{"id":1487568,"date":"2020-04-07T19:10:15","date_gmt":"2020-04-07T17:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/magazine.bkool.com\/?p=1487568"},"modified":"2020-04-07T19:10:17","modified_gmt":"2020-04-07T17:10:17","slug":"van-avermaet-wins-the-worlds-first-virtual-tour-of-flanders-by-bkool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.bkool.com\/en\/2020\/04\/07\/van-avermaet-wins-the-worlds-first-virtual-tour-of-flanders-by-bkool\/","title":{"rendered":"Van Avermaet wins the world’s first virtual Tour of Flanders by Bkool"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
It all started just a few days ago. The Tour of Flanders couldn’t escape the list of sporting events around the world suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic. April 5th was one of those dates that cycling fans across the globe had marked on their calendars, as it was to be the 104th edition of this Belgian classic. Cancellation left a gaping hole in the lives of all those who follow the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But not everyone was willing to sit still for that. When word got out that the race was cancelled, Flanders Classics and Bkool got down to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their idea was to take advantage of the existing collaboration born with the Flanders Classics by Bkool<\/a> online competition, and use it to shape a dream: the first professional edition of the Tour of Flanders on a virtual platform, with top-level pros competing together from their respective homes. The main problem? Time. With only days before the official date of the race, the team was\u00a0working against the clock to put all the pieces together. There would be\u00a0only one chance to make this work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n