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Course Profile

© www.rvv.be

Course Description

The Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) will once again start in the popular tourist town of Brugge, finishing in Ninove-Meerbeke 269 kilometres later. This is the fourth year in a row that the race has started in Brugge, and it will again visit the west coast of Belgium first, passing through Johan Museeuw's home town of Gistel (km 35).

The first of 16 climbs this year will be the Achterberg (km 119), after Den Ast has been cut from the race. Wolvenberg follows shortly afterwards before the first cobbled climb (Molenberg, km 135). In total, the race takes in seven cobbled climbs, finishing with the Muur at Geraardsbergen (km 253) and the Bosberg (km 256).

The longest climb is the 2,200 m Oude Kwaremont, a cobbled rise averaging 4.2 percent with its steepest part at 11 percent. It is followed shortly afterwards by the Paterberg, a short but very steep climb with a 20 percent section.

However, there are still 8 climbs to go after the Paterberg, and the last four (Berendries, Tenbosse, Muur and Bosberg) are particularly challenging. The Muur in Geraardsbergen is the best known, often producing a spectacular attack on its uneven, slippery cobbled slope. It has been used 34 times in the Ronde, and was first introduced in 1950.

The climbs really shape the Ronde, along with the weather. If there are dry conditions, the race will likely stay together for the most part, although there will rarely be a bunch sprint for the win. However if it is wet then the climbs are far more treacherous, and excellent handling skills combined with brute strength and endurance will win the day.

Route summary

Distance: 269 km
Date: Sunday, April 8
Neutral Start: Grote Markt (Brugge) at 9:45
Official Start: Oostendsesteenweg (Sint-Pieters) at 10:00
Finish: Halsesteenweg in Meerbeke at 16:34 (41 km/h)

Major climbs

1 Achterberg (119 km)
2 Wolvenberg (123 km)
3 Molenberg (135 km) - Cobbled
4 Grotenberge (148 km) 
5 Kluisberg (189 km)
6 Knokteberg (197 km)
7 Oude Kwaremont (204 km) - Cobbled
8 Paterberg (208 km) - Cobbled
9 Kortekeer (213 km)
10 Taaienberg (219 km) - Cobbled
11 Eikenberg (224 km) - Cobbled
12 Leberg (232 km)
13 Berendries (236 km)
14 Ten Bosse (242 km)
15 Muur-Kapelmuur (253 km) - Cobbled
16 Bosberg (256 km) - Cobbled 

Route in detail

Locality                      km    km     Time schedule (km/h)
                             gone  to go    39      41      43
Start Brugge
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   10.12   10.12   10.11
De Haan
Wenduine                      11    258   10.17   10.16   10.15
De Haan                       15    254   10.23   10.22   10.21
Bredene
Bredene                       20    249   10.31   10.29   10.28
Oostende
Oostende                      23    246   10.35   10.34   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   10.49
Gistel                        37    232   10.57   10.54   10.52
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   11.15   11.11
Lichtervelde
Lichtervelde                  59    210   11.31   11.26   11.22
Ardooie
Koolskamp                     65    204   11.40   11.35   11.31
Pittem
Pittem                        69    200   11.46   11.41   11.36
Tielt
Tielt                         76    193   11.57   11.51   11.46
Kanegem                       83    186   12.08   12.01   11.56
Aarsele                       85    184   12.11   12.04   11.59
Dentergem
Dentergem                     89    180   12.17   12.10   12.04

Province of Oost-Vlaanderen
Deinze
Gottem                        92    177   12.22   12.15   12.08

Province of West-Vlaanderen
Dentergem
Oeselgem                      93    176   12.23   12.16   12.10

Province of Oost-Vlaanderen
Zulte
Olsene                        95    174   12.26   12.19   12.13
1st Feed Zone                 98    171   12.31   12.23   12.17
Kruishoutem
Kruishoutem                   100   169   12.34   12.26   12.20
Wannegem                      104   165   12.40   12.32   12.25
Lede                          107   162   12.45   12.37   12.29
Zingem
Huise                         108   161   12.46   12.38   12.31
Oudenaarde
Eine                          109   160   12.48   12.39   12.32
Oudenaarde                    113   156   12.54   12.45   12.38
Edelare                       117   152   13.00   12.51   12.43
Leupegem                      118   151   13.02   12.51   12.43
Climb 1 - Achterberg          119   150   13.03   12.54   12.46
Volkegem                      120   149   13.05   12.56   12.47
Climb 2 - Wolvenberg          123   146   13.09   13.00   12.52
Mater                         123   146   13.09   13.00   12.52
Horebeke
Sint-Maria-Horebeke           131   138   13.22   13.12   13.03
Zwalm
Sint-Denijs-Boekel            135   134   13.28   13.18   13.08
Climb 3 - Molenberg           135   134   13.28   13.18   13.08
Roborst                       138   131   13.32   13.22   13.13
Zottegem
Velzeke-Ruddershove           140   129   13.35   13.25   13.15
Elene                         145   124   13.43   13.32   13.22
Zottegem                      146   123   13.45   13.34   13.24
Grotenberge                   147   122   13.46   13.35   13.25
Climb 4 - Grotenberge         148   121   13.48   13.37   13.26
Leeuwergem                    151   118   13.52   13.41   13.31
Oombergen                     152   117   13.54   13.42   13.32
Elene                         152   117   13.54   13.42   13.32
Velzeke                       154   115   13.57   13.45   13.35
Zwalm
Hundelgem                     158   111   14.03   13.51   13.40
Munkzwalm                     159   110   14.05   13.53   13.42
Sint-Maria-Latem              161   108   14.08   13.56   13.45
Nederzwalm                    163   106   14.11   13.59   13.47
Oudenaarde
Welden                        164   105   14.12   14.00   13.49
Nederename                    167   102   14.17   14.04   13.53
Ename                         168   101   14.18   14.06   13.54
Edelare                       170   99    14.22   14.09   13.57
Leupegem                      172   97    14.25   14.12   14.00
Melden                        173   96    14.26   14.13   14.01
2nd Feed Zone                 175   94    14.29   14.16   14.04
Kluisbergen
Berchem                       177   92    14.32   14.19   14.07
Ruien                         185   84    14.45   14.31   14.18

Province of Henegouwen
Mont de l'Enclus
Climb 5 - Kluisberg           189   80    14.51   14.37   14.24
Orroir                        189   80    14.51   14.37   14.24
Amougies                      191   78    14.54   14.39   14.26
Russeignies                   194   75    14.58   14.44   14.31

Province of Oost-Vlaanderen
Kluisbergen
Kwaremont                     197   72    15.03   14.48   14.35
Climb 6 - Knokteberg          197   72    15.03   14.48   14.35
Berchem                       199   70    15.06   14.51   14.38
Kwaremont                     201   68    15.09   14.54   14.43
Climb 7 - Oude-Kwaremont      204   65    15.14   14.59   14.45
Climb 8 - Paterberg           208   61    15.20   15.04   14.50
Zulzeke                       211   58    15.25   15.09   14.54
Oudenaarde
Melden                        212   57    15.26   15.10   14.56
Maarkedal
Nukerke                       213   56    15.28   15.12   14.57
Climb 9 - Kortekeer           213   56    15.28   15.12   14.57
Oudenaarde
Melden                        215   54    15.31   15.15   15.00
Maarkedal
Etikhove                      215   54    15.31   15.15   15.00
Nukerke                       217   52    15.34   15.18   15.03
Climb 10 - Taaienberg         219   50    15.37   15.20   15.06
Maarke-Kerkem                 222   47    15.42   15.25   15.10
Climb 11 - Eikenberg          224   45    15.45   15.28   15.13
Oudenaarde
Volkegem                      224   45    15.45   15.28   15.13
Horebeke
Sint-Maria-Horebeke           227   42    15.49   15.32   15.17
Sint-Kornelis-Horebeke        228   41    15.51   15.34   15.18
Brakel
Zegelsem                      231   38    15.55   15.38   15.22
Climb 12 - Leberg             232   37    15.57   15.39   15.24
Elst                          233   36    15.58   15.41   15.25
Michelbeke                    234   35    16.00   15.42   15.26
Sint-Maria-Oudenhove          236   33    16.03   15.45   15.29
Climb 13 - Berendries         236   33    16.03   15.45   15.29
Nederbrakel                   238   31    16.06   15.48   15.32
Brakel                        240   29    16.09   15.51   15.35
Climb 14 - Tenbosse           242   27    16.12   15.54   15.38
Parike                        243   26    16.14   15.56   15.38
Geraardsbergen
Zarlardinge                   246   23    16.18   16.00   15.43
Goeferdinge                   248   21    16.22   16.03   15.46
Geraardsbergen                249   20    16.23   16.04   15.47
Climb 15 - Muur-Kapelmuur     253   16    16.29   16.10   15.53
Moerbeke                      255   14    16.32   16.13   15.56

Province of Vlaams-Brabant
Galmaarden
Galmaarden                    256   13    16.34   16.15   15.57
Climb 16 - Bosberg            256   13    16.34   16.15   15.57

Province of Oost-Vlaanderen
Geraardsbergen
Waarbeke                      258   11    16.37   16.18   16.00
Nieuwenhove                   259   10    16.38   16.19   16.01
Ninove
Denderwindeke                 261    8    16.42   16.22   16.04
Meerbeke                      265    4    16.48   16.28   16.10
Ninove                        267    2    16.51   16.31   16.13
Finish Meerbeke-Ninove        269    0    16.54   16.34   16.15

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