Tour of Flanders Striking quote in our weekendinterview with Round-organizers Wouter Vandenhaute and Thomas Van Den Spiegel. In a passage about the potential winner and the potential droomscenario says the strong man of the Flanders Classics that just Bettiol the Round will not win. Who or what is there in the droomscenario for?
From The Mirror: “You can argue whether Sagan, Naesen and Van Avermaet in 2017 without that fall on the top of the Oude Kwaremont were returned to Gilbert…”
Vandenhaute: “Patrick Lefevere, eds.) hear that does not like, but of course they were returned.”
From the Mirror: “I’m an athlete. You may not have a single athlete of his time, the gloire burnout. Who are we to say: ‘This is not a beautiful winner’?”
Vandenhaute: “Despite the fact that I am convinced that they were returned, I think Gilbert is the rightful winner of the Round of 2017. I wish that the best wins. And it is not necessarily better if a Fleming is. I really enjoyed Sagan in Gent-Wevelgem. Sagan is like a half a wreck at the Tirreno started, but on Sunday he drove a fantastic race. Love him but seriously in the holes. And Pedersen.”
For a wider audience it is of interest that one more time a Belgian wins, especially after such a long period of drought? You go on Sunday, not swearing if Bettiol, or Langeveld wins?
Vandenhaute: “That are not going to win.”