It's hard to believe, but we are now less than a week away from the Tour of Flanders, with only a further week after that until Paris-Roubaix. Together they mark the climax of the early-season Classics, although there will still be the Ardennes races to enjoy for those who prefer their Classics served with fewer cobbles and more hills.
For the riders, the training is well in the past now and their race skills are being sharpened at the coalface – at events such as the weekend's E3 Saxo Classic and In Flanders Fields (which used be called Gent-Wevelgem). Both are big races in their own right, offering up a major tick on any palmarès and, as we saw at the weekend, a bucketful of action for fans to enjoy. Let's reflect on a few scoops from that bucket.
