An injury-hit 2013 campaign meant we were unable to see the best of Tom Boonen after his phenomenal ‘grand slam’ of the cobbled Classics in 2012. But the Omega Pharma-Quickstep man has been back in prime form this season. A victory in either the Ronde or at Paris-Roubaix would make him the most successful rider in the history of the respective races, and on his form so far this year it is certainly not beyond him.

Family tragedy put a halt to proceedings just prior to Milan-San Remo, and at E3 Harelbeke he looked short of racing form. But at Gent-Wevelgem he made amends with a top-five finish and with the backing of arguably the strongest team in the peloton – with Niki Terpstra and Zdenek Stybar among the OPQS riders equally capable of victory – Boonen will hope to peak over the next eight days. Should it come down to a sprint, both Boonen and Sagan will be prime contenders – but Tornado Tom has proved he is equally capably of going it alone too. Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne showed what Omega Pharma-Quickstep can do on top form too, and whatever tactics they opt for, if they get it right the Belgian super team will take some beating.