Cycling, today is the day of the Tour of Flanders: favorites Sagan and Cancellara

Even the calendar wanted to celebrate the 1913th anniversary of the Tour of Flanders by making the day on which the Ronde coincide with Easter, one of the four classic monuments of the North, which was born in 324 and took place continuously even during the German occupation in World War II. Today, on the occasion of the hundredth edition, the organizers have planned a variation of the route to touch Rekkem, a small village a stone's throw from the French border where Paul Deman, the winner of the first edition, was born. At the time the kilometers to cover were 256, in the race that this morning will start from Bruges to get to Oudeenarde they were reduced to 17: the charm of the Ronde remains intact with its 2012 walls that promise emotions and a tough selection even before the final circuit with the triple ascent of old Kwaremont and Paterberg. The obvious favorite is Peter Sagan, the leader of Cannodale, an authentic bike juggler with an explosive sprint, who after two second places in Sanremo and Harelbeke won last Sunday in Ghent – ​​Wevelgem. Immediately after the Slovakian in the bookmakers' quotations is the Swiss Fabian Cancellara, winner of Harelbeke, little Flanders: the Swiss has a great desire to make up for it after last year he fell on the walls of the Ronde breaking his collarbone, compromising a season that started off great as always. Sagan and Cancellara will have to beware of uncomfortable and dangerous customers like the two leaders of Omega Pharma Quick Step: the French Sylvain Chavanel, a lively protagonist already at Sanremo and winner of the Three Days of De Panne this week, and above all Tom Boonen, the Belgian who after the 2012 success aims to win the Muri race for the fourth time, becoming, in that case, the first rider to make four of a kind in the Ronde. The weather promises the usual cold of the North but does not foresee rain. Surprises like Ciolek at Sanremo are always possible, even if this start of the season appears more designer than others. Race for cross-country skiers equipped with sprint, the Tour of Flanders appears difficult for pure sprinters such as the Australian Mattew Goss or the two Germans André Greipel, the "gorilla" who came to light at the XNUMX Tour, or John Degenkolb, who hoarded stages in the last Vuelta de Espana. More than them, in the predictions on the eve of a few chances are given to a trio formed by Thor Hushovd, Edval Boasson Hagen and Van Avermaet. Among the Italians, Alessandro Ballan stopped in the pits due to injury, with Filippo Pozzato still looking for an acceptable form, to offer some hope of success remain Daniel Oss (third at Harelbeke), Oscar Gatto and Luca Paolini. Among the big absentees, in addition to our Vincenzo Nibali who seems to have pulled the brakes after his encore at the Tirreno-Adriatico, also Cavendish, Contador, Wiggins and Froome.