Van Hooydonck continued his preparation for the spring classics in Paris-Nice. "My preparation went a bit like last year. The altitude training in Tenerife was definitely good, but I also needed Paris-Nice to have some race kilometres in the legs. That went well. Fortunately, I didn't get sick, like many other guys. It's really an advantage that I was able to ride there."

He also played an essential role in the first stage, in which Team Jumbo-Visma occupied the entire podium. "That was really great. I was in the middle of it and couldn't see how they finished. But it was super cool to watch the footage afterwards."

In his second season with the team, the Belgian feels he's in the right place. "I feel good and appreciated in the team. Everyone knows my value in the races and off the bike. I'm in the right team."

Last year in Gent-Wevelgem, Van Hooydonck had a big part in leader Van Aert's victory. "I look back on that with a lot of pride. It was the first time I competed in the final of a classic. I want to repeat that this year, with the same result. But it will be difficult to create the same race scenario this year. Due to the arrival of some strong riders, we got better as a team which allows us to race somewhat differently, but my role remains the same."

For Van Hooydonck it is special to be racing on home soil. "I always really look forward to the Flemish spring. Especially now that there may be people along the roadside again. For me, this is the best time of the year. I want to win a classic with the team and feel that I didn't make a single mistake. I want to be there when the team needs me and show that they can always count on me."

The Minerva Classic Brugge-De Panne course is tailored to the sprinters, with the traditional passage through De Moeren. At Team Jumbo-Visma, Olav Kooij is the leading rider for the sprint. The young Dutchman will be assisted by Timo Roosen and Tosh Van der Sande, among others.

The E3 Saxo Bank Classic is a copy of last year's course. It's a tough 204-kilometre race with seventeen hills. Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte will be at the start together. Nathan Van Hooydonck, Edoardo Affini, Mike Teunissen, Tiesj Benoot and Tosh Van der Sande complete the selection.

For Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields, Van Aert can pin number one after his victory last year. The course is the same as previous years, with cobbled sections, hills and unpaved sections, also known as plug streets. We'll see the same riders at the start as in the E3 Saxo Bank Classic, except for Van der Sande. According to the current schedule, he will be replaced by Dutch champion Timo Roosen.