This weekend the Belgian one-day season steps it up a notch with the running of the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke and Gent Wevelgem. The BMC Racing Team is targeting results in both, and former winners Marcus Burghardt and George Hincapie will lead the way in the latter event.
“For us, a result would be a good sign looking to the week ahead to the Tour of Flanders,” said directeur sportif John Lelangue. Hincapie won the race in 2001 and has racked up four other top five finishes, while Burghardt was victorious three years ago and then seventh in last year’s race.
Gent Wevelgem has been moved from its traditional midweek slot to the Sunday before the Tour of Flanders and as a result, it should benefit from an increase in its importance. The race length has increase from 203 to 219 kilometre and the route will now feature sixteen hills. The profile makes it more typical of a fully-fledged Classic.
Edvald Boasson Hagen triumphed last year.
Before that, the team will also compete in tomorrow’s E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke. Former world champion Alessandro Ballan was second there in 2006, while last year Burghardt was tenth.
“Alessandro will obviously be a major factor because this is one of several races leading up to the Tour of Flanders, which is one of his primary goals,” said assistant directeur sportif Michael Sawyers. He also thinks Burghardt should feature: “These races are becoming very important for him,” he said.
____________
E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke - March 27:
Alessandro Ballan (ITA), Marcus Burghardt (GER), Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Karsten Kroon (NED), John Murphy (USA), Michael Schär (SWI), Jackson Stewart (USA), Simon Zahner (SWI).
Gent-Wevelgem – March 28:
Alessandro Ballan (ITA), Marcus Burghardt (GER), George Hincapie (USA), Alexander Kristroff (NOR), John Murphy (USA), Michael Schär (SWI), Jackson Stewart (USA), Danilo Wyss (SWI).