Dwars door Vlaanderen 2018: Favourites

Dwars door Vlaanderen is the Tour of Flanders' little brother. Less hills, less cobbles. Yet, the field features strong men such as Greg Van Avermaet, Tiesj Benoot, Sep Vanmarcke and Niki Terpstra. Cyclingstage.com brings you the favourites to win Dwars door Vlaanderen in 2018. (Slideshow route/profile)

Dwars door Vlaanderen is played out just four days before the Tour of Flanders. That’s why the race has been shortened by 20 kilometres. Furthermore, Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg no longer appear in the last 35 kilometres. These adjustments should favour fast finishers.

Usually, Dwars door Vlaanderen boils down to a sprint or someone soloing to victory after a late attack. Two years ago, Jens Debusschere outsprinted a select peloton and last year Yves Lampaert attacked just before the last cobbled sector to solo to victory. Niki Terpstra also won the race solo in recent years. So the favourites to win the race are either sprinters or prototypical Flemish Classics specialists.

Dwars door Vlaanderen has thrown up more than its fair share of surprises in its history. Contenders Yves Lampaert (2017), Jens Debusschere (2016) Jelle Wallays (2015), Niki Terpstra (2012, 2014), Oscar Gatto (2013) and Sylvain Chavanel (2008) did win the race before.

Michael Valgren (Omloop Het Nieuwsblad), Dylan Groenewegen (Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne), Tiesj Benoot (Strade Bianche), Vincenzo Nibali (Milan-San Remo), Niki Terpstra (E3 Harelbeke) and Peter Sagan (Gent-Wevelgem) were victorious in the major Classics of 2018.

Favourites 2018 Dwars door Vlaanderen

***** Greg Van Avermaet, Tiesj Benoot, Sep Vanmarcke, Niki Terpstra
**** Alexander Kristoff, Jasper Stuyven, Alejandro Valverde, Wout Van Aert
*** Oliver Naesen, Luke Durbridge, Gianni Moscon, Jens Debusschere
** Dylan Groenewegen, Magnus Cort, Elia Viviani, Christophe Laporte
* Yves Lampaert, Luke Rowe, Søren Kragh Andersen, John Degenkolb, Edward Theuns