Belgium will go into this tournament with arguably the strongest and most well-rounded team, but both Philippe Gilbert and Greg van Avermaat are aware that in order to win the rainbow jersey, everything must work like clockwork, from tactics to communication, and of course form. They are aware that everything must work like clockwork, from tactics to communication to, of course, form.

At a pre-race press conference outside York, where the two held court before a large crowd of local journalists, Gilbert argued that the team's best tactic might be to replicate Detunink-Quickstep's reputation for attacking in long races.

"In the final, the riders and their legs will matter," he said. That will decide things," Gilbert said when asked by Cycling News about his approach to the nearly 300-km race in Belgium.

"That's when we can talk about tactics. We are a strong team and we have to be in situations where we never have to run. The tactic we use at Detunink Quickstep is always the best tactic because we always do it and we almost always win. I think it's a good example."

Gilbert's comments echo what Van Avermaat told Cycling News recently in Quebec: "We have to do it the Quickstep way." Replicating Gilbert's trade-team tactic is reminiscent of this year's Paris-Roubaix and the dominant runs by Quick Step and their winners this season.

Four riders from the Belgian WorldTour team will join the Worlds team, Van Avermaat (CCC), Oliver Naessen (AG2R La Mondiale), Dylan Theuns (Bahrain-Merida), and dark horse Tim Wellens ( Lot Soudal) will fill them out. On paper, this may be a stronger team than Patrick Lefebvre could put together.

But with great power comes great responsibility. Of course, there are many ways to do this, and Gilbert and his team will need to be selective in their approach, rather than sticking to the front of the peloton for nearly seven hours.

"We are not the only contenders for the championship. Other countries have ambitions and expectations, so they will have to run as well," he said, hinting at the arrival of five-star favorites like France and the Netherlands.

"We will be responsible," agreed van Avermaat. 'We're a big country and we're always number one in the UCI rankings. The other teams, who are more likely to win than us, have to do their job."

This weekend's tactics will be heavily influenced by the weather. With heavy rain expected, the Harrogate circuit will turn into a slippery roller coaster, with every corner offering both opportunity and risk. It is a minefield of a track, where concentration is as important as strength. Even the usually calm opening 180 km will be a game-changer before the peloton arrives at the circuit.

"In a parcours like this, saving energy is a sacrifice," says Van Avermaat.

"It's a small, technical path, so you have to be on your toes at all times. If a crash happens and you're in 40th place, the race is over. It takes a lot of energy just to stay out of trouble, and then it starts all over again when you get to the opening lap. 180km on your own legs. It's not for nothing."

Gilbert, who first competed in the elite world championships in Hamilton in 2003, noted the uniqueness of the Harrogate course. His teammate Tuns had previously likened the course to the Amstel Gold Race, but even Gilbert, who has extensive experience, was troubled when asked to compare it to other competitions.

"It's hard to compare it to other competitions. The asphalt is different here. I'm not sure how I'll do," Gilbert told Cycling News after the Belgian press had left.

"Experience is important, but anyway the legs are the key because it is a hard course. First you have to be strong and then in the finale you have to use your head and your team. It won't be easy and it will be a hard race to read because no one section is outstanding. The race could unfold at any moment. It could be after the finish, with all the ups and downs, or it could be after a corner or a climb. There are plenty of opportunities to move."

With so many pinches and pitfalls, it is only natural that experience will come in handy. But Mathieu van der Pol bucks the trend: at 24, he came to Yorkshire despite his limited knowledge of World Tour racing.

"If he goes, everyone will notice and there will be a lot of repercussions," Van Avermaat said, fully expecting the Dutchman to play an important role in the outcome of the race.

"That's normal for a big mainstay, but there's no need to overdo it. You just focus on yourself. The important thing is that you do that if you want to win the race, because if you are not 100% you will not win the race, everything has to fall into place."

"I always thought it was really important to have experience and time [to grow]. For me that was a big thing, I needed to take steps every year to grow. Young riders are stronger and don't need as much time to make the right decisions. Van der Pol is fast in every situation and he is fast to win"

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While the Dutch have one main card, the Belgians have two aces in Gilbert and van Avermaet, plus two jokers in Thüns and Wellens. If it rains, the latter is expected to play in the finale. Communication and cooperation on the Belgian court is essential, as both Gilbert and Van Avermaet have won recently.

"I was really happy," Van Avermaet said of his victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal earlier this month.

"I was always in the top 10 or on the podium, but never had a big win. It was a relief to have a big race. It was a big race with strong riders, so it was important to finish first. We have a lot of options. I hope he has a card too.

Gilbert, who won two races at the Vuelta a España, is the 2012 World Championships winner and is confident of his chances on Sunday.

"I'm in really good shape. I finished the Vuelta in good shape. I didn't get sick and I kept training. I got here on time so I could see the course. That was important. I could see where I was going and how I was running, and that made a big difference."