The 27-year-old Bora–Hansgrohe rider will be aiming for a repeat of his success in last year’s race, which saw him hold off three-time winner Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland to take victory.

He is likely to face a strong challenge though from home favourite Greg Van Avermaet of BMC Racing Team as he strives to claim a fourth victory of the season.

Van Avermaet’s triumph at the Gent-Wevelgem last Sunday (March 26) followed on from two other home victories, at the E3 Harelbeke and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

"At the beginning of the season I said that Flanders is my biggest goal, and that still has to happen,” the 31-year-old Olympic road race champion was reported as saying by Eurosport.

"But it will be nice to start Flanders with three nice victories already on my home soil.

"I'm heading to the start with great form, but I'm a level below Peter.

"Peter is someone who wants to race.

"I'm not afraid to ride away together with Peter.

"If the good guys go on the attack, it's more fun to race and slightly better for me."

Van Avermaet’s compatriot Philippe Gilbert of Quick-Step Floors is another rider in good form, finishing second at last month's Dwars door Vlaanderen and E3 Harelbeke, and could also challenge for top spot on the 259.5-kilometre course.

In the women’s race, last year’s winner Lizzie Deignan of Great Britain is set to compete but could be working for her Boels-Dolmans team-mate Chantal Blaak of The Netherlands.

Other past winners in the field include Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini of Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling, The Netherlands’ Ellen van Dijk of Team Sunweb and fellow Dutchwoman Annemiek van Vleuten of Orica–Scott.

Borghini won in 2015, while success came for Van Vleuten in 2011 and for Van Dijk in 2014.

The women’s course covers 153km.

The Tour of Flanders will be the 13th event of the 2017 International Cycling Union (UCI) World Tour and fifth of the 2017 UCI Women's World Tour.