It’s time for the first Belgian stage race of the season. From Friday 6th until Sunday 8th March the Three Days of West-Flanders takes place.

Since 2011 the Three Days of West-Flanders has startsedwith a prologue in Middelkerke. Three times the winner of the prologue became the overall winner as well. Obviously the prologue is important to get a good classification. The prologue in Middelkerke is seven kilometres long. The riders will head towards Nieuwpoort to then head back to the Casino in Middelkerke after three and a half kilometres.

The first stage, on Saturday, is 174.1 kilometres long. The peloton starts in Bruges. After hundred kilometres the riders will arrive at the Oude Kwaremont, the only climb on the route. Afterwards there are 74 flat kilometres left till the finish town Harelbeke, where the riders will have to cover four laps of 9.9 kilometres.

The final stage from Nieuwpoort to Ichtegem is tougher with a total of eleven climbs. The Goeberg, Rodeberg, Monteberg and Kemmelberg are halfway on the course. At the end there are three laps with the Keiberg and Ruidenberg as obstacles. After 184.5 kilometres the stage will come to an end and the winner of the Three Days of West-Flanders will be known.

“The prologue is indeed decisive in the battle for the overall win," Lotto Soudal sports director Frederik Willems said. "We hope to set a fast time with Sean De Bie, who proved in the Tour of Denmark last year that he can ride a good time trial, Vegard Breen and Kris Boeckmans, who is in good shape.

“Normally Kris Boeckmans will be our sprinter. He won a stage in the Etoile de Bessèges and proved in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne that he’s good. Kenny Dehaes is our backup. I don’t expect a real bunch sprint. With hills like the Oude Kwaremont, Kemmelberg and Monteberg a selection will be made. If a peloton of sixty riders heads to the finish, Kris should be in it. Much will depend on the other riders on the start list. Also the weather conditions will have their influence on the race.”

Selection Lotto Soudal:

Tiesj Benoot, Kris Boeckmans, Vegard Breen, Sean De Bie, Kenny Dehaes, Gert Dockx, Boris Vallée and Tosh Van der Sande.