BiciRace.com :: 2006 Tour of Flanders

2006 Tour of Flanders, Preview

Tour of Flanders, Belgium

2 April, 258K

All Eyes On World Champion

Overall Map, Profile
17 Climbs
Startlist
Photos
Report and Results
2005 Results

Andreas Klier, Tom Boonen, Peter Van Petegem

Klier, Boonen, Van Petegem, photo: Christine Grein, Capture-The-Peloton.com

The beginning of April brings cycling tifosi the Ronde Van Vlaanderen. For the 90th Ronde Van Vlaanderen (or Tour of Flanders) all eyes will be on the World Champion, Tom Boonen. The Quick-Step rider won this race last year and instantly became a legend in his home country. For a Belgian there is no greater race to win on the cycling calendar.

September 2005 rolled around and then Boonen went on to win the World Championships in Madrid, and has since been racing in the rainbow stripes. His goal is simple: Reach Aankomst, after 17 climbs and 258K of racing, in the lead. By doing so he would be the first World champion to win De Ronde since Eddy Merckx back in 1975, and of course his stardom would sore to even greater heights.

Koppenberg, photo: RVV

The second half of the race is torturous: There are 17 climbs (some Muurs, "Walls") that make up a total of 15K of climbing, with an overall average gradient of 7.25%. Adding to the difficulties are the cobbles, over half of the climbs are cobbled, including the dicey Koppenberg (at 187K) with gradients up to 22%!

17 Climbs, Some VERY Painful

The last two climbs, Muur - Kapelmuur (242K) and Bosberg (246K), are both over 1000 meters and cobbled, which will be a great launch pad for the favorites. Here the riders will be thinned down to the best of the crop, and maybe some brave soul can give it a solo punch, like Bettini. In 2005, after the Bosberg, Tom Boonen put in the death-blow to his five companions, and rode the final 10K home solo. Bravo!

Boonen 2005 Edition, photo: Graham Watson, Saunier Duval

All the attention will be focused towards the Belgian Quick-Step squadra of Boonen. Team Manager Patrick Lefevere has strength in his numbers. If Tornado Tom is heavily marked, he can call upon Paolo Bettini, Filippo Pozzato or Nick Nuyens. The other big names to watch will be 2X winner Peter Van Petegem (Davitamon-Lotto), Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-Fondital), Steffen Wesemann (T-Mobile), Erik Zabel (Milram) and George Hincapie (Discovery Channel).

BiciRace.com advice is to relax and drink a De Koninck (or two) and let the climbs decide the King of Flanders.

Past Winners (from 1960):

2005 Tom Boonen (Bel)
2004 Steffen Wesemann (Ger)
2003 Peter Van Petegem (Bel)
2002 Andrea Tafi (Ita)
2001 Gianluca Bortolami (Ita)
2000 Andrei Tchmil (Bel)
1999 Peter Van Petegem (Bel)
1998 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1997 Rolf Sørensen (Den)
1996 Michele Bartoli (Ita)
1995 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1994 Gianni Bugno (Ita)
1993 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1992 Jacky Durand (Fra)
1991 Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel)
1990 Moreno Argentin (Ita)
1989 Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel)
1988 Eddy Planckaert (Bel)
1987 Claude Criquielion (Bel)
1986 Adri Van Der Poel (Ned)
1985 Eric Vanderaerden (Bel)
1984 Johan Lammerts (Ned)
1983 Jan Raas (Ned)

1982 Rene Martens (Bel)
1981 Hennie Kuiper (Ned)
1980 Michel Pollentier (Bel)
1979 Jan Raas (Ned)
1978 Walter Godefroot (Bel)
1977 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)
1976 Walter Planckaert (Bel)
1975 Eddy Merckx (Bel)
1974 Cees Bal (Ned)
1973 Eric Leman (Bel)
1972 Eric Leman (Bel)
1971 Evert Dolman (Ned)
1970 Eric Leman (Bel)
1969 Eddy Merckx (Bel)
1968 Walter Godefroot (Bel)
1967 Dino Zandegu (Ita)
1966 Ward Sels (Bel)
1965 Jo De Roo (Ned)
1964 Rudi Altig (Ger)
1963 Noél Foré (Bel)
1962 Rik Van Looy (Bel)
1961 Tom Simpson (GB)
1960 Arthur De Cabooter (Bel)