Brabantse Pijl is sandwiched between the cobbled classics in Belgium/Nothern France and the hilly classics in Belgium/the Netherlands. As far as the kind of difficulties goes the race is in between also. Hardly any cobbles and the hills are less tricky than in Amstel Gold and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Yet, if you want to win the race you definitely need to know how to brave a Belgian hill.
Last year, homerider Ben Hermans took the win. If he wants pull it off once more he has to best specialists suchs as Matthews, Slagter and Wellen.
Gilbert is a two times winner in Brabantse pijl, but he will not compete after a bizarre clash with a drunken car driver during a training session. A fight got him injured (true story).
Favourites Brabantse Pijl 2016
*** Michael Matthews, Tom-Jelte Slagter, Tim Wellens
** Julian Alaphillipe, Tony Gallopin, Thomas De Gendt
* Ben Hermans, Filippo Pozzato, Sonny Colbrelli, Tom Dumoulin
Brabantse Pijl 2016: Route maps, height profiles, etc.
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