Tour of Flanders wildcard teams announced

The organisers of the Tour of Flanders have announced the seven wildcard teams that will join the 18 WorldTour teams on the start line in Bruges on April 2.

As you would expect, four of the seven wildcard places go to Belgian teams, with Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise, Wanty-Groupe Gobert en Verandas Willems-Crelan, meaning only one Belgian Professional Continental team, WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect, did not receive an invitation.

>>> Paris-Roubaix teams announced

Alongside the Belgian team, there are spaces for two French teams in Direct Energie and Cofidis, as well as Roompot-Nedelandse Loterij from the Netherlands and Wilier Triestina from Italy.

Of the invited wildcard teams it is Wilier Triestina that has the best result in the Tour of Flanders, with Filippo Pozzato finishing second in the 2012 edition of the race when the team was known as Farnese Vini-Neri-Sottoli.

Direct Energie, Cofidis, Wanty-Groupe Gobert, Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise and Roompot Nederlandse Loterij will also ride Paris-Roubaix seven days later.