What does it take to turn a one-day bike race into a monument? To make a climb so familiar that fans around the world hold their breath every time the peloton turns onto it? Scott Sunderland has spent the better part of three decades figuring that out, first as a professional cyclist racing the cobbles himself, then as a team director at CSC and Sky, and now as general race director of Flanders Classics, the organization behind the Tour of Flanders, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Scheldeprijs, Gent-Wevelgem, and more.
Host Molly Hurford and inGamba creative director James Startt sit down with Scott for a conversation about what actually goes into designing a race that works for the rider grinding through it, the fan standing on a Kwaremont switchback in the rain, and the television viewer watching from their living room in Sydney. The answer, it turns out, has a lot in common with writing a great song: you need the chorus, a bit of a lull, and one memorable solo that lands at exactly the right moment.
Along the way: the history of Oudenaarde as a pirate shipping hub, why the Muir was removed from Tour of Flanders and where it went instead, the Westmalle Tripel versus the Duvel debate, and what it means to be a true Flandrien, plus what to expect from the 2027 Tour of Flanders and why you need to join inGamba for the trip!
inGamba’s Cobbled Classics trip puts you inside the race week itself, with VIP access and riding on the race roads. Find the full 2027 race adventure calendar here.
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