It's back to the Belgian classics this week for MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung as the boys start the Dwars Door Vlaanderen on Wednesday. At 200km in length and ranked as a UCI 1.HC event, the race is more than just a precursor to the upcoming World Tour E3 Harelbeke this weekend.

After the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the Dwars Door Vlaanderen is the 2nd spectacle being put on by the Flanders Classics organising committee and you can be sure that a quality field of classics specialists will be on display this Wednesday. The past champions of the race give no clues as to who the race will favour either, with the results sheet from the last 10 years equally divided between your strong classics type sprinters and roulers.

Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung have a well-balanced squad taking part which will be prepared for every eventuality. Tyler Farrar was 2nd in last year’s edition of the event after winning the field sprint just behind the solo victor. The American returns this year in a quest for glory. Theo Bos, Matt Goss and Youcef Reguigui give the team additional options for the win while Matt Brammeier, Nic Dougall, Jay Thomson and Andy Stauff complete the rest of the line-up.

11 Hellingen climbs and 3 separate cobble sectors all coming in the final 100km of the race will be the main challenges of the day and should also provide a platform for an exciting race.

"I hope we can continue with the good run of form we experienced in Langkawi and Tirreno. Starting with a good result here in Waregem is important, particularly with a number of key appointments coming up in the next few weeks," sports director Michel Cornelisse said.