The Lotto Soudal team mates whizzed around Belgium, where social distance rides are still permitted, for 10-hours covering a similar distance to the Italian spring classic, this year marked down for 291kms.
Milan-San Remo was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak which (as of 23 March 8am AEDT) has killed 5,476 people in Italy. Race organisers, RCS, made the postponement decision 6 March.
The 10-hour, 300km tribute to Milan-San Remo by De Gendt and De Buyst Source: Strava/Supplied
De Buyst was on the roster for Lotto Soudal's tilt at the 2020 edition, with Philippe Gilbert, John Degenkolb and Australian Caleb Ewan all possible big name contenders for the Belgian registered squad.
He and De Gendt took out their lockdown frustrations on the 300km journey which De Gendt said included a 120km headwind from Mons to Antwerp.
The headwind is also why De Gendt told the ride was "harder" than the real Milan-San Remo, which they took fairly easy to mitigate any physical danger as well as taking personal hygiene precautions.
De Gendt known for his breakaway feats is now keeping us entertained with these lockdown exploits, including a video of his kids racing Belgian hard style in his garden:
and Day 2 of Lotto-Soudal's lockdown journal video series:
Caleb Ewan meanwhile posted to his Insta stories (now expired) on Saturday he was riding 300kms virtually, sharing in a subsequent story he completed over 180kms before giving it up for a car racing video game. As good as Zwift and other virtual riding now is, 300kms is still a tough ask for inside.
Which is probably why Milan-San Remo organisers RCS only opted for the final 57km of the Milan-San Remo course for their virtual edition that attracted over 4000 people and was led by 2018 champion Vincenzo Nibali.
