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Last year’s men’s event came down to a dramatic final sprint that saw Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) caught in the final few hundred metres by Dylan van Baarle (INEOS Grenadiers) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ). Van der Poel took the victory while Pogačar was left throwing his hands in the air in frustration as Madouas and van Baarle completed the podium.
In the women’s race, Marlen Reusser (SD-Worx) lit up the race with her solo attack that lead over the final climbs. She was bridged up to by Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) and Lotte Kopecky (SD-Worx). Reusser shifted to working for her teammate, and Kopecky delivered the goods in the final sprint ahead of van Vleuten.
The key cobbled races so far this season have been dominated by SD-Worx and Jumbo-Visma, with the most tantalising match-up at E3 Classic, where Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) triumphed ahead of van der Poel and Pogačar after the trio attacked clear of the field.
SD-Worx has been able to select from a host of winners, with almost every rider capable of winning in various scenarios.
"[The] team atmosphere is the secret of Team SD-Worx's success. The foundations were laid during our bike packing camp together with our sponsor Specialized in the United States," said SD-Worx's Demi Vollering after winning Wednesday's Dwars door Vlaanderen in the lead-up to the 2023 Tour of Flanders.
"I have grown as a rider," Vollering added. "Last year, I thought too much during races. I wanted to think one step ahead too often. Now I ride liberated.
"I understand the course tactically better and I race more in the moment. As a result, I have become stronger. In the Tour of Flanders, we will again be able to play several cards."
Pogačar talked of the difficulties of the Tour of Flanders.
“It’s a really, really long race, and a lot can happen before the final. I need to save a lot of energy and choose the right moment to go,” Pogačar said ahead of Sunday's big race.
“Jumbo-Visma have a strong team, so I think they will play as in all the classics up until now,” he said. “[Van der Poel] will probably just go and attack on some random climbs.”
And his own tactical approach?
“I don’t have anything in mind. We will see on Sunday how the race goes, how are the legs," Pogačar said.
“I like the races. It’s as simple as that,” Pogačar said. “I feel good, my shape is good. It would be a waste if I just stayed home and watched it on TV.”
For Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan, racing the Belgian classic for a Belgian team promises to be a career highlight in itself.
"I know all the climbs and I've done them before. But I don't think I've done them in a race yet," Ewan said.
"I think it's going to be hard, especially positioning into all those climbs with the narrow roads, so I expect it to be pretty tough."
Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) and Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) are also top chances from Australia for a good finish, Brown’s best finish was 3rd in 2021, while Matthews took 6th in 2019.
"It is a big one, an important one and it is always special to race Flanders," Matthews said, back on the bike and rebuilding form after a recent two-week break with COVID-19.
"The climbs and the crowds are like nothing else."
How to watch Tour of Flanders 2023 LIVE on SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand
Sunday, April 2
Tour of Flanders - Men
5:55pm - 12:45am (AEST) LIVE via SBS On Demand
8pm - 12:00am (AEST) LIVE on SBS VICELAND
Tour of Flanders - Women
11pm - 2am (AEST) LIVE via SBS On Demand
12:00am (Monday) - 2am (AEST) LIVE on SBS VICELAND
