Peter Sagan and Greg Van Avermaet crash during 2017 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Cees Bal wins the Tour of Flanders in 1974(Image credit: AFP)
Fabian Cancellara dwarfed by the Belgian flags in the 2010 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
2015 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
2015 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff wins 2015 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff wins 2015 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff wins 2015 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff and Niki Terpstra fight it out at the 2015 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan wins 2016 Tour of Flanders, gets a hug from Fabian Cancellara on the podium(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Fabian Cancellara at the 2016 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan wins 2016 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan and Greg Van Avermaet crash during 2017 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Philippe Gilbert wins 2017 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Philippe Gilbert over the cobbles at the 2017 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Michele Bartoli goes clear on the Muur in 1996.(Image credit: Sirotti)
George Hincapie (US Postal) never managed to win Flanders(Image credit: AFP)
Rolf Sörensen on the cobbles in 1997(Image credit: AFP)
Peter Van Petegem wins his first title in 1999(Image credit: AFP)
A very disappointed Frank Vandenbroucke misses his last chance to win Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Andrea Tafi celebrates his win in the 2002 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Johan Museeuw wins his second title in 1995(Image credit: AFP)
Leif Hoste leads Tom Boonen in 2006(Image credit: AFP)
Fabian Canellara crashes out in 2012(Image credit: AFP)
Nick Nuyens wins one of the most exciting editions of Flanders in 201(Image credit: AFP)
Djamolidine Abdoujaparov after the finish of the 1994 Tour of Flanders, won by his Polti teammate Gianni Bugno.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Gianni Bugno reminded everyone of his class with a nail-biting win in 1994 ahead of the fancied Johan Museeuw.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Belgian champion Johan Museeuw takes the first of three Tours of Flanders in 1993.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Jacky Durand was the last French winner in 1992.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Eddy Bosberg: Edwig Van Hooydonck wins the second of his Tours of Flanders in 1992.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Greg Lemond at the start of the 1992 Tour of Flanders.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Jacky Durand grinds clear for a shock win in 1992.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Max Sciandri (Motorola) leads TVM's Jesper Skibby at the 1992 Tour of Flanders. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Mario Cipollini tackles De Ronde in 1993.(Image credit: Sirotti)
George Hincapie at the 1994 Tour of Flanders in Motorola colours.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Bjarne Riis in his Gewiss days, working for Moreno Argentin. Their team controversially dominated the 1994 spring classics, although they couldn't stop Gianni Bugno in Flanders. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Gianni Bugno heads for the podium in 1994.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Fabio Baldato after the 1994 Tour of Flanders, when Gianni Bugno shocked Johan Museeuw and all of Belgium.(Image credit: Sirotti)
The late Frank Vandenbroucke looked to be the strongest man in 1999, but a crash and dramatic chase to the winning break meant that he had nothing left for the finishing sprint.(Image credit: AFP)
Johan Museeuw won comfortably in 1998.(Image credit: AFP)
Johan Museeuw was rampant in 1995.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Johan Museeuw attacked on the smooth Tenbosse then stretched his lead over the Muur and Bosberg to win in 1998.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Belgian champion Stijn Devolder wins in 2008.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Tom Boonen won the Tour of Flanders as world champion in 2006.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Tom Boonen was untouchable in 2005.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Steffen Wesemann outsprinted Leif Hoste and Dave Bruylandts to win in 2004.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Peter Van Petegem took his second Ronde in 2003.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Stijn Devolder wins in 2009.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Stijn Devolder en route to Ronde number two in 2009.(Image credit: Sirotti)
While the other contenders watched one another, Andrea Tafi took his chance in 2002.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Gianluca Bortolami was a surprising winner in 2001 after the favourites allowed his dangerous break stay clear.(Image credit: Sirotti)
1999 was an all Belgian affair. Peter Van Petegem beats Frank Vandenbroucke and Johan Museeuw in the sprint.(Image credit: Sirotti)
A royal escape in 1999. Peter Van Petegem leads Frank Vandenbroucke and Johan Museeuw.(Image credit: AFP)
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) blows the Tour of Flanders to bits on the Molenberg(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Boonen and Van Petegem lead the break on Muur during the 2005 Ronde.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) surges towards the top of the Muur at Flanders, having just distanced Tom Boonen (Quick Step)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Rain, hail or shine, the Tour of Flanders always produces worthy winners and iconic images. The hellingen of West Flanders provide a natural amphitheatre in which hundreds of thousands of passionate fans gather every year, and the riders are faced with a wall of noise on every climb and key point of the gruelling course.
De Ronde has seen its share of memorable battles and controversial moments, as the biggest Classics names of the era have tested themselves in one of cycling’s true heartlands.
We've searched our photographers' archives, of more than two decades of images, to remember some of the names that have marked the season's second Monument.
Some of the most memorable performance were Edwig Van Hooydonck's triumph in 1991, Fabian Cancellara's dominance in 2013 and 2014, Peter Sagan's victory in 2016 and Philippe Gilbert's winning performance in the 2017 edition. In between, there was Johan Museeuw's consistency in the 1990s, Gianni Bugno's shock win in 1994, Michele Bartoli's stylish triumph in 1996, and the more recent multiples by Peter Van Petegem, Stijn Devolder and Tom Boonen.
The enduring spirit of the Tour of Flanders lives on, regardless of the course, the riders or the weather. We expect no less from the 2018 Tour of Flanders set to take place on April 1.
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