Tour of Flanders: Who is Britain's best hope in Belgium's cobbled classic?
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ByEurosport
Updated 01/04/2017 at 15:31 GMT
The Tour of Flanders is one of the sport's two cobbled classics. Eurosport's voice of cycling Carlton Kirby gives his verdict on Britain's best prospects of glory.
Third-placed Great Britain's Ian Stannard reacts on the podium at the end of the 114th edition of the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic cycling race
Image credit: AFP
Owain Doull
- Bio
- Nationality: Welsh
- Age: 24 (02/05/1993)
- Height: 1.81m
- Weight: 71kg
- Pro Since: 2017
- Team: Team Sky
- Based: Manchester
- Strengths: All-rounder
Owain Doull enjoyed fantastic year last year, winning Olympic Gold in the team pursuit in Rio, before making his Team Sky debut at Paris-Tours just two months later. The 24-year-old will be racing in his first ever Monument as a professional at the Tour of Flanders.
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Owain Doull (GBR) of Britain celebrates winning the race and setting a new world record.
Image credit: Reuters
Top Results
- Olympic gold medal in the team pursuit at Rio 2016
- Third in the 2015 Tour of Britain general classification.
The Kirby verdict: It’s a big distance to master for a youngster and Owain Doull is just 23 we must remind ourselves. The last rider so young to win Flanders was Edwin Van Hooydonck in 1989. Owain will be used as part of the team plan at SKY in support of the two main British hopes for Flanders: Ian Standard and Luke Rowe.
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Ian Stannard
Bio
- Nationality: English
- Age: 29 (25/05/87)
- Height: 1.89m
- Weight: 83kg
- Pro Since: 2008
- Team: Team Sky
- Based: Isle of Man
- Nickname: Yogi
- Strengths: Cobbled classics
- Favourite Race: Paris - Roubaix
Stannard produced one of the performances of the season at last year’s Paris-Roubaix, after being dropped in the last 10km by eventual winner Mathew Hayman and Tom Boonen, ‘Yogi’ breached the gap in the Roubaix Velodrome to finish in third. He’s the most experienced Brit in the Flanders startlist and will play a vital role for Team Sky.
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Ian Stannard
Image credit: AFP
Top Results
- Won back-to-back Omloop Het Nieuwsblad’s in 2014 & 2015
- Finished third in last year’s Paris-Roubaix
The Kirby verdict: Stannard is twice a winner of the 200km long Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and podium at Paris Roubaix and the E3 last year. He’s on form and will be strong.
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Luke Rowe
Bio
- Nationality: Welsh
- Age: 27 (10/03/1990)
- Height: 1.85m
- Weight: 72kg
- Pro Since: 2012
- Team: Team Sky
- Based: Cardiff
- Strengths: Classics
Luke Rowe has made a name for himself as one of the top Classics riders in the peloton. He’s got top-5 finishes at both the Tour of Flanders (2016) and the Omloop Het Niewsblad (2016) under his belt and will definitely be looking to improve on that this year. He has supported Chris Froome at his previous two Tour de France outings, last year taking on the role as road captain for Team Sky.
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Team Sky riders Luke Rowe and Chris Froome of Britain cycle during the 189.5-km (117.7 miles) 5th stage of the 102nd Tour de France cycling race from Arras to Amiens, France, July 8, 2015
Image credit: Reuters
Top Results
- Finished 5th in the 2016 Tour of Flanders
- Finished 3rd in this year’s Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
The Kirby verdict: The not-so-secret weapon for SKY will be Luke Rowe. He was great on Kuurne Brixelles Kuurne finishing 3rd on a tough 200km day taken by Sagan ahead of Stuyven. Look behind Rowe that day and you saw names like Van Avermaet, Kristoff and indeed his teammate Stannard all in his wake. Rowe has all the class and determination to go for it and is being tipped for potential glory right here.
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Sagan takes first Monument with Tour of Flanders win
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Scott Thwaites
- Nationality: English
- Age: 27 (12/02/90)
- Height: 1.78m
- Weight: 69kg
- Pro Since: 2010
- Team: Dimension Data
- Based: Leeds
- Rider Type: Puncheur
Scott Thwaites is one of the latest additions to the African team. He has finished inside the top-20 at nearly all the big spring races in the past and will be important for Dimension Data throughout the Classics season. With a strong squad behind him, Thwaites is a real contender when it comes to races like the Tour of Flanders.
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Jack Bauer of New Zealand (L) outsprints Scott Thwaite of England to take the silver medal in the men's cycling road race at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, August 3, 2014.
Image credit: Eurosport
Top Results
- Finished 2nd in Le Samyn in 2016
The Kirby verdict: Scott Thwaites was on sparkling form this time last season finishing runner up to Nicki Terpstra in Le Samyn. He always goes well at this time of year. He might get a free hand in a break but more likely his strength and bike handling skills will be used in support of Edvald Boassen Hagen who is Dimension Data’s chosen weapon.
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