CYCLING – Team Bahrain Victorious’ Belgian foray continues today with the Flandrien 0.0 Classic.
The one-day elite men’s road race, which has held UCI Pro Series status since 2020, is in its 16th edition.
It is taking place in honour of cycling legends Raymond Impanis and Peter Van Petegem.
This year’s nearly 200-kilometre course from Brakel to Haacht suits sprinters, although the terrain is more demanding than the previous day and a mass sprint is not expected to be the most likely outcome.
“We expect a reduced group to reach the finish,” explained Bahrain Victorious sports director Nikolas Maes.
“The course is more complicated than the previous day, with some hilly sections that, although not particularly difficult, could create selections.”
“Our goal is to win, whether from a front group or a reduced bunch sprint. Alessandro Borgo will join the team and be our leader. He already won in Belgium this year at the Grand Prix Criquielion and has shown good form recently, taking an outstanding third place at the Bretagne Classic. He also rode well at the Renewi Tour.”
“Besides Borgo, Matej Mohoric will also join the line-up.”
With the exception of Zak Erzen and Mikita Babovich, the rest of the riders will remain the same from yesterday’s Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen, where Phil Bauhaus, Kamil Gradek, Robert Stannard, Vlad Van Mechelen, and Balint Feldhoffer also competed.
Erzen was the team’s top finisher in the event, taking 11th place overall after 180.2km of racing.