Tour of Flanders recon
The final race of the 2020 season marks the team’s first-ever participation in one of cycling’s five monuments, the Tour of Flanders. Also known as the Ronde van Vlaanderen, the race will take the women’s WorldTour peloton on a brutal 135 km course through the heart of Flanders where riders will face 11 iconic climbs before a mad rush into the finish in Oudenaarde. To prepare for Sunday’s big event, the squad went out on course to ride every cobblestone, climb, and corner that will decide the race. Sean Robinson from Velofocus was on hand to capture the magic in our latest gallery.
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- The assembled fleet of support vehicles.
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- A look at the slippery front end of the Felt AR aero road bike equipped with Easton carbon bars, Vision wheels, and Kenda tires.
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- Heidi Franz and team mechanic Zane Freebairn are both avid photographers.
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- Freebairn and his Park Tool torque wrench to the rescue.
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- Chloe Hosking is the only rider who has raced Flanders on the roster but she’s just as excited as the rookies.
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- Emma White sets the tone during rollout.
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- The team didn’t have far to go before they hit the climbs.
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- Sara Poidevin is focused as she opts for a gloveless pre-ride.
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- The team approach Paterberg during the 2020 Rally Cycling – Ronde van Vlaanderen Race Recon, in Flanders, Belgium on October 15, 2020. Photo by Sean Robinson/velofocus.com
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- Hosking discussed the lead into various sectors with her teammates throughout the day.
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- Moove over, the orange train is coming through.
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- The small Belgian farm roads your dream of training on. Racing them is another story.
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- The Taaienberg is the eighth of a total 11 climbs during the race.
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- On a dry cobbled climb, riders can choose between standing and sitting. When it rains, everyone stays in the saddle.
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- Franz pulling clear of the team after overhauling the WorldTour AG2R team.
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- A closer look at Hosking’s Felt FR.
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- Your new desktop image of Williams looking like a boss.
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- Hosking and company pick up a cycle tourist along the way.
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- Franz on her way up the Paterberg, the final climb of the race.
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- Hosking cresting the Paterberg, 13 km from the finish.
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- A light spin back to the house to process the course and grab a bite to eat.
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- One final race together before the off-season. Franz, White, WIlliams, Hosking, and Poidevin.
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- What did you expect? We told them to relax!
