With a bit of a gap for the Strade Bianche and Milan-SanRemo the protour returns to Northern parts towards the end of March.
Friday 28th March sees the "E3 Harelbeke" set out over much of the same course as the upcoming Tour of Flanders - the E3 is often used as preperation for its more famous brother. The race happens on a Friday so the racers can have a rest before Sunday's Gent-Wevelgem. Its called E3 because when it started it used the E3 motorway (now renamed the A14 but they haven't updated the title...) and it starts and ends in Harelbeke.
Last years winner was Fabian Cancellara and in 2012 Tom Boonen, who won it 4 times in a row from 2004.
Sunday 30th March is Ghent-Wevelgem. Originally this race happened on a Wednesday after the Tour of Flanders and before Paris-Roubaix but now its been moved to a week before Flanders. The climb of the Kemmelberg is the main feature/game changer on the route.
Peter Sagan won it last year. Almost unique amongst Flanders classics the Ghent-Wevelgem has actually been won by a UK rider - Barry Hoban in 1974.
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