Preview Flèche Brabançonne 2024 | Cobbles are (almost) done, so the Ardennes are coming up!

What applies to practically all races these days certainly also applies to the Flèche Brabançonne: every race is important. Of the past five editions, three were won by stars of contemporary cycling: Mathieu van der Poel (2019), Julian Alaphilippe (2020) and Tom Pidcock (2021). Going further back, we also see names like Tim Wellens and Phillippe Gilbert.

Last year, surprisingly, it was Dorian Godon of AG2R who came out on top. The ginger Frenchman spent the entire finale on the move with the hard-working Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and then beat the young Irishman in the sprint. Benoit Cosnefroy completed the celebration by finishing third.

2023 Dorian Godon
2022 Magnus Sheffield
2021 Tom Pidcock
2020 Julian Alaphilippe
2019 Mathieu van der Poel
2018 Tim Wellens
2017 Sonny Colbrelli
2016 Petr Vakoc
2015 Ben Hermans
2014 Philippe Gilbert

The Flèche Brabançonne usually starts in the student city of Leuven, where the riders set off just after noon (12:35 PM) for this edition of the Flèche Brabançonne. From Leuven, they head towards Beersel, where the first six hills of this one-day race are also located. Whether climbs like the Chaussée d'Alsemberg (1.6 km at 2.8%) and Bruineput (1.2 km at 5.7%) will have an impact on how the race unfolds, remains to be seen.

Usually, the race revolves mainly about the local circuit in and around the finish town of Overijse, where some of the hills of course take us back to the World Cycling Championships in 2021. The Hertstraat (0.7 km at 4.7%), Moskesstraat (0.5 km at 4.9%), Holstheide (1 km at 5.3%) and S-bend (1.3 km at 4.2%) have to be conquered multiple times in the local lap.

Most participants will already be familiar with the finish, but for those who don't: the finish straight also goes slightly uphill, so after 195 kilometers of cycling and 21 hills, good timing is still important.

Climbs
60.4 km: Chaussée d'Alsemberg (1.6 km at 2.8%)
72.7 km: Sollenberg (0.5 km at 7.9%)
75.3 km: Bruineput (1.2 km at 5.7%)
81.0 km: Eigenbrakelsesteenweg (0.9 km at 4.9%)
93.3 km: Rue de Nivelles (2 km at 4%)
116.3 km: Rue François Dubois (0.9 km at 4.1%)
122.1 km: Rue deer (0.7 km at 4.7%)
127.1 km: Moskesstraat (0.5 km at 4.9%)
130.2 km: Holstheide (1 km at 5.3%)
137.3 km: S-curve (1.3 km at 4.2%)
141.9 km: Hertstraat (0.7 km at 4.7%)
146.9 km: Moskesstraat (0.5 km at 4.9%)
150.0 km: Holstheide (1 km at 5.3%)
157.1 km: S-turn (1.3 km at 4.2%)
161.7 km: Hertstraat (0.7 km at 4.7%)
166.7 km: Moskesstraat (0.5 km at 4.9%)
169.8 km: Holstheide (1 km at 5.3%)
176.9 km: S-curve (1.3 km at 4.2%)  
181.5 km: Hertstraat (0.7 km at 4.7%)
186.4 km: Moskesstraat (0.5 km at 4.9%)
189.6 km: Holstheide (1 km at 5.3%)
196.7 km: S-turn (1.3 km at 4.2%)   

Weather
The weather conditions are great in Belgium on Sunday. It will be about 15 degrees Celsius, with the sun making its appearance every now and then. There is a light breeze from the southwest.

Times.

When assessing the qualities of the participants against the capabilities needed to win this race, you quickly come across someone like Michael Matthews. The Australian of Jayco AlUla was already runner-up in Milan-San Remo and finished third in the Tour of Flanders, only to be relegated to eleventh place due to an irregular sprint. The rest of the peloton knows how strong he is, though, and will want to diminish his chances in the sprint.

Then, just like last year, we look at a team like Decathlon AG2R, where Dorian Godon and Benoit Cosnefroy are defending their podium positions. Cosnefroy also finished on the podium of the race in 2022 and 2020. UAE-Team Emirates is in the same boat, with former winner Tim Wellens, who made his debut in Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, Marc Hirschi and Antonio Morgado as potential key players.

Alpecin-Deceuninck is bringing multiple contenders. Kaden Groves and Soren Kragh Andersen have both not quite had the spring season they would have liked due to knee problems, but with Basque Country stage winner Quinten Hermans and Catalonia champion Axel Laurance, the team still has irons in the fire. The same goes for Israel-Premier Tech, which heads into battle with Stephen Williams, Dylan Teuns and the fast Corbin Strong.

What about the other Belgian teams? For now, no Maxim Van Gils - contrary to the initial list - among the provisional participants of Lotto-Dstny, which will therefore mainly rely on Andreas Kron. Soudal Quick-Step is primarily banking on the strong American Luke Lamperti and puncher William Junior Lecerf. Intermarché-Wanty also puts its hopes on youngsters, with particularly high expectations for the Italian Fransesco Bussato.

There are also plenty of outsiders in this race, where traditionally some men come to the fore that we need to watch out for as we head towards the Ardennes. Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X) could be one such person if he can reach the level he had at the start of this year. Warren Barguil (dsm-firmenich PostNL) prepared - at altitude - for this period, as did Olympic champion Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) from Ecuador. Furthermore, we keep an eye on punchy types like Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies), Vincenzo Albanese (Arkéa - B&B Hotels) and Alexander Kamp (Tudor), as well as TDT-Unibet rider Jelle Johannink.

Top favorites: Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla) and Benoit Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R)

The Flèche Brabançonne is traditionally broadcasted by Sporza and Eurosport. From 3 PM onwards, you can tune in on VRT 1, while Eurosport will provide live coverage starting from around 3:15 PM, after the finish of the women's race.