Canyon Eisberg are under no illusions of the task facing them in the UCI 1.1 Volta Limburg Classic in Eijsden on Saturday (midday).
Tim Elverson has named a powerful seven-man team for the 199km Dutch battle, known as the Hell of the Mergelland.
Chris Opie, Andrew Tennant, Dexter Gardias, James Lowsley-Williams, Alex Paton, Max Stedman and Louis Rose-Davies will all tackle the 45th edition of the race.
And with more than 2,500m of climbing packed into the parcours, they know a challenging five hours in the saddle is on the horizon.
Tour of Britain champion Lars Boom will be on the grid as his World Tour outfit Lotto NL Jumbo headline the startlist.
With the help of Max van den Boorn and voltalimburgclassic.nl, here we take a closer look at where the race may be won and lost on a circuit full of steep slopes and technical descents.
LOORBERG (1.3km, 5.3%)
A feature of the Amstel Gold Race every year, the Loorberg was also included in stage four of the Tour de France in 2006.
The Slenaken climb is a mecca for the touring cyclist but you can expect fireworks when it is ridden in competition and Saturday should be no different.
Dutch champion Pim Ligthart blew the race apart here on his way to glory in 2012 and the peloton will tackle it twice this time around.
They will get a first look at it after approximately 50 minutes before hitting it again shortly after the halfway point.
VIJLENERBOS (2.5km, 5.8%)
More like an Alpine climb than a Dutch berg, the undulating test boasts hairpin bends and a beautiful panoramic view.
A favourite of three-time national champion Michael Boogerd, who also tasted victory in Paris-Nice, Amstel Gold and two stages of the Tour, the Camerig climb is tackled once.
GULPERBERG (600m, 9.5%)
An eerily steep stretch of asphalt rising between peaceful meadows, riders must conquer the infamous Gulperberg four times.
Three of those passes come in the fourth hour of racing when only the strongest will survive at the front of the race.
Here points will be awarded for the Rabobank mountains classification, so sparks are sure to fly on every ascent.
KING OF SPAIN (1.3km, 4.4%)
While not very steep, the King of Spain comes hot on the heels of the Gulperberg. And the combination of the pair could play a crucial role.
The remainder of the mountains points are on offer here. Upon cresting the summit for the third and final time, there is still more than 40km to the finish.
But that run-in includes a further seven climbs. So lose touch now and it will be a tough ask to get back on.
DE PLANCK (1.5km, 5.4%)
Even the best climbers are in awe of this slope. Sharp, right-angle bends are interspersed with long straights, making it a hotspot for spectators.
Set amid an old railway viaduct, dilapidated houses and abandoned plots, it is raced once, around 30km from the finish.
MISTERHEAD (500m, 8.7%)
Short and sharp. The Misterhead or Mheerelindje in Noorbeek is only 500m long but brutally steep.
There will be plenty of burning calves when the riders hit this for a second time, with around half an hour remaining.
From the summit, it is only 20km to the finish, so don’t be surprised if someone attacks on the descent towards Mheer.
KALLEBERG (500m, 4.8%)
A newcomer to the Amstel Gold Race last season, the treacherous Kalleberg formed part of Stefan Küng’s race-winning move three years ago.
The BMC man attacked on this climb into Sint-Geertruid and hit out again seconds later on the vicious Moerslag, distancing the chase group for a solo victory.
With the majority of ascending front-loaded into the opening 250m, the peloton will get a first look at this test after an hour. But the real battle will take place on the second passing in the final 20km.
THE FINALE
The Moerslag is the final launchpad of the day, sandwiched between the descents of Bukel and Mescherberg.
From the latter, it is a short dash to the race Diepstraat headquarters in Eijsden where one 6km lap is all that will stand between the leader and victory.
Click here to check out the Volta Limburg Classic’s impressive roll of honour, which includes Moreno Hofland, Tony Martin and Floris Gerts alongside Ligthart and Küng.
Meanwhile, Philippe Gilbert and Niki Terpstra have each graced the podium in 2016 and 2007 respectively.
You can watch a live feed of Saturday’s race at l1.nl/volta-limburg-classic or check out the official Twitter feed @VoltaClassic
