Robbie drops Flanders

"Robbie McEwen isn't hurting anymore in his back, after his crashes at Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-Sanremo, but is suffering from a stomach bug," said Predictor-Lotto team manager Marc Sergeant.

"He wasn't able to ride on Wednesday [in the second stage of the Driedaagse van De Panne], so we have decided not to line him up on Sunday."

The defending Tour de France green jersey has yet to decide on his race programme for the following spring classics, having not yet confirmed for Gent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix.

Belgian Leif Hoste, last year's runner-up, is set to lead Predictor-Lotto at Sunday's Ronde.