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2020 Tour of Flanders - Ronde van Vlaanderen
World Tour: Virtual Edition

104th edition: Sunday, April 5, 2020

Complete results of every Tour of Flanders | 2019 edition | Course map | Start list

Watch the race: You can see how to watch the race on Flosports by clicking on this link

Flanders virtual podium

Since we have a virtual race, here's the virtual podium, from left: Oliver Naesen (2nd), Greg van Avermaert (1st) & Nicholas Roche (3rd)

An explanation: Here's the organizer's April 2 update:

Of course, the real Tour of Flanders has been postponed for the time being in line with the guidelines issued by the government to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. Nevertheless, we have found an alternative for the Tour of Flanders this Sunday - with the first virtual edition ever, as well a radio play featuring 104 years of Flanders Finest.

De Ronde 2020, the lockdown edition

The event that all of Flanders is more passionate about than any other will not take place on Sunday 5 April. This prompted Flanders Classics and Belgian national sports broadcaster Sporza to go in search of an innovative alternative that is equally thrilling for both fans and cyclists. Although it is currently forbidden to cycle in groups and has been for a little while now, they will be announcing the very first virtual edition of Flanders’ Finest for professional cyclists today: DeRonde2020, the lockdown edition. Because you can still cycle on your home trainer.

Flanders Classics developed a unique concept in collaboration with technology partners Bkool and Kiswe. Not only that, the participating teams also contributed their part to this wonderful initiative. The teams were not only more than willing to join in, they are what’s more doing so entirely free of charge.

After a 1 hour race, the 2020 winner will be crowned. In a closed tour reserved exclusively for professional cyclists, 13 pros will be competing during the last 32 km of the Tour of Flanders - on their home trainers. Thanks to Kiswe we will be able to watch the riders tackle a virtual Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg in real time on the Bkool platform. The tour has already been uploaded onto Bkool’s digital platform.

The race: Here's the organizer's race report:

The first virtual Tour of Flanders ever, which the riders rode on their indoor trainers at home, has its winner. Greg van Avermaet made it after an ultimate acceleration on the Paterberg. He kept his lead and was able to raise his arms in the air at home. He can now call himself the winner of DeRonde2020 - the lockdown edition. Oliver Naesen and Nicolas Roche complete the podium.

The riders had to face the final 32km of the Tour of Flanders. Not long after the start the climb of the Kruisberg awaited. First acceleration is from Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), on the Kruisberg he rides away from the rest of the peloton. Alberto Bettiol (EF Education First), the winner of the Tour of Flanders 2019, is able to join him in the descent. They will be accompanied by Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) and Nicholas Roche (Team Sunweb).

In the pursuit, it's mainly Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale) and Greg van Avermaet (Team CCC) who give their all at home to close the gap. And that succeeds. A leading group of 6 riders forms in the run-up to the Oude Kwaremont. Just before the climb Bettiol, who is riding from Lugano, has a hard time. He gets dropped from the front of the race and doesn't have a chance to take the win anymore.

During the climb of the Oude Kwaremont there is a small lead for Evenepoel and De Gendt, but they don't get away. Van Avermaet, Naesen and also Roche come back soon. On the end of the Oude Kwaremont, Evenepoel sees his chance to try again. Again he manages to get a lead, but just like before in the race it merges together again at the front.

The last climb of this virtual course is, just like in the real Tour of Flanders, the Paterberg. No cobblestones on the indoor trainers, but the gradient is accurate. Van Avermaet turns the throttle firmly open and flies up the virtual Paterberg. Once at the top, the Olympic champion had a nice lead.

Van Avermaet seems to give everything he has in him. The chasers, with Naesen, Roche and De Gendt, are not getting any closer. At home in Grembergen Van Avermaet is riding to victory in DeRonde2020 - the lockdown edition. In the pursuit Naesen attempts a final attack at 2.5 km from the finish. Roche comes back on the wheel and they will sprint for second place. Naesen, with the necessary grimace on his face, eventually makes it.

Meanwhile, Greg Van Avermaet puts his arms in the air at home, surrounded by wife and children. De Ronde2020 - the lockdown edition was not only a unique experience for the riders and the organisation, but undoubtedly also for the viewers at home.

Complete Results:

31 kilometers raced at an average speed of 42.973 km/hr

1 Greg Van Avermaet CCC 43min 17sec
2 Oliver Naesen AG2R-La Mondiale @ 20sec
3 Nicolas Roche Sunweb 0:21
4 Thomas De Gendt Lotto Soudal 0:50
5 Jasper Stuyven Trek-Segafredo 1:33
6 Remco Evenepoel Deceuninck-Quick Step 1:42
7 Tim Wellens Lotto Soudal 2:08
8 Wout van Aert Jumbo-Visma 2:21
9 Mike Teunissen Jumbo-Visma 2:38
10 Zdenek Stybar Deceuninck-Quick Step 3:29
11 Yves Lampaert Deceuninck-Quick-Step s.t.
12 Alberto Bettiol EF Pro Cycling 3:39
Michael Matthews Sunweb dnf



Course map:

Virtual flander map

Sunday 5 April the winner of the virtual Tour of Flanders will be crowned after a race on the course of the last 32 km of Flanders Finest. Who accelerates a first time on the Kruisberg and then goes crazy on the duo in the final of the Tour of Flanders, Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg? Fictively the finish line lies in Oudenaarde, but the winner will be able to put his arms up in the air at home.

Start list: April 4, 2020: