Team NetApp-Endura will line up in tomorrow's Dwars door Vlaanderen looking for results in the traditional warm-up race for the Tour of Flanders. The team will focus on sprinter Daniel Schorn and allrounder Andreas Schillinger in the Flemish classic.

This coming Wednesday, Dwars door Vlaanderen will serve as the traditional dress rehearsal for the Tour of Flanders, which will take place ten days later. The route for the 201-km race is a loop from Roeselare to Waregem, on which the cyclists will also have to conquer a number of hills that are considered key spots on the “Ronde van Vlaanderen”.

Team NetApp – Endura doesn’t just plan to use the race as a dress rehearsal, but also hopes to get another good finish with Daniel Schorn and Andreas Schillinger in its lineup.

“Dwars door Vlaanderen is a difficult race that is held in high esteem in Belgium. For us it will kick off some major races such as Gent-Wevelgem, DePanne and Brabant. We will be concentrating on Daniel Schorn. The nature of the race suits him and his form is improving from week to week after his illness.

"Andreas Schillinger is also in good form and will certainly look for his opportunity. Our team will provide both of them with the best possible support. As is so often the case, weather conditions in Belgium always play a major role in deciding the outcome of the race,” Sport Director André Schulze said in the run-up to the Belgian Classic.

The race will begin in Roeselare, after which the route is relatively flat heading towards Waregem, where cyclists will pass through the finish twice. After that the profile becomes more selective.

Eleven hills and three cobblestone sections must be mastered in the second half of the race. With the Leberg, Valkenberg, Eikenberg, Taaienberg, Oude-Kwaremont and the Paterberg, the route includes six of the short, steep climbs that must also be completed in the Tour of Flanders. This is also why Dwars door Vlaanderen is considered an ideal race to prepare for the “Ronde” held just ten days later.

However, the Tour of Flanders has a profile that is not only nearly 60 kilometers longer, but also has twice as many cobblestone sections and six more climbs. The cyclists will reach the finish line of Dwars door Vlaanderen in Waregem after 201 kilometers.

NetApp-Endura for Dwars door Vlaanderen:

Sam Bennett, Blaž Jarc, Jonathan McEvoy, Andreas Schillinger, Daniel Schorn, Michael Schwarzmann and Ralf Matzka