Britain’s Classics specialist Roger Hammond has been checking out the Het Volk course today ahead of the Belgian race on Saturday.

Hammond and his High Road team-mates joined a host of other well-known names and squads who were taking the opportunity to ride parts of the Het Volk race route – among them Belgium-dwelling Aussie sprint star Robbie McEwen.

We’ll be covering the opening cobbled classic in full this weekend here on www.cyclingweekly.com.

All photos: Luc Claessen/ISPA

Roger Hammond, with team-mates Servais Knaven and Andreas Klier, seems at ease on the cobbles

Robbie McEwen and his Silence-Lotto squad were there

Where’s Tom? Quick Step were out in force sans Mr Boonen

Quick Step sprinter Gert Steegmans

2005 Het Volk winner Nick Nuyens and the Cofidis squad in full winter gear. Very red

Belgium road race champ Stijn Devolder

Local heroes, Team Willems Verandas


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