- Jan 4, 2011
- 6,167
- 140
- 17,680
Monday 19/09, stage 1: Bolsward > Bolsward 184.7km
Pancake flat stage through Friesland. Starting in Bolsward, the riders first do a short northern loop, then pass the finish line for the first time, after which they take a big loop south. Returning to Bolsward once again, the riders await two local laps of 17.3km to finish off the first stage.
Golden Kilometer after 165km.
Tuesday 20/09, stage 2: Breda ITT, 9.6km
Short and fast course. Big showdown between Dumoulin and Panzerwagen. Winning time from Dumo on the exact same course in 2014: 10'55" (52,75km/h average).
Wednesday 21/09, stage 3: Blankenberge > Ardooie 186km
First stage on Belgian soil and a classic finish on the Stationsstraat in Ardooie. Twisty final 2km. Renshaw even won 'solo' in 2013 after a team mate left a gap with just over 1k to go. 2015 and 2014 were for Boonen and Bouhanni respectively.
Golden Kilometer after 160km.
Thursday 22/09, stage 4: Aalter > Sint-Pieters-Leeuw 202km
The peloton enters Sint-Pieters-Leeuw and crosses the finish line with still 63.4km to go. The winner will be known after two laps (31.7km). The circuit includes around 3km of cobbles (mostly at the very beginning of the circuit) and two climbs: Alsemberg (1200m @ 4%) with 19.1km to go and Bruine Put (900m @ 8,2%) with 13,7km to go.
These climbs sure aren't enough to create any gaps so far from the finish, but interestingly, the Golden Kilometer IS the Bruine Put, which likely means an epic battle Sagan vs GVA for the seconds.
Friday 23/09, stage 5: Sittard TTT, 20.9km
Sittard, another classic in the Eneco Tour. In line with the rest of the parcours, a TTT is included as another rehearsal for the Worlds.
Saturday 24/09, stage 6: Riemst > Lanaken 197.2km
This is without a doubt the most underwhelming stage. Okay, we know the route was designed to be the perfect prep race for Doha and attract the best riders, which worked superbly. But on the other hand it's a pity that they don't do a proper Ardennes stage. Remember how it was in the top-3, if not top-1, of the best races in 2015. A totally epic stage capped off by a long solo from Wellens.
Anyway, the 'queen' stage starts and finishes in Belgian Limburg. The peloton will take a big loop south where they will look for some hills nearby Liège.
Climbs:
121,3km - Muizenberg - 650m @ 6,6%
62,3km - Côte Halembeye (north)- 1100m @ 6,6%
47,3km - Côte Bois la Dame - 900m @ 12,2%
45km - Côte Rue Saivelette - 900m @ 5%
38,7km - Rue Lieutenant Pirard - 800m @ 5%
24,7km - Côte Halembeye (south) - 800m @ 8,6%
17,8km - Muizenberg - 650m @ 6,6%
Sunday 25/09, stage 7: Bornem > Geraardsbergen 197.8km
Since de Ronde van Vlaanderen ditched de Muur in 2012, the Eneco organizers did not have to think twice. They sealed a deal with Geraardsbergen to pick up this legendary climb and host an annual finish on the Vesten. Bar in 2014, it has each time been the last stage and this year is no different.
The stage features 21 climbs in total. The first 100km is a legstretcher with barely two hills. With 85.3km to go, things get real when the peloton arrives in Geraardsbergen and enter the local circuit (the exact same as last year). The first passage on the finish line is with 76.8km to go; from that point, the riders have to complete 3 laps (25.6km).
Climbs included in the circuit:
21.3km to go - Bosberg - 1000m @ 6% (400m cobbles)
12.7km to go - Onkerzelestraat - 1500m @ 3%
6.7km to go - Denderoordberg - 700m @ 8 (cobbles)
Finish Vesten - 600m @ 7,6% (cobbles)
Golden Kilometer after 173.8km
START LIST
The start list is simply AMAZING. Especially the sprint field is probably (on par with some others) the best ever in a stage race. Cav, Kittel, Greipel, Bouhanni, Kristoff, Sagan, Degenkolb etc. etc. Etixx brings their 3 cobbled captains. GVA, Tony Martin, Dumoulin, EBH, Wellens, Thomas,... Crazy.
I was a bit disappointed that the organization decided to alter the route and make it a good prep race for Doha, but if you see who they managed to attract, they made a perfect call.
2015
1. WELLENS Tim LTS 26h31'59"
2. VAN AVERMAET Greg BMC 59"
3. KELDERMAN Wilco TLJ 01'17"
4. GILBERT Philippe BMC 01'40"
5. FELLINE Fabio TFR 01'48"
6. GRIVKO Andriy AST 01'54"
7. ROGERS Michael TCS 02'02"
8. BENOOT Tiesj LTS 02'11"
9. JUUL JENSEN Christopher TCS 02'11"
10. ALAPHILIPPE Julian EQS 02'11"
Previous winners
2014 WELLENS Tim
2013 STYBAR Zdenek
2012 BOOM Lars
2011 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald
2010 MARTIN Tony
Pancake flat stage through Friesland. Starting in Bolsward, the riders first do a short northern loop, then pass the finish line for the first time, after which they take a big loop south. Returning to Bolsward once again, the riders await two local laps of 17.3km to finish off the first stage.
Golden Kilometer after 165km.
Tuesday 20/09, stage 2: Breda ITT, 9.6km
Short and fast course. Big showdown between Dumoulin and Panzerwagen. Winning time from Dumo on the exact same course in 2014: 10'55" (52,75km/h average).
Wednesday 21/09, stage 3: Blankenberge > Ardooie 186km
First stage on Belgian soil and a classic finish on the Stationsstraat in Ardooie. Twisty final 2km. Renshaw even won 'solo' in 2013 after a team mate left a gap with just over 1k to go. 2015 and 2014 were for Boonen and Bouhanni respectively.
Golden Kilometer after 160km.
Thursday 22/09, stage 4: Aalter > Sint-Pieters-Leeuw 202km
The peloton enters Sint-Pieters-Leeuw and crosses the finish line with still 63.4km to go. The winner will be known after two laps (31.7km). The circuit includes around 3km of cobbles (mostly at the very beginning of the circuit) and two climbs: Alsemberg (1200m @ 4%) with 19.1km to go and Bruine Put (900m @ 8,2%) with 13,7km to go.
These climbs sure aren't enough to create any gaps so far from the finish, but interestingly, the Golden Kilometer IS the Bruine Put, which likely means an epic battle Sagan vs GVA for the seconds.
Friday 23/09, stage 5: Sittard TTT, 20.9km
Sittard, another classic in the Eneco Tour. In line with the rest of the parcours, a TTT is included as another rehearsal for the Worlds.
Saturday 24/09, stage 6: Riemst > Lanaken 197.2km
This is without a doubt the most underwhelming stage. Okay, we know the route was designed to be the perfect prep race for Doha and attract the best riders, which worked superbly. But on the other hand it's a pity that they don't do a proper Ardennes stage. Remember how it was in the top-3, if not top-1, of the best races in 2015. A totally epic stage capped off by a long solo from Wellens.
Anyway, the 'queen' stage starts and finishes in Belgian Limburg. The peloton will take a big loop south where they will look for some hills nearby Liège.
Climbs:
121,3km - Muizenberg - 650m @ 6,6%
62,3km - Côte Halembeye (north)- 1100m @ 6,6%
47,3km - Côte Bois la Dame - 900m @ 12,2%
45km - Côte Rue Saivelette - 900m @ 5%
38,7km - Rue Lieutenant Pirard - 800m @ 5%
24,7km - Côte Halembeye (south) - 800m @ 8,6%
17,8km - Muizenberg - 650m @ 6,6%
Sunday 25/09, stage 7: Bornem > Geraardsbergen 197.8km
Since de Ronde van Vlaanderen ditched de Muur in 2012, the Eneco organizers did not have to think twice. They sealed a deal with Geraardsbergen to pick up this legendary climb and host an annual finish on the Vesten. Bar in 2014, it has each time been the last stage and this year is no different.
The stage features 21 climbs in total. The first 100km is a legstretcher with barely two hills. With 85.3km to go, things get real when the peloton arrives in Geraardsbergen and enter the local circuit (the exact same as last year). The first passage on the finish line is with 76.8km to go; from that point, the riders have to complete 3 laps (25.6km).
Climbs included in the circuit:
21.3km to go - Bosberg - 1000m @ 6% (400m cobbles)
12.7km to go - Onkerzelestraat - 1500m @ 3%
6.7km to go - Denderoordberg - 700m @ 8 (cobbles)
Finish Vesten - 600m @ 7,6% (cobbles)
Golden Kilometer after 173.8km
START LIST
The start list is simply AMAZING. Especially the sprint field is probably (on par with some others) the best ever in a stage race. Cav, Kittel, Greipel, Bouhanni, Kristoff, Sagan, Degenkolb etc. etc. Etixx brings their 3 cobbled captains. GVA, Tony Martin, Dumoulin, EBH, Wellens, Thomas,... Crazy.
I was a bit disappointed that the organization decided to alter the route and make it a good prep race for Doha, but if you see who they managed to attract, they made a perfect call.
2015
1. WELLENS Tim LTS 26h31'59"
2. VAN AVERMAET Greg BMC 59"
3. KELDERMAN Wilco TLJ 01'17"
4. GILBERT Philippe BMC 01'40"
5. FELLINE Fabio TFR 01'48"
6. GRIVKO Andriy AST 01'54"
7. ROGERS Michael TCS 02'02"
8. BENOOT Tiesj LTS 02'11"
9. JUUL JENSEN Christopher TCS 02'11"
10. ALAPHILIPPE Julian EQS 02'11"
Previous winners
2014 WELLENS Tim
2013 STYBAR Zdenek
2012 BOOM Lars
2011 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald
2010 MARTIN Tony
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