Flanders
The Tour of Flanders (Ronde Van Vlaanderen)
A favourite with PVCC the Ronde is famous for its short and sharp cobbled hills, the likes of the Paterberg and Oude-Kwaremont made famous by battles between the top classics specialists over the years. The number of climbs and cobbled sections has changed over the years: there were 18 climbs in the full 2017 pro race route, with a number of changes.
The Molenberg, Valkenberg, and Kaperij have gone and in their place is the Tenbosse, Pottelberg and the iconic Muur.
Tickets for the 2018 sportive event from http://www.sport.be/werideflanders/2018/en/
The 2018 edition returns to Antwerp for cyclists riding the 237km and 200km long routes, with four options on offer in total: 237km, 200km, 141km, and 74km.
Cobbled highlights to look forward to include:
- Molenberg: Molenberg, Zwalm. Climbs 32m from 24m to 56m. Maximum 17 per cent.
- Oude Kwaremont: Broekstraat, Kwaremontplein, Schilderstraat, Kluisbergen. Climbs 93m from 18m to 111m. Maximum 11 per cent.
- Koppenberg: Steengat, Koppenberg, Oudenaarde-Melden. Climbs 64m from 13m to 77m; Maximum 25 per cent at inside of bend, otherwise 22 per cent.
- Taaienberg: Taaienberg, Maarkedal-Etikhove. Climbs 45m from 37m to 82m. Maximum 18 per cent.
- Berg ter Stene: Stene, Horebeke. Climbs 68m from 32m to 100m. Maximum 9 per cent.
- Leberg: Leberg, Brakel-Zegelsem. Climbs 39m from 60m to 9m. Maximum 15 per cent.
- Berendries: Berendries, Brakel-Sint-Maria-Oudenhove. Climbs 65m from 33m to 98m. Maximum 14 per cent.
- Valkenberg: Valkenbergstraat, Brakel-Nederbrakel. Climbs 53m from 45m to 98m. Maximum 15 per cent.
- Muur-Kapelmuur: Abdijstraat, Ouderbergstraat, Oudeberg, Gerardsbergen. Climbs 77m from 33m to 110m. Maximum 20 per cent.
- Bosberg: Kapellestraat, Geraardsbergen-Moerbeke. Climbs 40m from 65m to 105m. Maximum 11 per cent.
- Tenbosse: Olifantstraat, Brakel. Climbs 28m from 45m to 73m. Maximum 14 per cent.