The Tour of Flanders is the second cycling monument of the season. 'Vlaanderens Mooiste' is one of Team Jumbo-Visma's primary goals for the year. "This race is high on our list", says Wout van Aert. "I don't need to explain how significant this race is for the team and me. The Ronde is just a little bit bigger than all the others."

According to the Belgian leader, the build-up to the Ronde is always exciting. "There is a certain amount of nervousness. You can feel that the apotheosis of spring is approaching. More camera crews than usual are following you, and many people are already on the side of the road during the reconnaissance. All this makes this week very special."

Van Aert aims for the ultimate reward following Team Jumbo-Visma's already successful spring. "Winning the Tour of Flanders would be the icing on the cake. It gives us a lot of confidence that we have won all those previous races with different riders. We are starting with our perhaps best selection in years. So it is our goal to win as a team."

Christophe Laporte is also looking forward to the Flemish monument. "It is one of the most beautiful races of the year. It is always a long and tough race; this day is exceptional. The crowds along the route are also great. The Tour of Flanders makes a lot of riders dream."

Last week, Laporte triumphed at Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen. "I don't know what effect it has had on my physical condition, but there have been enough days to recover from these efforts. I feel good, and I'm definitely ready for Sunday. We have to approach the race as usual, which means riding together as a team", the Frenchman says.

Team Jumbo-Visma's selection for the Tour of Flanders consists of Wout van Aert, Nathan Van Hooydonck, Tiesj Benoot, Tosh Van der Sande, Christophe Laporte, Tim van Dijke and Edoardo Affini.