Tour of Flanders (2019) Photos April

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Race favorite Greg VAN AVERMAET (BEL/CCC TEAM) reconing this year's course. Recon photos from previous years	“Every year, I line up at the Tour of Flanders saying the same thing. I’m strong, I’m confident in my form, and I’m motivated to win. Nothing has changed this year. I know I’m capable of winning the Tour of Flanders but it hasn’t happened yet in my career. I hope to change that on Sunday. The Classics are unpredictable so everything has to go your way. If everything goes my way then I’m confident that I can be back on the podium this year," Van Avermaet said. “We saw at Gent-Wevelgem how chaotic it is when the race is aggressive from the beginning and this definitely suits me, especially in a race like the Tour of Flanders which is longer and harder anyway. Normally, the race is fairly controlled until we hit the last 100 kilometers or so and then it’s all about positioning, the legs, and a little bit of luck.”	Jumbo - Visma press conference with Wout van Aert
Wout van Aert said, “After the previous races, I should have the ambition to finish very high again. But I don't think I should say that the only thing that counts is winning.”	Peter Sagan press conference	Peter Sagan and Team manager, Ralph Denk. Ralph Denk said, “We can be very happy with our season so far, in which we have already claimed 11 victories. At the moment, a Monument is still missing from this collection, however, there will still be opportunities over the coming weeks. The crashes and injuries that have occurred over the last weeks have, without doubt, been felt within the team. Peter’s illness was also hardly an optimal situation, but sometimes there’s just not much one can do about these things. The team is working very diligently to ensure that everyone who is affected will return to fitness as soon as possible. Reflecting on the last few results, I think that we have a good team for Flanders and Roubaix, and also a very strong squad for the Ardennes this year. I think the team will be a force to be reckoned with over the next few weeks, and if we hit our targets, to get one of the big wins, then I will definitely be very satisfied.”
“I was able to recover over the last week and I trained well. I did everything that I felt was necessary. Now we will see how it goes. It is of course a real shame that Oscar and Jempy will not be lining up to race. They have worked very hard and would have deserved to be there, but despite their absence, we will still have a good team heading into the race. This year, there are several favourites. Perhaps this time, I won’t be the one who is being watched by everyone, and that can also have its advantages. In any case, we have to concentrate on ourselves, and ride our own race.” – Peter Sagan
	Sunweb press conference with Michael Matthews	Many options for the best classics squad this year. More photos from the Deceuninck - Quick-Step press conference

Stage 2:  Men's race  Full Results and Report

Oudenaarde: One of the most picturesque staging areas in cycling	Teams presentation with GROUPAMA - FDJ on stage	DECEUNINCK - QUICK STEP soaking up the wave of excitement
24 year-old Mathieu Van Der Poel (Netherlands / Team Corendon - Circus) arrives	With only two WorldTour races (and one win) under his belt, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Netherlands / Corendon - Circus) is already striking fear in the peloton	Movistar onstage
Last year's winner, Niki Terpstra (Netherlands / Team Direct Energie) signing-in before crashing out with 150 km to go	Sonny Colbrelli (Italy / Team Bahrain - Merida) and Hilde Merckpoel (Radio Belge)	One of the race favorites, Wout van Aert (Belgium / Team Jumbo - Visma) looks relaxed
Start scene in Antwerpen	Rolling out for 271 km of racing
A warm day; fans among lush hills	Peter Sagan (SVK - Bora - Hansgrohe) and Daniel Oss (ITA - Bora - Hansgrohe)	Jesper Asselman (Netherlands / Team Roompot - Charles) leds the early break
17 cobbled climbs	100 km to go: Peter Sagan (SVK - Bora - Hansgrohe) on Muur van Geraardsbergen	Alejandro Valverde (ESP - Movistar Team), Bob Jungels (LUX - Deceuninck - Quick Step), Jasper Stuyven (BEL- Trek - Segafredo) on Muur van Geraardsbergen
Wout van Aert (Belgium / Team Jumbo - Visma) on Muur van Geraardsbergen	60 km to go: Mathieu van der Poel damaged his bike on a curb and lost control before he could come to a complete stop	Meanwhile things continued to heat up near the front of the favorites
Tight cornering; Alexander Kristoff (NOR - UAE - Team Emirates) and Alejandro Valverde (ESP - Movistar Team) touch	Michael Matthews (Australia / Team Sunweb), Luke Rowe (GBR / Team Sky), Dylan van Baarle (Netherlands / Team Sky)	Mathieu Van Der Poel (Netherlands / Team Corendon - Circus) clawing his way back to the front of the race after crashing with 60 km to go
Stijn Vandenbergh (Belgium / Team AG2R La Mondiale) and Sep Vanmarcke (Belgium / Team EF Education First) about to be caught	Peter Sagn tiring
Alberto Bettiol (Italy / Team EF Education First) attacked with 18 km to go: “Andreas said from the car: ‘If you can, just go.’ And I closed my eyes and went,” said Bettiol. “I looked over the top. I had a gap, and from the car they said to keep pushing on, keep pushing on.”	With a lead hovering around 20s, Alberto Bettiol (Italy / Team EF Education First) pushed on to the finish. “It was the longest 14 kilometers of my life,” said Bettiol.	Mathieu Van Der Poel (Netherlands / Team Corendon - Circus) trying to chase alone but all chase attempts were nullified and the group didn't work together
Despite having never won a pro race until today, Alberto Bettiol (Italy / Team EF Education First) wins one of the biggest races in cycling		The finish scene in Oudenaarde and the margin of victory
Your 2019 Tour of Flanders winner, 25 year-old Alberto Bettiol (Italy / Team EF Education First): “In the car, on the bus, at home, they believed in me, but I didn’t believe until 100 meters from the finish,” said Bettiol. “Then I turned back, and I could see I had the victory.”	Winning with panache	After Kasper ASGREEN (DEN/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) crossed 2nd + 14s, Alexander KRISTOFF (NOR/UAE TEAM EMIRATES) won the bunch sprint for 3rd + 17s, 4th Mathieu VAN DER POEL (NED/CORENDON - CIRCUS), 5th Nils POLITT (GER/KATUSHA ALPECIN), 6th Michael MATTHEWS (AUS/SUNWEB), 7th Oliver NAESEN (BEL/AG2R LA MONDIALE), 8th Alejandro VALVERDE (ESP/MOVISTAR), 9th Tiesj BENOOT (BEL/LOTTO SOUDAL), 10th Greg VAN AVERMAET (BEL/CCC), 11th Peter SAGAN (SVK/BORA - HANSGROHE)
Past winner of RVV and 2nd today Alexander KRISTOFF (NOR/UAE TEAM EMIRATES) looks at the winner with respect	Your 2019 Ronde van Vlaanderen winner, Alberto Bettiol (Italy / Team EF Education First). Team effort delivers EF Education First’s biggest victory, the seventh this season for the rejuvenated team	Your 2019 Tour of Flanders podium: 2nd Kasper Asgreen (Denmark / Team Deceuninck - Quick Step) + 14s 1st Alberto Bettiol (Italy / Team EF Education First) 6:18:49 and 3rd Alexander Kristoff (Norway / UAE Team Emirates) + 17s
Molto buona... Italy doubles up. Your Men's and Women's winners, Alberto Bettiol (Italy / Team EF Education First) and Marta Bastianelli (Italy / Team Virtu Cycling)