Fascinating and tough as a monumental classic should be, the Tour of Flanders is a completely different story compared to the spectacular Milan-Sanremo that preceded it. It has a shorter length (269 kilometers) but greater difficulties: after the first third of the race, the cobblestone sections (7) and especially the walls (16, with about a dozen in stone and nasty gradients) will test the riders' energy. And while the Riviera already breathes spring air, here it's not uncommon to face a still wintry climate. Starting from the great market square in Bruges, arriving in Oudenaarde, traveling through a spectacular landscape and crowd (street attendance easily exceeds one million): it's the Belgians' Easter, who spend astronomical amounts to enjoy a beer at the key points of the course. Among these, the most famous is the Old Kwaremont, to be tackled three times, the last time in combination with the Paterberg, often the supreme judge of the race. In a classic where strength and technique count, but also being ready and having luck, Italy has entered the golden book eleven times with nine riders, the last being Bettiol in 2019. Here are the ten faces candidates for success.

Mathieu Van der Poel. He wins because in these races he has an extra gear, because out of six editions raced he has won half and in the others never finished outside the top four, because his tactical reading is superior to others'. He might not win because even the strongest can sometimes have bad luck.

Tadej Pogacar. He wins because after Sanremo he's thirsty for revenge, because tough races are his bread and butter, because in this classic he's already beaten Van der Poel. He might not win because wanting to reach the finish without uncomfortable companions sometimes leads him to make mistakes.

Filippo Ganna. He wins because he's in superb form, because he's racing the classics with a leader's attitude, because he knows he can keep pace with the phenomena. He might not win because too many climbs could weigh on him and thinking about Roubaix he might give Sheffield free rein.

Wout Van Aert. He wins because it's one of the targets he has in his sights, because sooner or later he'll conquer a great classic, because by characteristics and origins these are his roads. He might not win because in the arm-wrestling with success he has been defeated for a couple of seasons.

Mads Pedersen. He wins because cobblestone classics are his specialty, because the podium steps are missing only the first one, because everything seems easy for him right now. He might not win because tactically he's not always perfect and here being perfect is fundamental.

Matteo Jorgenson. He wins because he arrives in the form he desired, because on this route he has already placed in the top ten, because he fears none of the difficulties this classic presents. He might not win because with Van Aert still racing in the finale he will have to adapt to helping.

Stefan Küng. He wins because he knows this race better than others, because in a couple of occasions he has finished behind the best, because he's not afraid to move from far away. He might not win because he suffers from the uphill explosiveness of the strongest and his real goal remains performing well in Roubaix.

Neilson Powless. He wins because he arrives ready at the right moment, because the only time he presented himself in this classic he finished in the top five, because as seen this week he's good at exploiting others' work. He might not win because in a race you need to have many energies and calibrate them well.

Michael Matthews. He wins because on these roads he's good at racing up front, because he's always present even when you don't expect it, because among his weapons he has the strength of experience. He might not win because racing in the front line helps to place but not to win.

Dylan Teuns. He wins because these are his roads, because in the five editions he's ridden, he's finished a couple in the top ten, because he's one of those who doesn't suffer from a hard race. He might not win because he hasn't raced for a month and his main objective is the Ardennes Classics.