With 13 teams from the World Tour, Danilith Nokere Koerse ME is the ProSeries race in the Flemish spring with the highest number of top teams, after Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. And top teams also bring top riders to the start.
Jasper Philipsen still has a score to settle in Nokere. Last year, he rode impressively over the cobbled sections, but crashed in the final straight. After previous podium places in both the junior and elite categories, he is now aiming for the top step of the podium. He will do so with the support of a strong team. Think of Florian Sénéchal, Gerben Thijssen or Jonas Rickaert.

The competition and the man in form will probably be Jordi Meeus. He won the Ename Samyn Classic and finished in the top 10 twice in the opening weekend. He also has top riders in Arne Marit and Gianni Vermeersch to support him. At Soudal-QuickStep, the team is uncertain; Tim Merlier is training pain-free, but wants nothing less than victory at the start. If Tim does not make the start in Deinze, the team will undoubtedly provide another top rider.

Last year’s winner, Nils Eeckhoff, will not be participating due to injury. However, his team, PicNic PostNL, believes in the resurrection of former winner Fabio Jakobsen. The strong-riding vice world champion gravel, Fris Biesterbos, will also be at the start, as will another sprinter, Casper Van Uden. Tim Wellens will not be riding for UAE Team Emirates after breaking his collarbone, but Portuguese star Antonio Morgado and Juan Molano, last year’s winner in Bruges-De Panne, will be there. NSN Cycling Team will be represented by French cobbles specialist Hugo Hofstetter. German Pascal Ackermann and his Belgian teammates Amaury Capiot and Dries De Bondt are also very experienced.

Nokere is traditionally a race where young top riders get their chance. This year, there are once again young talents to keep an eye on; Tom Crabbe of Flanders-Baloise has already won twice this year and is peaking for our race. Alec Segaert will start as team leader for Bahrain Victorious, as will Jakob Söderqvist and Tim Torn Teutenberg from Lidl-Trek. They will also be bringing the 18-year-old Thor Michielsen to the start. Last year, Thor was the winner in Nokere … in the junior category! He will be the youngest participant on 18 March.

In the women’s race, all eyes will naturally be on Lotte Kopecky. After a year’s absence, she is back at the start in Deinze. Can she win for the third time? That would make her the sole record holder.

Competition comes from UAE Team ADQ, among others, led by the lightning-fast Lara Gillespie. She won Le Samyn this week and is the rising sprint talent of the women’s peloton. Another top team is Lidl-Trek, with Lucinda Brand at the start. Can she, like Mathieu Van der Poel, continue her dominance on the road after a dominant cyclocross season? Or will her team opt for Anna Henderson or Clara Copponi, both strong riders who have already finished in the top 10 several times this year? The Movistar Team includes Cuban Arlenis Sierra and Dutch rider Floortje Mackaij. They also have the experience to finish it off in Nokere. And what can Allison Jackson do? She won Paris-Roubaix two years ago, so she is perfectly at home on the cobbles of Nokere. On the Belgian side, we are also looking forward to Shari Bossuyt, who started the season strongly. Can she win her first classic spring race in Nokere? Marthe Truyen, Julie De Wilde and Fleur Moors are also young Flemish talents who will be at the start in Deinze with great ambition. Whoever crosses the finish line first on Waregemsestraat in Nokere will be a strong rider. A challenging race awaits, with almost 20 kilometres of cobbles and a steep climb in the final straight!