The Astana team will be commencing their Flemish campaign spearheaded by Maxim Iglinskiy and Andrei Grivko as this week witnesses the beginning of the spring cobblestone classics in Belgium, a series of one-day races in and around the Flanders region. Dwars door Vlaanderen initiates the action on Wednesday.

Traditionally held on a Wednesday, the 2013 edition of this Flanders classic race starts in the Belgian town of Roeselare and winds its way across the narrow farm roads and cobblestone climbs in the heart of Flemish hill country, before a finish in nearby Waregem.

The true heart of Flemish racing comes in the small, steep "hellingen" that dot the countryside, and at Dwars door Vlaanderen the race is set to cross 13 small hills before the finish, including the 1250 m long Eikenberg after 140 km, and the 1628 m long Knokteberg some 15 km later and the 1100 m long Oude-Kwaremont and Paterberg with gradients of up to 20 % in quick succession 35 km before the finish.

Astana line-up at Dwars door Vlaanderen:
Assan Bazayev, Borut Bozic, Dmitiry Gruzdev, Jacopo Guarnieri, Maxim Iglinskiy, Andrei Grivko, Dmitriy Muravyev and Ruslan Tleubayev

Cyclingquotes.com will be bringing you live coverage of Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday.