for.
• The race will cover 270.8 kilometers, starting in Antwerp and featuring famous climbs like the Oude Kwaremont and the Koppenberg.

The Tour of Flanders promises an exciting showdown between top favorites, potentially setting the stage for a thrilling and unpredictable race outcome.

With a mix of seasoned champions and rising talents, the Tour of Flanders 2024 is poised to deliver another epic display of cycling prowess amidst the backdrop of Flandrian history and challenging terrain.

Read more at PezCycling News

The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI

PezCycling News • Alastair Hamilton

FLANDERS'24 Preview: Who Will Be Victor in Vlaanderen? - PezCycling News

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2023 Tour of Flanders Odds and Predictions

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On Sunday, April 2, the 107 th edition of the Tour of Flanders, also known as Ronde van Vlaanderen in Dutch, will get under way in Brugge, Flanders. Some of the sport’s top stars will take the starting line in what should be an epic showdown on the hills and cobblestones of Belgium.

Matthew van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogacar are all aiming to win the Tour of Flanders, and the best cycling betting sites have them as the three odds on favorites to pick up the victory.

With the amount of firepower in the peloton, this one-day race is shaping up to be an instant classic. Let’s take a look at the latest Tour of Flanders odds and make our predictions on who will win Belgium’s biggest race.

Tour of Flanders Betting Odds

The following 2023 Tour of Flanders odds are courtesy of Bovada

Casino Review

Tour of Flanders Betting Favorites

The following cyclists are listed as the betting favorites at the best Tour of Flanders betting sites:

Mathieu van der Poel +250

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) comes into the Tour of Flanders as the slight betting favorite over his longtime rival Wout van Aert. And, after the way van der Poel has raced over the last month, it’s easy to see why online betting sites are picking the Dutch rider to win.

MVDP has rounded into form with a dominating win at Milano-Sanremo and a second-place finish at the E3 Saxo Classic. Both of these races took place within the last few weeks.

Not only is van der Poel on form for the 2023 season, but he’s also been stellar at Flanders in his career. For MVDP, this will be his 5 th appearance in the Tour of Flanders. Van der Poel has finished 4 th or better in all four appearances including a runner-up and two victories.

Van der Poel won in 2020 and last year. He’s looking to pull off the Flanders hat trick with a victory this weekend.

Clash of the Titans. ⚔️ #RVV23 pic.twitter.com/jnCoBNioeR — Ronde van Vlaanderen (@RondeVlaanderen) March 29, 2023

Wout van Aert +300

Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) has finished in the Top 3 over his last three races. He was third in Milano-Sanremo, 1 st in E3 Saxo Classic and 2 nd at Gent-Wevelgem.

WVA will have a lot of confidence heading into this race especially because he beat van der Poel and Pogacar at the E3 on March 24. Additionally, van Aert dominated at Gent-Wevelgem on March 26 but allowed his teammate Laporte to win.

Also motivating van Aert is the fact that he’s never won the Tour of Flanders. His best finish came in 2020 where he was runner-up to van der Poel. Wout didn’t compete in this race last year.

One area where WVA has an advantage over his rivals is the strength of Team Jumbo-Visma. Christophe Laporte and Tiesj Benoot will both be there to help van Aert compete for the victory.

Tadej Pogacar +350

Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) also has extra motivation to defat van der Poel and van Aert. Tadej was outclassed by MVDP last year in Flanders as Pogacar finished 4 th . Additionally, he’s finished behind both men at Milano-Sanremo and E3 Saxo Classic.

Pogacar always appears to be in good form and that was made evident when he dominated at Paris-Nice earlier this month. Tadej won three of the eight stages and easily rode off with the yellow jersey.

Pogacar is the best climber of the favorites, but will he have enough firepower in his legs to beat out van Aert and van der Poel in a sprint?

Tadej Pogačar missed out on the podium at the 2022 Tour of Flanders after this incredible finish 🏁 Can he go at least one better and take a podium on Sunday…or maybe even win? 🏆 Tune into GCN+ this weekend to watch #RVV23 live (some territory restrictions apply) 📺 pic.twitter.com/IJ2a4wlyGC — GCN Racing (@GcnRacing) March 28, 2023

The Best Tour of Flanders Betting Value

The following cyclists provide betting value based on their current Tour of Flanders odds, past performances in this race and current success this season:

Christophe Laporte +1600

Christophe Laporte (Team Jumbo-Visma) enters this weekend’s Belgium classic as Wout van Aert’s top lieutenant. He also enters having won his last two races.

As mentioned above, Laporte scored the victory at Gent-Wevelgem. However, he also pulled off another victory on March 29, when he outworked the field to win the 77 th Dwars door Vlaanderen.

Laporte is in good form and should be with the contenders near the end of the race. If anything happens to Wout, Laporte will become the leader and go for the win.

Tom Pidcock +2200

Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers) offers the best betting value out of all the riders lining up to compete in Flanders this weekend. He has the speed, power, and bike handling skills to compete with the overall favorites.

Furthermore, he’s already picked up a win this year (Strade Bianche) and could’ve contended for a second victory in Milan-Sanremo if it wasn’t for sustaining a concussion in the Tirreno-Adriatico.

Fortunately, Pidcock was able to recover from the injury and compete in the Dwars door Vlaanderen a few days ago. The British cyclist shows no signs of his concussion and will be a contender to win this weekend’s classic.

🇧🇪 #RVV23 We can’t wait for Sunday!💥 This is our team for the Ronde van Vlaanderen. pic.twitter.com/KB1UZb6dlW — Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) March 30, 2023

The Best Tour of Flanders Longshot

Tiesj Benoot (+3300) is our longshot pick for the 107 th Tour of Flanders. Yes, he’s a third member of Team Jumbo-Visma getting attention in this betting preview, but he’s worth it. And, it also reinforces how strong Jumbo is this weekend.

Benoot won the Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in late-February and was a force to be reckoned with at the E3 Saxo Classic before a bike mechanical problem took him out of the race.

I expect Tiesj to be with Laporte and van Aert until the end. Furthermore, there are some pundits who feel that Benoot is the second-best Jumbo-Visma rider in this race and not Laporte. Either way, the 29-year-old Belgian rider will be a factor in this race one way or another.

Who Will Win the 2023 Tour of Flanders?

As a cycling fan, and avid sports bettor, I’m very excited for this Sunday’s race. When you have the firepower of Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogacar all competing for the victory, you know that you are in for something special.

And, it’s going to take something special for one of these riders to separate themselves from the others. With that said, Wout van Aert has that something special – his teammates.

Van Aert and van der Poel can exchange wins on a weekly basis. But what separates Wout from van der Poel in this weekend’s race, is that van Aert has Laporte and Benoot alongside him.

Although van der Poel has proven in the past not to need any teammates to win a race like Flanders, he’s going to be under a lot of pressure this weekend with Team Jumbo-Visma doing everything they can to make him crack. The same goes for Pogacar.

You really can’t go wrong taking any of the three favorites since they’re all capable of winning Flanders on Sunday. But, being Belgium’s biggest cycling star, it’s time for van Aert to win Belgium’s biggest race.

The Best 2023 Tour of Flanders Betting Site

Bovada is our choice as the best Tour of Flanders betting site for this year’s edition. This online betting site offers competitive odds, great bonuses, a plethora of banking options , and a variety of promotions that will certainly make signing up worth your time.

Bovada’s interface is easy to use including on mobile devices. Their great customer services is the icing on the cake. This online sportsbook has truly become one of the best in the industry not only for sports betting in general, but also for all of your cycling betting needs.

Stats Retrived from: ProCyclingStats.com .

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Profile & Route Tour of Flanders 2024

The Tour of Flanders , renowned as the second monument of the season and the pinnacle of all Flandrien classics, stands as one of the most important and thrilling days in the cycling calendar. This prestigious race sees the biggest classics specialists battling it out on the steep cobbled climbs in pursuit of a prestigious victory. Let's delve into its profile.

270 kilometers on the menu this year. The distance will make for a brutal race, the Tour of Flanders has always been a race for the riders who are capable of performing on a bike at top level for a large number of hours and this year that capacity will be put to the limit. The start at Antwerpen will then see just a bit over 130 kilometers that are mostly set to be calm, approximately half of the race. However in the second half everything changes, as the Oude Kwaremont will open things up.

PREVIEW | Tour of Flanders 2024 - Mathieu van der Poel overwhelming favourite following van Aert and Pedersen's suffer injuries

From 1375to 84 kilometers to go there will be a long succession of bergs and cobbled sectors that will thin down the peloton. Big attacks will no happen here, as the main favourites need to save their bullets wisely, however set-up attacks, split attempts and a lot of fatigue buildup may happen here.

The crucial section of the race starts with the second passage over the Oude Kwaremont. Kwaremont, Koppenberg and Paterberg come in quick succession and this trio of ascents will not only destroy the peloton, it will also provide opportunities to launch potentially decisive attacks. They come with 54.5, 51 and 44.5 kilometers to go. Not many riders will survive the peloton afterwards, and with a thinned down group decisive attacks can also come after as the chasing power will not be so meaningful.

Final startlist Tour of Flanders with Mathieu van der Poel, Mads Pedersen, Michael Matthews, Matteo Jorgenson, and Tim Wellens

Steenbeekdries (39Km to go), Taaienberg (37Km to go) and Oude Kruisberg (28Km to go) follow afterwards and provide further launching pads for dangerous attacks. After a small descent the race will enter it’s final sectors.

For the third and last time, the Oude Kwaremont. A grueling berg with inconsistent gradients, it summits with 16.5Km to go.

2024 Tour of Flanders Prize Money Distribution - €50.000 in total

And after a short section, the final berg of the race is always one that may see the differences, the Paterberg. Short but sharp, essentially a one-minute all-out effort after around 6:30h of hard racing where slipstreaming is not a thing. A climb most will know like the back of their hand, it will summit with 13 kilometers to go.

As every year, the run-up to Oudenaarde then is quite excruciating. Pan-flat after the small descent from the Paterberg, it is a place where attacks can still happen, but whatever happens depends on what will happen over the ascents.

TV Guide - Where and when to watch Tour of Flanders 2024

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Sat 15 Jun 2024

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Tour of Flanders 2024 - women: Riders

Arkeá – B&B Hotels Michaela Drummond, Emilia Fahlin, Lotte Claes, Maaike Coljé, Maëva Squiban, Anais Morichon

AG Insurance – Soudal Justine Ghekiere, Julie Van de Velde, Anya Louw, Kimberley Pienaar, Ilse Pluimers, Maud Rijnbeek

Canyon SRAM Racing Katarzyna Niewiadoma, Chloe Dygert, Elise Chabbey, Soraya Paladin, Alice Towers, Tiffany Cromwell

Cerawitz – WNT Alice Maria Arzuffi, Arianna Fidanza, Nina Berton, Marta Lach, Marta Jaskulska, Cédrine Kerboal

Chevalmeire Tara Gins, Malin Eriksen, Hanna Nilsson, Emily Watts, Cleo Kiekens, Antonia Gröndahl

Cofidis Victoire Berteau, Kirstie van Haaften, Spela Kern, Sarah Roy, Martina Alzini, Josie Talbot

Coop Repsol Camilla Rånes Bye, India Grangier, Monica Greenwood, Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset, Mari Hole Mohr, Aidi Gerde Tuisk

EF Education – Cannondale Kristen Faulkner, Letizia Borghesi, Noemi Rüegg, Coryn Labecki, Nina Kessler, Alison Jackson

Fenix – Deceuninck Puck Pieterse, Sanne Cant, Millie Couzens, Julie De Wilde, Yara Kastelijn, Christina Schweinberger

FDJ – SUEZ Gladys Verhulst-Wild, Jade Wiel, Vittoria Guazzini, Loes Adegeest, Léa Curinier, Amber Kraak

Human Powered Health Audrey Cordon-Ragot, Romy Kasper, Lily Williams, Maëlle Grossetête, Katia Ragusa, Linda Zanetti

Lidl – Trek Elizabeth Deignan, Elisa Longo Borghini, Elisa Balsamo, Shirin van Anrooij, Lucinda Brand, Lauretta Hansson

Lifeplus Wahoo Kristýna Burlová, Heidi Franz, Alicia González, Ella Jamieson, Madelaine Leech, Babette van der Wolf

Liv AlUla Jayco Amber Pate, Letizia Paternoster, Jeanne Korevaar, Georgie Howe, Alexandra Manly, Silke Smulders

Lotto Dstny Mieke Docx, Thalita de Jong, Wilma Aintila, Audrey De Keersmaeker, Fauve Bastiaenssen, Quinty van de Guchte

Movistar Aude Biannic, Emma Norsgaard, Floortje Mackaij, Lucía Ruiz Pérez, Arlenis Sierra, Sheyla Gutièrez

Proximus – Cyclis Amber Aernouts, Lente Boskamp, Marieke de Groot, Lone Meertens, Deborah Veerman, Febe Poppe

Roland Maggie Coles-Lyster, Antri Christoforou, Sofia Collinelli, Tamara Dronova-Balabolina, Elena Pirrone, Giorgia Vettorello

SD Worx – Protime Lotte Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes, Demi Vollering, Mischa Bredewold, Marlen Reusser, Christine Majerus

Team dsm-firmenich PostNL Pfeiffer Georgi, Franziska Koch, Francesca Barale, Josie Nelson, Eleonora Ciabocco, Daniek Hengeveld

UAE Team ADQ Chiara Consonni, Silvia Persico, Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini, Karlijn Swinkels, Alena Amialiusik, Sofia Bertizzolo

Uno-X Maria Giulia Confalonieri, Simone Boilard, Anouska Koster, Susanne Andersen, Elinor Barker, Marte Berg Edseth

Visma | Lease a Bike Marianne Vos, Lieke Nooijen, Fem van Empel, Margaux Vigie, Linda Riedmann, Sophie von Berswordt

VolkerWessels Margot Vanpachtenbeke, Marieke Meert, Valerie Demey, Anneke Dijkstra, Eline Jansen, Scarlett Souren

Tour of Flanders 2023 Men – Prediction

Wednesday 29 March 2023 • Previews

Sunday 2 April: Bruges - Oudenaarde (273.4 km)

The Tour of Flanders 2023 starts in Bruges and finishes 273.4 kilometers later with 19 (cobblestone) climbs and 6 cobblestone sections in Oudenaarde. Traditionally, the first half of the race is mostly flat, and the hilly zone starts at the first climb of the Oude Kwaremont. The combination of Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg marks the end of the 19 climbs, followed by 11 kilometers to the finish line.

📺 Sporza (1:55 PM), Eurosport 1 (1:10 PM) ⏰ 10:00 AM 🏁 4:45 PM ⛅️ Mainly cloudy, wind force 2, 10 degrees Celsius

Tour of Flanders 2023 – Prediction

The Jumbo-Visma team boasts a strong lineup, including the favorite to win, Wout van Aert is the top favorite. Dylan van Baarle would have been an excellent shadow favorite to attack from a lang way out, but sadly is not at the start. Christophe Laporte and Tiesj Benoot, who are also predicted to finish in the top ten can perhaps take on this role. UAE Team Emirates has Tadej Pogacar, who has a good chance of winning, and has Matteo Trentin to support him or perhaps anticipate and get up the road to help Pogacar in the final. Alpecin-Deceuninck has Mathieu van der Poel and Søren Kragh Andersen as a strong helper, who can perhaps try to take advantage of the big 3 looking at each other. INEOS Grenadiers has Tom Pidcock, who could be a dark horse for the title, while Groupama-FDJ has Stefan Küng and Valentin Madouas, both of whom have a chance of finishing in the top ten. Other riders to look out for include Mads Pedersen from Trek-Segafredo, Matej Mohoric from Bahrain Victorious, and Nils Politt from BORA-hansgrohe. It's going to be an exciting race, and we can't wait to see who comes out on top. Will Mathieu van der Poel defend his title, or will we see a new champion crowned?

🦄 Mathieu van der Poel

*The unicorn is our joker, nice old-fashioned based on feeling

Tour of Flanders 2023 – Top30 Prediction

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Giro 2024 - prediction stage 21, giro 2024 - prediction stage 20.

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Women’s Tour of Flanders 2024 Race Preview

Mathew Mitchell

• Published on March 28, 2024
• in Women's Cycling

Women’s Tour of Flanders History

The 2024 Women’s Tour of Flanders is one of the most prestigious one-day races in the women’s calendar. This race, steeped in history and tradition, has been a highlight of women’s cycling since its inception in 2004, quickly establishing itself as a cornerstone event that attracts the sport’s elite. The roster of past victors reads like a who’s who of women’s cycling, featuring world champions, grand tour winners, and cycling legends such as Zulfia Zabirova, Nicole Cooke , Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Marianne Vos , Annemiek van Vleuten , and Anna van der Breggen .

Table of Contents

Remarkably, the list of champions highlights the rarity of multiple winners, a testament to the race’s competitive nature and depth of talent it attracts. Until Annemiek van Vleuten clinched her second victory in 2021, only Judith Arndt and Mirjam Melchers had achieved the feat of winning more than once. Lotte Kopecky joined those ranks in 2023.

The 2023 edition of the race was memorably won by the Belgian, adding her name to the illustrious list of multiple champions and setting the stage for an eagerly awaited 2024 race. As contenders and cycling enthusiasts alike look forward, the upcoming race promises to be as challenging and exciting as ever.

The Women’s Tour of Flanders initially mirrored the classic route with the iconic Muur/Bosberg finish, the race has transitioned through various phases, including a period when it concluded in Meerbeke, next to Ninove, before finding its current finish line in Oudenaarde. This evolution has led to the exclusion of some traditional climbs like the Muur-Kapelmuur and Bosberg for several years.

The 2024 race is set to continue this tradition, featuring the formidable duo of the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg climbs in the closing stages, followed by a 10km dash to Oudenaarde. These segments are pivotal to the race’s outcome, often serving as launch pads for decisive moves. 

Previous Winners

2023 Lotte Kopecky 2022 Lotte Kopecky 2021 Annemiek van Vleuten

Women’s Tour of Flanders 2024 Profile

TV Coverage

Sunday 31st March 2024

Live on Eurosport/Discovery across Europe FloBikes in USA/Canada VRT1 in Belgium  (freely available but requires a Belgian SMS to create an account + a VPN is needed)

14:00-17:55 All times in GMT

Twitter: #RVV24

Startlist: FirstCycling

Women’s Tour of Flanders 2024 Contenders

SD Worx are predictably stacked coming into this year’s Women’s Tour of Flanders . It feels most likely that they will be behind Lotte Kopecky in her attempt for a threepeat at Flanders. Even though the likes of Demi Vollering and Lorena Wiebes would love to win the race, Lotte Kopecky is the home rider on a team sponsored by a Belgian company that has just splashed the cash to extend her deal with SD Worx. Kopecky will be the major focus. Out of the non-Kopecky options, Wiebes has a decent shout as a fast finisher who is climbing punchy climbs really well. She was 2nd up the Kemmelberg on Kopecky’s wheel at Gent Wevelgem and that bodes well for a dig up the Paterberg. If there’s a larger group reaching the finish together it might swing to her favour. Demi Vollering will need to go long to win but the team instructions will properly stifle that. However, with the whole transfer saga coming out we may see some interesting internal battles. It’s a similar story for Marlen Reusser , who I think will have more of a policing role or an early attack in her to put pressure on other teams.

We’re going to see the return of Kasia Niewiadoma after a month away from racing by going to do altitude training. The Pole should’ve had a GC win at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana but allowed it to slip away and took her customary good result at Strade Bianche at the start of March too. She has 6 top-10s at the Tour of Flanders without ever making it to the podium. Chloe Dygert will be interesting to watch, her 36th at Gent Wevelgem wasn’t representative of her form with a top-10 on the cards until the spokes in her front wheel were snapped and she had to roll to the finish line.  There’s also the likes of Soraya Paladin and Maike van der Duin who might be useful in a small group finish. Van der Duin is still finding her feet post-injury but has finished just outside of the top-10 here before. Paladin has a similar best Flanders result but is coming off a good 4th at Trofeo Alfredo Binda .

Lidl-Trek is going to feel confident here after successfully taking the fight to SD Worx this season in the battle of the super teams. Elisa Balsamo almost pulled off the Binda-De Panne-Wevelgem triple again but lost by a rim to Lorena Wiebes in the last rim. She’s looking stronger this year and hasn’t finished worse than 2nd place during all of March. Similar to Wiebes, it will need to be a reasonable-sized finishing group for her to be in with a shout. Shirin van Anrooij is looking in good nick this Spring with top-10s at Omloop het Nieuwsblad, Strade Bianche and Dwars Door Vlaanderen. The latter she was in with a serious shout for the win in a sprint-a-deux with Marianne Vos . Elisa Longo Borghini will always be a threat in the women’s Tour of Flanders . She has 8 top-10 results and is a previous winner back in 2015. She was 6th at Dwars Door Vlaanderen but animated and controlled the chase behind with her teammate up the road. She’s another rider on the team in good form with a win at Trofeo Oro in Euro and a pair of WWT race podiums this year.

Marianne Vos is going to be talked of as a genuine favourite again at the Tour of Flanders after winning Omloop het Nieuwsblad and Dwars Door Vlaanderen this year – both races she had never won before in her long and illustrious career. She’s won here once before, way back in 2013, but it’s an interesting statistical quirk that she’s never finished in the top-10 in her 5 editions since then. That surely, surely is going to change this year with her current form. Teammate Fem van Empel is also going to be worth keeping an eye on with her 37th at Dwars Door Vlaanderen not an indication of her form. The cyclocross world champion was in the front group and looking certain for a top-10 result but a puncture saw her effectively knocked out of contention.

UAE Team ADQ has plenty of riders who could do well without a major favourite. Silvia Persico feels the most likely to do well after finishing 4th in last year’s Tour of Flanders but Sofia Bertizzolo also has the same best result from a few years ago. Persico has the combination of decent climbing and a fast finish but her form is only okay so far in 2024. She has several lower-end top-10 finishes but hasn’t threatened a race win yet. I kinda also expect Karlijn Swinkels to get the team’s strongest result as the all-rounder has been going well including 2nd at Trofeo Oro in Euro , 4th at Le Samyn des Dames and 6th at Trofeo Alfredo Binda . Eleonora Gasparrini and Chiara Consonni are the fast options for the finish but neither has a good previous finish here and the climbing is probably too tough, especially with the likes of Lotte Kopecky drilling it at the front.

Pfeiffer Georgi will be leading Team dsm-firmenich PostNL here and should improve on the 16th place she scored last year. The Brit has been focused on the major races, with a couple of flatter races like Classic Brugge-De Panne pulled from her schedule to aim for the hillier races like Gent Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders. It feels like a case of managed workload with the hope that she will be at her very best for the major targets. Teammate and fellow Brit  Josie Nelson is also in some good form, winning her first-ever UCI race on the final day of the Tour de Normandie recently and just missing out on a GC win by 1 second. This is a bit of a jump up and she’s in a supporting role but it’s worth keeping an eye on her.

Letizia Paternoster has put herself into contention with a great 3rd place at Dwars Door Vlaanderen this week. It was a follow-up to her 4th place at Ronde van Drenthe this year and shows that she might be able to challenge on the many hills of the Tour of Flanders. Her one previous edition saw her finish 81st but the Italian is looking the strongest she’s been on the road since 2019. Teammate Ruby Roseman-Gannon was 17th here last year and has been recovering from her crash at Nokere Koerse which saw the Aussie pouring blood down her legs at the finish. The pair of riders should work well together and have a good enough kick at the finish to challenge for the top-10.

We’re definitely seeing a change of approach from Movistar this season. Previously they’d sit back a little bit more and try and hoover up the best result they could, normally through the sprint of Emma Norsgaard . However we’ve now seen them more likely to go on the attack in the latter stages of races, trying to force something. At Gent Wevelgem, they knew they would struggle to make a dent into the Balsamo/Wiebes finish so relentlessly sent moves forward to see if the peloton would allow them to go. We can expect to see similar from Emma Norsgaard and Floortje Mackaij if they’re there on the run into Oudenaarde at the end of this year’s Tour of Flanders and then maybe use Arlenis Sierra to try and mop up the best possible result in the sprint.

Puck Pieterse is going to get most of the attention for Fenix-Deceuninck in what should be her final road race this side of the Paris Olympics. She extended her calendar to race at Flanders before she pivots to devoting her attention to the MTB which she hopes to get a medal in. She’s been impressive, always in the hunt and not afraid to call out riders not working hard enough in the lead groups of races. She has podiums at Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Ronde van Drenthe and only one finish outside of the top-10 which was at Strade Bianche (she finished 13th). Expect her to be in the hunt. I can see teammate Christina Schweinberger also doing well after her 9th place at Gent Wevelgem, but the team is largely riding in support of Pieterse as their strongest shout for a potential podium result or more in Oudenaarde.

FDJ-Suez’s Vittoria Guazzini has been going well but there’s a trend now that it comes in flatter races than the Tour of Flanders. She’s taken some great results like a win at Le Samyn des Dames , 6th at Ronde van Drenthe and 10th at Classic Brugge-De Panne but that’s offset by DNFs at Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Dwars Door Vlaanderen. She’s a fast finished but I’d be surprised to see her in the lead group here. So the team’s best result should fall to one of its attacking engines in Loes Adegeest or Amber Kraak . The latter took that famous win on the final day of the UAE Tour Women after being in the break all day and holding off the sprinter teams. She’s had a few top-20 results since. Loes Adegeest was 16th this week at Dwars Door Vlaanderen which is encouraging for tilt this Sunday.

Thalita de Jong generally finishes 40-somethingth at the Women’s Tour of Flanders over the years but there is a real encouragement that the Dutch rider will improve on that this year. She’s finished no lower than 15th in any stage or race this season and has peaked with a pair of 2nd places. She can definitely sneak into the top-10 at this year’s race if all goes well. Compared to some others on this race preview, she will be a bit more exposed with fewer teammates able to assist her.

Ceratizit WNT is always there or thereabouts and whilst we’re probably going to look at names like Cédrine Kerbaol and Marta Lach to deliver something at Flanders, their roster has quite a few different options. Nina Berton finished 15th at Gent Wevelgem last weekend, a good result for the Luxembourger and Marta Jaskulska matched that result mid-week at Dwars Door Vlaanderen. Kerbaol is already a race winner this year and will try to get into the mix for the tough finishing climbs here and should get the team’s best result.

Kim Le Court has had a great introduction to the Women’s WorldTour this season and continues to impress. She was 9th at Classic Brugge-De Panne, matching her result back in Australia at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. The Mauritian also wasn’t far away from that with 11th at Trofeo Alfredo Binda and 13th at Gent Wevelgem. The Women’s Tour of Flanders is another step up on those but it’s encouraging to see the rider with a good MTB background contest these races with punchy climbs.

5th at Gent Wevelgem, you’d expect Maria Giulia Confalonieri to have a decent Tour of Flanders record over the years. However, the Italian has 10 editions under her belt with no top-10 results. We know she can get over short sharp climbs well and is fast enough to contest the flat finish here but it just hasn’t clicked for her so far in her career.

Victoire Berteau is looking strong this year for Cofidis and is reportedly already in talks with a Women’s WorldTour team for next season. The French national champion has been in or just outside the top-10 in races recently with a good 11th at Dwars Door Vlaanderen mid-week. She has the power to be able to get into small groups but currently, the sprint lets her down in comparison and denies a few extra final places.

Women's Tour of Flanders 2024 Outsiders

India Grangier will be looking to get a good result for Coop-Repsol. The team were very active in the early stages of Dwars Door Vlaanderen, trying to establish a breakaway that didn’t stick. The French rider hasn’t raced the Tour of Flanders before but took a top-20 in Omloop het Nieuwsblad this season.

This might be a tough one for Eline Jansen but we’ve seen the Dutch rider turn up in the top-10 of sprints after hilly days. She was 7th on the final stage of Setmana Ciclista Valenciana and 10th on a hilly tough stage at the Tour de Normandie as well. This is obviously a step up but we’ll see how she does. Teammate Margot Vanpachtenbeke has also been doing well recently, claiming 11th at Gent Wevelgem last weekend. That’s comfortably her best result in a Women’s WorldTour race and gives her something to build on. Anywhere in the top 20 would be a strong result.

I suspect that Lotto Dstny will all be working for Thalita de Jong but it’s worth keeping an eye on Fauve Bastiaenssen as well. She took a good 8th place Nokere Koerse and with a clear run has an opportunity to try and make the top-25 at this year’s Tour of Flanders.

Top 3 Prediction

• Lotte Kopecky
• Lorena Wiebes
• Marianne Vos

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Tour of Flanders 2022 Elite Men Preview - Route, predictions and contenders

De Ronde is arguably the most prestigious one-day race on the cycling calendar. With no Wout van Aert, who will delight the Belgian fans and take victory in 2022?

Words: Katy Madgwick

The jewel in the crown of the Flanders Classics series, Ronde van Vlaanderen is one of the five Monuments of the cycling calendar and the most prestigious of the Belgian spring Classics. This year’s edition will take place on Sunday 3rd April, with the women’s race following later the same day.

The narrow roads, cobbled streets and short, sharp climbs combined with unpredictable spring conditions always lead to nervous racing, with strategic battles for positioning of utmost importance as the peloton stretches out along the route. Those who can hang on and weather the storm of brutal ‘hellingen’, tricky cobbles and awkward turns will fight for the win in the later stages: expect a succession of aggressive attacks as the cream rises to the top on one of the most memorable races of the year.

The race affectionately known as ‘De Ronde’ has seen a number of changes to the route over its long history. It was first raced in 1913, and following a four-year absence as a result of the First World War, the race has continued uninterrupted ever since, despite the change in schedule in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The course has shifted start and finish locations numerous times in its history. This year’s edition, the 106 th , will begin in the city of Antwerp as it has since 2017, and winds its way through the Flemish Ardennes towards the town of Oudenaarde.

This year, the course adds almost 20km to its overall distance, increasing from last year’s 254km to 272.5km in length.

Starting from the Grote Markt in Antwerp, the route rolls out through East Flanders, moving through various towns and villages including Sint-Niklas, Erpe-Mere and Zottegem, where the peloton will cross two cobbled sectors, Lippenhovestraat and Paddestraat. 

There follows a slight change to the previous year’s route, with a longer flat section avoiding the Katteberg and heading instead for the day’s first run at the Oude Kwaremont, which will also be the first climb of the day following 136km of racing.

The fearsome Oude Kwaremont will once again be lined with fans following the eerily silent slopes of 2020 and 2021, and the crowds will roar the riders up the 103m of ascent gain, which averages out at 4.8% gradient but tops out at 10%.

Related: Tour of Flanders Elite Women Preview

In four of the last five editions of De Ronde, the winning attack has been launched from the Oude Kwaremont, although it’s interesting to note that in the past, wins have come from both the second and third ascents of the climb, proving that all is not lost, should hopefuls miss the early attacks.

What follows is a looping route around Oudenaarde, largely similar to 2021’s with the exception of the Eikenberg and addition of the Achterberg. What does not change is the passage of three more cobbled sectors, the Holleweg, Kerkgate and Jagerij, all of which fall either side of the Wolvenberg climb, the fourth of the day’s hellingen.

Related: What have we learnt from the opening men's races of 2022?

Shorter than Oude Kwaremont but viciously steep with gradients of up to 20% the Paterberg is tackled twice, at 51km and 13km to go. Following a gradual thinning of the top group, this is where Mathieu van der Poel and Kasper Asgreen were able to distance Wout van Aert in last year’s race, with the Belgian blowing up on the punishing final ascent of the day.

The final run-in to the finish line is 13km on flat roads. Traditionally just one or two riders remain by this point and they must dig deep to stay away from the chasers.

It’s no secret that Wout van Aert would have loved to etch his name alongside the greats as the winner of a race that means a great deal to him, having lost out to Mathieu van der Poel in the final sprint in 2020. However a last minute Covid-19 positive means he misses the race , passing the responsibility of leading Jumbo-Visma to Tiesj Benoot, who was second in the 2022 Dwars Door Vlaanderen, and Christophe Laporte.

Van der Poel's victory in the aforementioned Dwars Door has turned him from potential non-starter to pre-race favourite in the space of a few weeks, with no sign of resurgence in the back injury that kept him out of the peloton in the early season. 

Former winner Alberto Bettiol has shown excellent early season form and will be keen to add his name to the select list of multiple winners of the race. Just 17 names can currently lay claim to that honour, and another potential repeat winner could be Mathieu van der Poel. Following a chronic back injury the Alpecin-Fenix man was out of action until February, but made an impressive comeback to racing in Milan-San Remo a few weeks ago. He'll want to try and go even better than his third place finish in the first Monument of the season in Flanders.

 Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl have won three of the past five editions of Flanders, and with defending champion Kasper Asgreen among their squad and repeat top ten performer Yves Lampaert, the team will launch their usual strong bid for the title.

Ineos Grenadiers bring British rider Tom Pidcock to the cobbles as part of their first season in a new and improved classics unit, and Trek-Segafredo have chances through the likes of Jasper Stuyven, Mads Pedersen and possibly even young American Quinn Simmons.

Bahrain Victorious' Matej Mohorič will be looking to have a tilt at the win with a solo move similar to the one he pulled off in Milan-San Remo a few weeks ago and will be well supported by up-and-coming Classics talent Fred Wright.

Related: Strade Bianche 2022 Preview

Now at Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert , Alexander Kristoff has made the top five three times in the past five years, coming third in 2019 and 2020, so he could be an outsider worth keeping an eye on. So too Total Energies’ Anthony Turgis who has made the top ten for the past two years.

The Tour of Flanders is a race where survival of the fittest applies quite literally, and it’s unusual to see true outsiders triumph. Observers expect an aggressive race and without his usual foil in Wout van Aert, the odds are looking good for Mathieu van der Poel to add a second Tour of Flanders to his palmarès.

Cover image: SWpix/Alex Broadway

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Germany vs. Scotland prediction, odds, time: UEFA Euro 2024 picks, June 14 best bets by proven soccer expert

Martin green has locked in his best bets for friday's scotland vs. germany showdown in the opening match of the uefa euros 2024.

Euro 2024 will kick off when host country Germany and Scotland collide in Friday's opener at Munich Football Arena in Munich. Germany have won the tournament three times, which is tied with Spain for the most titles ever. The Germans enter this year's monthlong tournament as a +550 shot to lift the Euro 2024 trophy, behind England (+300) and France (+340). On Friday, Germany will face a Scotland side that has never advanced past the group stage in the Euros. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET. The Germans are the -340 favorites (risk $340 to win $100) in the latest Germany vs. Scotland odds, with the Scots the +900 underdogs. A draw is priced at +500, and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you lock in your Scotland vs. Germany picks or Euro 2024 predictions,  you need to see what proven SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green has to say .

After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Last year he was profitable in multiple areas on his  soccer picks , including Euro qualifying (+6.30 units), the EFL Cup (+4.47), the FA Cup (+3.07), and the Champions League (+3.05) among others. Now, Green has broken down Germany vs. Scotland from every angle and revealed his picks and Euro 2024 predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Green's picks . Here are the betting lines and trends for Scotland vs. Germany:

• Germany vs. Scotland money line: Germany -340, Scotland +900, Draw +500
• Germany vs. Scotland over/under: 2.5 goals
• Germany vs. Scotland spread: Germany -1.5 (-125), Scotland +1.5 (-110)
• GER: The Germans have won the tournament three times
• SCO: Scott McTominay has eight goals in 49 appearances
• Germany vs. Scotland picks:  See picks at SportsLine

Why you should back Germany

The Germans have dominated the head-to-head series against Scotland. Germany have not lost against Scotland since 1999. That was Germany's lone loss in the series over the last 13 meetings.

In addition, the Germans have a proven winner in Toni Kroos. The 34-year-old midfielder has won six Champions League titles with Real Madrid and has 70 assists over the last 10 La Liga seasons. He is set to retire from professional soccer after Euro 2024. Kai Havertz is also coming off a sensational season with Arsenal. Havertz recorded 13 goals and seven assists for the Gunners in the Premier League this season.   See which team to pick here .

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Why you should back Scotland

The Tartan Army have a Premier League-caliber midfielder in Scott McTominay. The 27-year-old playmaker for Manchester United scored 10 goals across all competitions this season, including a career-high seven in league play. He also scored seven goals for Scotland in qualifying for Euro 2024.

McTominay and the Scots will face a Germany side that faltered badly in its last major competition. In the 2022 World Cup, the Germans lost to Japan in the group stage opener and failed to advance to the knockout stage. Ten months after the World Cup, manager Hansi Flick was sacked and replaced by Julian Nagelsmann.  See which team to pick here .

How to make Germany vs. Scotland picks

Green has broken down the Euro 2024 match from every possible angle. He is leaning Under on the goal total and has locked in three other best bets, including one that offers a plus-money payout.  He's sharing his Euro 2024 picks and analysis only at SportsLine .

So who wins   Scotland vs. Germany on Friday, and where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see which wagers in Germany vs. Scotland have all the value, all from the soccer expert who is profitable across multiple leagues,  and find out.

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Super Rugby Pacific 2024: Semifinals line-ups predictions odds

The ESPN Scrum Reset team discuss Charlie Cale's breakout season with the Brumbies and whether he is ready to step up into the Wallabies' back-row. (2:57)

And then there were four. Just the Hurricanes, Blues, Brumbies and Chiefs remain in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.

And rightfully so, too, they were clearly a cut above the rest of the competition during the regular season, and then breezed past their quarterfinal opponents, for the most part, last weekend.

Now we can look forward to two mouth-watering contests in Auckland and Wellington.

Check out all the team lists, key ins and outs, odds and our tips below.

Friday, June 14

Eden Park, Auckland, 5:05pm [AEST]

Replacements: Kurt Eklund, Joshua Fusitu'a, Angus Ta'avao, James Thompson, Adrian Choat, Taufa Funaki, Corey Evans, Cole Forbes

Replacements: Liam Bowron, Rhys van Nek, Sosefo Kautai, Nick Frost, Jahrome Brown, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Ollie Sapsford

Odds [ tab.com.au ]: Blues $1.22, -9.5 $1.85; Brumbies $5.00, +12.5 $1.85

Prediction: A big crowd is expected at Eden Park on Friday evening with the Blues to host the Brumbies in a semifinal for the second time in three years. Back in 2022, the Blues were lucky to survive a stirring Brumbies comeback amid their own indiscipline, with a favourable Ben O'Keeffe call sparing Leon MacDonald's side a nervous final minute when Noah Lolesio could have potentially lined up a match-winner. The Kiwis are travelling a little bit steadier this time around, with coach Vern Cotter having added an old-school toughness that had been missing up front for the Blues. The hosts have a powerful scrum and they will look to use that to take the Brumbies out of this game, particularly given the difficulty the ACT have endured at the set-piece this season. It is almost unfathomable, but once the backbone of the Brumbies' game, their scrum is this year the worst of any in Super Rugby. James Slipper's return should improve their ability to win their own ball, but the Blues can march downfield off the back of the penalties they will almost certainly win on their feed. While the Brumbies' scrum has gone in one direction, their attacking game has thankfully gone in the other. The back three of Tom Wright, Andy Muirhead and Corey Toole is in magnificent form, while Lolesio's competition-leading 85.5% goal-kicking success rate is another huge positive. Up front, coach Stephen Larkham has opted for a breakdown on-baller in Rory Scott at No. 7 in somewhat of a selection surprise with Jahrome Brown and Luke Reimer offering cover off the bench in what is a 6-2 split. There is meanwhile no Patrick Tuipulotu for the Blues, but Akira Ioane passed a fitness test on Thursday to take his place at No. 6. As well as the Blues themselves, the Brumbies also have 17 games and 28 years of trans-Tasman finals history to overcome. They are capable of doing it if they play to their full potential, limit the damage the Blues do at the scrum, and Lolesio kicks anything and everything. Still, we're tipping the Blues in a tight one.

Tip: Blues by 3

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Saturday, June 15

Hurricanes vs..

Sky Stadium, Wellington, 2:35pm [AEST]

Replacements: James O'Reilly, Tevita Mafileo, Pasilio Tosi, James Tucker, Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Richard Judd, Bailyn Sullivan

Replacements: Bradley Slater, Jared Proffit, Reuben O'Neill, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Simon Parker, Xavier Roe, Quinn Tupaea, Daniel Rona

Odds: [ tab.com.au ] Hurricanes $1.53, -3.5 $1.90; Chiefs $2.45, +3.5 $1.90

Verdict: Just three weeks after they turned on a thriller in Hamilton, the Hurricanes and Chiefs meet once more, this time at what could be a near capacity Cake Tin in Wellington. Both teams blew their quarterfinal opposition off the park last week, though the Canes first had to wear down a gutsy Rebels, while the Chiefs just dominated the Reds from the outset. And that's what makes this game so tantalising, the sheer scope of the firepower right across the paddock. You've got Aumua v Taukei'aho, Finau v Shields and Jacobson v Lakai up front, while the halves, midfield and back-three talent is so deep you can't separate one from the others. It was the Hurricanes who charged out of the blocks when the two teams met last night and a fast start will go a long way to winning this one too. The Chiefs have however regained a little bit more depth since that defeat and the decision at the death against Jacobson must still irk the captain, even if he dodged a potential red card a week later. But there is just something different about this version of the Hurricanes. In seasons past they have perhaps relied too much on the likes of Ardie Savea of Jordie Barrett, this year they are complete unit from 1-15, with greater depth on the bench. You won't want to miss this clash.

Tip: Hurricanes by 1.