The Tour of Flanders, also known as De Ronde, is an annual road cycling race held in Belgium every spring. The most important cycling race in Flanders, it is part of the UCI World Tour and organized by Flanders Classics. Its nickname is Vlaanderens Mooiste. First held in 1913, the Tour of Flanders had its 100th edition in 2016.
Paul Martens is a German former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2006 and 2021 for the Skil–Shimano and Team Jumbo–Visma teams. Martens achieved seven victories during his professional career, including a stage win and a general classification win at the Tour de Luxembourg, and stage wins at the Volta ao Algarve, the Vuelta a Burgos and the Tour of Belgium.
The Amstel Gold Race is a one-day classic road cycling race held annualy since 1966 in the province of Limburg, Netherlands. It traditionally marks the turning point of the spring classics, with the climbers and stage racers replacing the cobbled classics riders as the favourites.
Visma–Lease a Bike is a Dutch professional bicycle racing team, successor of the former Rabobank. The team consists of four sections: ProTeam, Women's Team, Development Team, and cyclo-cross.
Edward (Ward) Van Dijck was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer during the 1940s and 1950s.
The Tour of Flanders, formerly the Tour of Flanders for Women, is an annual road bicycle racing event in Flanders, Belgium, held in early April. It is held on the same day as the men's race, on much of the same roads but at a shorter distance. Dutch riders Mirjam Melchers, Annemiek van Vleuten, Belgian Lotte Kopecky and German Judith Arndt hold the record with two wins each. Lotte Kopecky won the most recent edition in 2023.
The Tour of Ireland was a bicycle stage race held in August, which ran for 35 editions over a 56-year period. Irish rider Seán Kelly recorded the most wins, four.
Niki Terpstra is a Dutch former racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2003 and 2022 for six different teams. He is the brother of fellow racing cyclist Mike Terpstra. He is the third Dutch cyclist to have won both of the cobbled Monument spring classics, Paris–Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders, after Jan Raas and Hennie Kuiper.
Eddy Bouwmans is a Dutch former road bicycle racer. Bouwmans currently works as a Hospitality Coordinator for UCI WorldTeam Visma–Lease a Bike.
Cees Priem is a retired Dutch professional road bicycle racer. After his cycling career, Priem became team manager of TVM. He competed in the individual road race and team time trial events at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Michael Van Staeyen is a Belgian former professional road racing cyclist, who competed as a professional from 2008 until 2022.
Reinardt Janse van Rensburg is a South African professional road bicycle racer, who currently rides for UCI Continental team China Glory Continental Cycling Team. A two-time winner of the South African National Road Race Championships, Janse van Rensburg has competed professionally since 2010, having rode for Giant–Shimano (2013–2014), Team Qhubeka NextHash, and Lotto–Soudal (2022).
Mathieu van der Poel is a Dutch professional cyclist who rides for the UCI WorldTeam Alpecin–Deceuninck. He competes in the cyclo-cross, mountain biking and road racing disciplines of the sport.
Kenneth Vanbilsen is a Belgian former cyclist, who competed as a professional from 2011 to 2022. He was named in the start list for the 2015 Tour de France, winning the combativity award on stage ten.
Tim Merlier is a Belgian cyclist who rides for UCI WorldTeam Soudal–Quick-Step.
Ernest Sterckx was a Belgian professional racing cyclist. He won the 1946 Gent-Wevelgem and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 1952, 1953 and 1956.
Martijn Budding is a Dutch cyclist, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam TDT–Unibet Cycling Team.
Gerben Thijssen is a Belgian road and track cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Intermarché–Wanty.
Arvid de Kleijn is a Dutch cyclist, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam Tudor Pro Cycling Team. He previously competed for Rally Cycling, and was the team's first-ever European squad member, when he joined for the 2021 season.
Henri Moerenhout (BEL)
