Tasty like a rice pie.

Ohh... those delicious tartes aux riz!

I have a hankering for Belgian rice pie. There's a cafe shop I go to for that alluring and tasty pastry. And it goes together. This weekend marks the true start to the cycling season. I'm biased towards the pavé races and Belgium has two. The Omloop Het Nieuwsblad & Kuune-Brussels-Kuurne will mark the much anticipated drive through classic cobblestones.

It just makes a whole lot of sense the beautiful rice pie and the Belgian classics. What can be more better? Right, a beer of course. Patisserie Lebeau, all sweet things Belgian here in Vancouver, has my favorite tarte au riz. The owner, Olivier Lebeau is originally from Verviers, Belgium and his specialties are an addiction, couple with a cafe and it's heaven.

And what better way to have a tarte au riz and think of the upcoming Belgian classics... I'm thinking there's quite a few riders primed for victory and to win will be prestigious. Only a hardened classics man will emerge to take it and these two races will serve as a primer for the ultimate to come; Flanders & Paris-Roubaix.

I like many riders' to win but only one can. The list is many. And that's what makes it fun to speculate. Flecha the arrow will make his mark. It's a long time coming. And if not, Sky has an alternative in Boasson Hagen. If Hushovd looks out of sorts, though we can never count him out, then his Cervelo teammate Haussler looks capable. Those triplets of BMC look a threat, too. Ballan, Burghardt & Hincapie are hungry for a piece of that pie...

Which reminds me ...I'm off for a tarte au riz!

Flecha going straight for the pie!