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Course Map
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Brugge to Ninove
84th Ronde van Vlaanderen - Cat. CDM
Belgium, April 2, 2000
Course description Time schedule
Course map
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Course description
269 kilometres will get you a long way in Belgium - from one side to the other if you so desire. However, for the combatants of the 84th Ronde van Vlaanderen, the roads that they follow will be anything but straighforward. Between Brugge and Ninove, they will encounter numerous stretches of Belgian concrete roads, interspersed with cobbles, corners, and climbs to keep them interested. Position is vital on the narrow roads, and for the 200 plus starters, a lapse in concentration between Berchem and Kwaremont (for example) can mean the end of the race.
The race starts in one of Belgium's most beautiful and popular cities, Brugge (literally "Bridges"), although the peloton will not have a great deal of time to indulge in a trip on the canals, go shoe shopping, or eat pralines and Belgian waffles with cream. Instead, they set out towards the west coast of Flanders to Oostende, subsequently passing through Johan Museeuw's home town of Gistel (at 37 km) where he is sure to receive a thunderous welcome. For most Belgian cycling fans, Johan is a god, regardless of their usual religion.
From there, the Ronde winds its way south-east through the major centres of Torhout, Ingelmunster and Tielt, before crossing into Oost Vlaanderen at Deinze (106 km). The race has thus far been quite flat, and probably a little windy. However, the riders will start to get nervous as they head down towards Oudenaarde (122 km), as the 16 climbs that mark this race are about to begin. There are four "bergs" between 124 and 153 km: Den Ast, Achterberg, Wolvenberg and Molenberg. None of these by themselves are that formidable, but they are important "position gainers" for the 120 kilometres of racing to come.
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With 242 kilometres covered, the race will enter Brakel - Peter van Petegem's home, and last year's winner of the Ronde will surely be in the selection on Tenbossestraat at this point, unless he has suffered an unfortunate mishap. Only two climbs to go now, the Muur at Geraardsbergen (254 km) and the Bosberg (258 km). The Muur is typically the key climb and has seen many winning attacks take place up its short, sharp section of cobbles. If there is any rain, this climb is particularly hard to negotiate, as the cobbles are quite rough and moss covered. The final climb of the Bosberg is not cobbled, but still may see the deciding move ofthe race, as Johan Museeuw showed a few years ago.
Only 11 kilometres to go after this and it's essentially downhill/flat until the finish in Meerbeke-Ninove, where 100,000 plus Belgians (and Europeans of other descriptions) should see a deserving victor of the 84th edition of this great race.
Schedule
km from km to 39.00 41.00 43.00
start go km/h km/h km/h
Start Brugge 9.45 9.45 9.45
Sint-Pieters 0 269 10.00 10.00 10.00
Zuienkerke
Meetkerke 2 267 10.03 10.02 10.02
Nieuwmunster 8 261 10.09 10.11 10.11
De Haan
Wenduine 10 259 10.15 10.14 10.13
De Haan 15 254 10.23 10.21 10.20
Bredene
Bredene 20 249 10.31 10.29 10.27
Oostende
Oostende 23 246 10.35 10.33 10.32
Stene 31 238 10.48 10.45 10.43
Middelkerke
Leffinge 33 236 10.51 10.48 10.46
Gistel
Snaaskerke 35 234 10.54 10.51 10.48
Gistel 37 232 10.57 10.54 10.51
Ichtegem
Eernegem 44 225 11.08 11.04 11.01
Ichtegem 46 223 11.11 11.07 11.04
Torhout
Torhout 51 218 11.18 11.14 11.11
Lichtervelde
Lichtervelde 59 210 11.31 11.26 11.22
Ardooie
Koolskamp 65 204 11.40 11.35 11.30
Pittem
Pittem 69 200 11.46 11.40 11.36
Ardooie
Ardooie 71 198 11.49 11.43 11.39
Pittem
Pittem 72 197 11.51 11.45 11.40
Meulebeke
Meulebeke 74 195 11.54 11.48 11.43
Ingelmunster
Ingelmunster 75 194 11.55 11.49 11.44
Meulebeke
Meulebeke 84 185 12.09 12.02 11.57
Tielt
Tielt 89 180 12.17 12.10 12.04
Kanegem 98 171 12.31 12.23 12.16
Aarsele 99 170 12.32 12.24 12.18
Dentergem
Dentergem 103 166 12.38 12.30 12.23
Province of Oost-Vlaanderen
Deinze
Gottem 106 163 12.43 12.35 12.27
Province of West-Vlaanderen
Dentergem
Oeselgem 107 162 12.45 12.36 12.29
Province of Oost-Vlaanderen
Zulte
Olsene 109 160 12.48 12.39 12.32
1st feed zone 111 158
Kruishoutem
Kruishoutem 112 157 12.52 12.43 12.36
Wannegem 117 152 13.00 12.51 12.43
Lede 120 149 13.05 12.55 12.47
Zingem
Huise 121 148 13.06 12.57 12.48
Oudenaarde
Mullem 122 147 13.08 12.58 12.50
Zingem
Huise 123 146 13.09 13.00 12.51
1st climb - Den Ast 124 145 13.11 13.01 12.53
Oudenaarde
Mullem 125 144 13.12 13.02 12.54
Eine 126 143 13.14 13.04 12.55
Bevere 130 139 13.20 13.10 13.01
Oudenaarde 131 138 13.22 13.11 13.02
Edelare 134 135 13.26 13.16 13.06
Leupegem 135 134 13.28 13.17 13.08
2nd climb - Achterberg 136 133 13.29 13.19 13.09
Volkegem 137 132 13.31 13.20 13.11
3nd climb - Wolvenberg 140 129 13.35 13.24 13.15
Mater 140 129 13.35 13.24 13.15
Horebeke
Sint-Maria-Horebeke 148 121 13.48 13.36 13.26
Zwalm
Sint-Denijs-Boekel 152 117 13.54 13.42 13.33
4th climb - Molenberg 153 116 13.55 13.43 13.33
Roborst 156 113 14.00 13.58 13.37
Zottegem
Velzeke-Ruddershove 158 111 14.03 13.51 13.40
Zwalm
Hundelgem 162 107 14.09 13.57 13.46
Munkzwalm 163 106 14.11 13.58 13.47
Oudenaarde
Mater 169 100 14.20 14.07 13.55
Welden 171 98 14.23 14.10 13.58
Nederename 172 97 14.25 14.11 14.00
Ename 174 95 14.28 14.14 14.02
Edelare 176 93 14.31 14.17 14.05
Leupegem 177 92 14.32 14.19 14.06
Melden 178 91 14.27 14.14 14.08
2nd feed zone 181 88 14.38 14.24 14.12
Kluisbergen
Berchem 183 86 14.42 14.27 14.18
Ruien 188 81 14.49 14.35 14.22
Province of Henegouwen
Mont de l'Enclus
5th climb - Kluisberg 191 78 14.54 14.39 14.26
Orroir 191 78 14.54 14.39 14.26
Amougies 193 76 14.57 14.42 14.29
Russeignies 196 73 15.02 14.46 14.33
Province of Oost-Vlaanderen
Kluisbergen
Kwaremont 198 71 15.05 14.49 14.36
6th climb - Knokteberg 198 71 15.05 14.49 14.36
Berchem 200 69 15.08 14.52 14.39
Kwaremont 203 66 15.12 14.57 14.43
7th climb - Oude-Kwaremont 205 64 15.15 15.00 14.46
8th climb - Paterberg 209 60 15.22 15.05 14.51
Zulzeke 212 57 15.26 15.10 14.55
Oudenaarde
Melden 213 56 15.28 15.11 14.57
Maarkedal
Nukerke 214 55 15.29 15.13 14.58
9th climb - Kortekeer 214 55 15.29 15.13 14.58
Oudenaarde
Melden 216 53 15.32 15.16 15.01
Maarkedal
Etikhove 216 53 15.32 15.16 15.01
Nukerke 218 51 15.35 15.19 15.04
10th climb - Taaienberg 220 49 15.38 15.21 15.06
Etikhove 222 47 15.42 15.24 15.09
11th climb - Eikenberg 226 43 15.48 15.30 15.15
Oudenaarde
Volkegem 226 43 15.48 15.30 15.15
Horebeke
Sint-Maria-Horebeke 229 40 15.52 15.35 15.19
Sint-Kornelius-Horebeke 230 39 15.54 15.36 15.20
Brakel
Zegelsem 233 36 15.58 15.40 15.25
12th climb - Leberg 235 34 16.02 15.43 15.27
Elst 235 34 16.02 15.43 15.27
Michelbeke 236 33 16.03 15.45 15.29
Sint-Maria-Oudenhove 238 31 16.06 15.48 15.32
13th climb - Berendries 239 30 16.08 15.49 15.33
Nederbrakel 240 29 16.09 15.51 15.34
Brakel 242 27 16.12 15.54 15.37
14th climb - Tenbosse 244 25 16.15 15.57 15.40
Parike 245 24 16.17 15.58 15.41
Geraardsbergen
Zarlardinge 247 22 16.20 16.01 15.44
Goeferdinge 250 19 16.25 16.05 15.48
Geraardsbergen 251 18 16.26 16.07 15.50
15th climb - Muur-Kapelmuur 254 15 16.31 16.11 15.54
Moerbeke 257 12 16.35 16.16 15.58
Province of Vlaams-Brabant
Galmaarden
Galmaarden 258 11 16.37 16.17 16.00
16th climb - Bosberg 258 11 16.37 16.17 16.00
Province of Oost-Vlaanderen
Geraardsbergen
Waarbeke 260 9 16.40 16.20 16.02
Nieuwenhove 261 8 16.42 16.21 16.04
Ninove
Denderwindeke 262 7 16.43 16.23 16.05
Meerbeke 265 4 16.48 16.27 16.09
Ninove 267 2 16.51 16.30 16.12
Finish: Meerbeke-Ninove 269 0 16.54 16.33 16.15