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87th Ronde van Vlaanderen/Tour des Flandres - CDM
Belgium, April 6, 2003
Course Description Map Profile Time Table
Shorter but tougher Tour of Flanders
By Jeff Jones
The parcours for the 87th Ronde Van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) has been announced by the organisers. The World Cup classic will take place on April 6 this year, two weeks after Milan-San Remo. At 255 km, the Ronde will be 10 km shorter than last year, but the addition of three climbs for a record total of 19, combined with 22 km of cobble sections should more than make up for that.
As has been the case for the last few years, the race will begin in Brugge's Grote Markt and finish in Meerbeke, Ninove. The first part of the parcours this year is markedly different than the last two years however. Instead of heading west to Oostende and the west coast of Flanders, the race will travel east via Maldegem, Eeklo and Waarschoot, before turning south towards the hills. The difference in terrain in this first part will be negligible, as Flanders is pan flat whether you go west or east. The wind will of course be coming from the opposite direction.
Once the Ronde reaches Kanegem (55 km), it follows a similar route as last year through Dentergem, Waregem, Kruishoutem, Zwalm and Zottegem. The first hill (Nokereberg, km 89) comes on this section, but it's not until after Zottegem that the hill action becomes more intense. The steep, roughly cobbled Molenberg (127 km) will start to draw out the peloton, followed by the Wolvenberg 10 km later.
There is a 24 km respite before the next climb of Kluisberg (km 161), and then the Ronde follows its traditional zig-zag course over the narrow back roads of this area. The remaining hills are the Knokteberg (km 170), Oude-Kwaremont (km 177), Paterberg (km 180), Koppenberg (km 187), Steenbeekdries (km 192), Taaienberg (km 195), Ladeuze (km 199), Boigneberg (km 204), Foreest (km 211), Steenberg (km 213), Leberg (km 220), Berendries (km 223), Tenbosse (km 229), Muur-Kapelmuur (239) and Bosberg (km 242).
The main changes from the previous editions come after the Taaienberg (climb 10), as the Eikenberg/Kapelleberg climbs have been replaced by Ladeuze, Boigneberg, Foreest and Steenberg climbs, meaning that the peloton will have less chance to regroup in this important stage of the race. Foreest and Ladeuze are brand new climbs, while the Boigneberg has only been used once previously.
The final five climbs remain intact, and the crowds on the Muur and the Bosberg will be able to see their heroes charging by in pursuit of victory.
The parcours of the Ronde Van Vlaanderen looks to be one of the most selective yet, and we will no doubt see a worthy winner in Ninove-Meerbeke.
Course Map
© 1997-2003 Tom & Eddy Van Laere (RVV.Tom-Eddy@pandora.be)
Course Profile
© 1997-2003 Tom & Eddy Van Laere (RVV.Tom-Eddy@pandora.be)
Time Table
Km 39 km/h 41 km/h 43 km/h
West-Vlaanderen
Brugge 0 09.50 09.50 09.50
Sint-Kruis
Sint-Kruis 0 10.00 10.00 10.00
Damme
Sijsele 3 10.05 10.04 10.04
Oost-Vlaanderen
Maldegem 9 10.14 10.13 10.13
Adegem 16 10.25 10.23 10.22
Eeklo 19 10.29 10.28 10.27
Waarschoot 25 10.38 10.37 10.35
Zomergem 30 10.46 10.44 10.42
Knesselare
Ursel 37 10.57 10.54 10.52
Aalter 43 11.06 11.03 11.00
West-Vlaanderen
Ruiselede 51 11.18 11.15 11.11
Tielt
Kanegem 55 11.25 11.20 11.17
Aarsele 58 11.29 11.25 11.21
Dentergem 62 11.35 11.31 11.27
Markegem 65 11.40 11.35 11.31
Wakken 67 11.43 11.38 11.33
eke
Sint-Baafs-Vijve 69 11.46 11.41 11.36
Wielsbeke 71 11.49 11.44 11.39
Waregem
Desselgem 72 11.51 11.45 11.40
Waregem 73 11.52 11.47 11.42
Oost-Vlaanderen
Wortegem 79 12.02 11.56 11.50
Kruishoutem
Nokere 87 12.14 12.07 12.01
Hill 1. Nokereberg 89 12.17 12.10 12.04
Kruishoutem 91 12.20 12.13 12.07
Wannegem 93 12.23 12.16 12.10
Lede 96 12.28 12.20 12.14
Zingem
Huise 96 12.28 12.20 12.14
Oudenaarde
Eine 97 12.29 12.22 12.15
Nederename 101 12.35 12.28 12.21
Welden 105 12.42 12.34 12.27
Zwalm
Nederzwalm 107 12.45 12.37 12.29
Sint-Maria-Latem 108 12.46 12.38 12.31
Munkzwalm 110 12.49 12.41 12.33
Hundelgem 111 12.51 12.42 12.35
Zottegem
Velzeke-Rudderhove 112 12.52 12.44 12.36
Zwalm
Roborst 120 13.05 12.56 12.47
Sint-Blasius-Boekel 123 13.09 13.00 12.52
Horebeke
Sint-Maria-Horebeke 125 13.12 13.03 12.54
Zwalm
Sint-Denijs-Boekel 127 13.15 13.06 12.57
Hill 2. Molenberg 127 13.15 13.06 12.57
Oudenaarde
Mater 129 13.18 13.09 13.00
Volkegem 135 13.28 13.18 13.08
Hill 3. Wolvenberg 137 13.31 13.20 13.11
Mater 136 13.29 13.19 13.10
Ename 142 13.38 13.28 13.18
Edelare 143 13.40 13.29 13.20
Leupegem 146 13.45 13.34 13.24
Oudenaarde 146 13.45 13.34 13.24
Leupegem 149 13.49 13.38 13.28
Melden 150 13.51 13.40 13.29
Kluisbergen
Berchem 154 13.57 13.45 13.35
Ruien 159 14.05 13.53 13.42
Henegouwen
Mont de l'Enclus
Hill 4. Kluisberg 161 14.08 13.56 13.45
Orroir 161 14.08 13.56 13.45
Amougies 164 14.12 14.00 13.49
Russeignies 166 14.15 14.03 13.52
Oost-Vlaanderen
Kluisbergen
Kluisbergen 170 14.22 14.09 13.57
Hill 5. Knokteberg 170 14.22 14.09 13.57
Berchem 172 14.25 14.12 14.00
Kwaremont 174 14.28 14.15 14.03
Hill 6. Oude Kwaremont 177 14.32 14.19 14.07
Hill 7. Paterberg 180 14.37 14.23 14.11
Zulzeke 183 14.42 14.28 14.15
Oudenaarde
Melden 184 14.43 14.29 14.17
Hill 8. Koppenberg 187 14.48 14.34 14.21
Maarkedal
Etikhove 191 14.54 14.40 14.27
Hill 9. Steenbeekdries 192 14.55 14.41 14.28
Nukerke 193 14.57 14.42 14.29
Hill 10. Taaienberg 195 15.00 14.45 14.32
Etikhove 197 15.03 14.48 14.35
Oudenaarde
Leupegem 199 15.06 14.51 14.38
Hill 11. Ladeuze 199 15.06 14.51 14.38
Maarkedal
Maarke-Kerkem 200 15.08 14.53 14.39
Hill 12. Boigneberg 204 15.14 14.59 14.45
Oudenaarde
Mater 204 15.14 14.59 14.45
Horebeke
Sint-Kornelis-Horebeke 206 15.17 15.01 14.47
Maarkedal
Schorisse 208 15.20 15.04 14.50
Horebeke
Sint-Maria-Horebeke 209 15.22 15.06 14.52
Hill 13. Foreest 211 15.25 15.09 14.54
Maarkedal
Schorisse 211 15.25 15.09 14.54
Horebeke
Horebeke 213 15.28 15.12 14.57
Hill 14. Steenberg 213 15.28 15.12 14.57
Sint-Kornelis-Horebeke 215 15.31 15.15 15.00
Brakel
Zegelsem 218 15.35 15.19 15.04
Hill 15. Leberg 220 15.38 15.22 15.07
Elst 220 15.38 15.22 15.07
Michelbeke 221 15.40 15.23 15.08
t-Maria-Oudenhove 223 15.43 15.26 15.11
Hill 16. Berendries 223 15.43 15.26 15.11
Nederbrakel 225 15.46 15.29 15.14
Brakel 227 15.49 15.32 15.17
Hill 17. Tenbosse 229 15.52 15.35 15.20
Parike 230 15.54 15.37 15.21
Geraardsbergen
Zarlardinge 233 15.58 15.41 15.25
Goeferdinge 235 16.02 15.44 15.28
Geraardsbergen 236 16.03 15.45 15.29
Hill 18. Muur - Kapelmuur 239 16.08 15.50 15.33
Moerbeke 242 16.12 15.54 15.38
Vlaams-Brabant
Galmaarden
Hill 19. Bosberg 242 16.12 15.54 15.38
Oost-Vlaanderen
Geraardsbergen
Waarbeke 245 16.17 15.59 15.42
Nieuwenhove 246 16.18 16.00 15.43
Ninove
Denderwindeke 248 16.22 16.03 15.46
Meerbeke 252 16.28 16.09 15.52
Ninove 254 16.31 16.12 15.54
Meerbeke 254 16.31 16.12 15.54
