Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo)
Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo)
Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo) is, like Stannard, another former champion of this race and, like Terpstra, only narrowly missed out on a podium place last year.
The Belgian will hope to kick-start LottoNL-Jumbo’s season and find the team their first win under their new headline sponsors. That barren run will surely not last and Vanmarcke is one rider more-than capable of sealing the maiden win having become a perennial Classics contender in recent years.
Vanmarcke finished in the top five on six occasions last spring, at the Omloop, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, E3-Harelbeke, Gent-Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, with Scheldeprijs the only exception.
Vanmarcke will have bigger targets over the next six weeks, with a first victory at Paris-Roubaix at the forefront of his mind after his 2013 near miss, along with success at the Ronde, but there will be no better way to kick-off his campaign than with a win here.