Now that the racing in the pleasant, even scorching, climes of Australia, Qatar and Oman has come to an end, it’s back to work. No more sand, blue skies and, in the case of the Tour down Under, the eucalyptus perfumed air.
Now it’s time for Flanders, where the roads are in bad repair after one of the coldest winters in living memory, the frost has shattered even the smoothest sections of roads. This is before you think about the cobbled bergs and the manure strewn farm tracks that are the hallmark of any Flemish contest.
Do the riders get the same “holidays are over” blues as we get when we pack our suitcases and head home?