The 745km Renewi Tour gets underway on Wednesday with five stages including an individual time trial and a finale on the Muur van Geraardsbergen - made famous for its key role in the old Tour of Flanders route - where riders face four ascents of the infamous climb.
The opening stage in Riemst is similarly hilly and will likely lead to a first selection for the overall classification contenders, with repeated climbs such as the Côte Slingerberg, Côte de Hallembaye and Côte Sur les Coteaux.
After the individual time trial, there are two stages suited for the sprinters before the big showdown in Geraardsbergen.