Back in action at the Dwaars Door Vlaanderen, Tom Boonen is a five-time winner of E3 Harelbeke – his previous victory, in 2012, setting up a phenomenal clean sweep of the cobbled Classics. On that occasion the race came down to a sprint finish, and the Belgian super team have proved with stunning efforts in Qatar and at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, they are on top form when it comes to setting Tornado Tom up for victory.

Boonen’s 2013 campaign was hit by injury but his form this year has proved he is still the same force to be reckoned with. His wife’s miscarriage saw him withdraw from Milan-San Remo, and it remains to be seen how the emotional strain of his family tragedy affects him. But when considering race-form alone, both Omega Pharma-Quickstep and Tom Boonen are rightly expected to be well in contention throughout the next few weeks. Boonen knows better than anyone what it takes to win this race.