Niki Terpstra and Mathieu van der Poel to race 2019 Tour of Flanders

The teams of World cyclocross champion Mathieu van der Poel and Niki Terpstra granted wild-card places for Belgium’s cobbled Monument

The years Belgium’s cobbled Monument takes place on Sunday, April 7 this season, all 18 WorldTour teams will be racing the iconic climbs.

Also confirmed are the wildcard teams, which include French Pro Continental team Direct Energie, the team of last year's winner Niki Terpstra who moved to the squad from Deceuninck – Quick-Step this season.

Corendon-Circus have been invited, the team of World cyclocross champion Mathieu van der Poel.

Race director Scott Sunderland said: “The wildcard invitations given out in 2019 will see one of the strongest line-ups of Pro Continental teams to date, with these teams all thoroughly prepared and eager to perform at the Tour of Flanders in April."

“With last year’s winner Niki Terpstra leading his new team Direct Energie, he will be on the hunt to make it back-to-back wins."

“Terpstra’s younger fellow Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel, the freshly crowned world champion cyclocross star, will be wanting to make history himself by following in the footsteps of his father Adrie, winner of the 1986 Tour of Flanders.”

The other wildcard teams racing will be Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise, Wanty-Gobert, Cofidis, Vital Concept-B&B Hotels and Roompot-Charles.

2019 Tour of Flanders 2019 Start List

Team Sky (GBR)
EF Education First (USA)
Ag2r La Mondiale (FRA)
Sunweb (GER)
Bahrain-Merida (BRN)
Mitchelton-Scott (AUS)
Movistar (ESP)
CCC Team (POL)
UAE Team Emirates (UAE)
Deceuninck – Quick-Step (BEL)
Bora-Hansgrohe (GER)
Astana (KAZ)
Dimension Data (RSA)
Katusha-Alpecin (SUI)
Groupama-FDJ (FRA)
Jumbo-Visma (NED)
Lotto-Soudal (BEL)
Trek-Segafredo (USA)

Wildcards

Direct Energie (FRA)
Corendon-Circus (BEL)
Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise (BEL)
Wanty-Gobert (BEL)
Cofidis (FRA)
Vital Concept-B&B Hotels (FRA)
Roompot-Charles (NED)