Brabantse Pijl 2025, April 18

[Berniece]

The opening of the Ardennes classics starts with De Brabantse Pijl, and for me personally the start of finally seeing Evenepoel race again in 2025.

Course
In addition to a new place on the calendar, De Brabantse Pijl now also has a new starting point, at least for the men. The starting shot will sound in Beersel on Friday 18 April, and that will also be the case for the next 4 years. The race will start at 13:10 in the beautiful setting of the Provincial Domain Huizingen, where the riders will begin a 175 km ride with a total of 22 climbs. (It's actually 162.6km, so not sure whey their official communique is saying 175km)

With a start in the middle of the Pajottenland, there will not be a long wait for the first climb. After 6 km, the peloton will climb for the first time on Beersel territory. The Alsemberg, followed by the Bruine Put, are on the menu first. The riders then head to Lennik, where a passage on the Markt awaits around 13:50. After that, they will head back to Beersel once more, this time for the combination of Beerselberg and Bruine Put.

In previous editions, the peloton headed towards Beersel after the start in Leuven to seek out the slopes of the Pajottenland. The crossing to the Druivensteek will be similar in 2025 and will again take place via the climbs of the Eigenbrakelsesteenweg, Rue de Nivelles and Rue François Dubois. With around 75 km to go, the peloton will reach the finish in Overijse for the first time after a first passage on the Hertstraat, Holstheide and S-bend.

Then three traditional local laps await in Overijse. Each lap is about 20 km long and consists of the climbs of Hertstraat, Moskesstraat, Holstheide and S-bend Overijse. Around 17:15 the successor of Benoit Cosnefroy should be known.

Profile

Hertstraat

Moskesstraat

Holstheide

S-bend Overijse

Top Competitors
Besides the return of Evenepoel and Pidcock there are also many youngsters to keep an eye on. Jan Christen, Per Strand Hagenes and Joseph Blackmore are racing too.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Whoever decided this race needed to be moved to Friday and cut to 160k should be put on trial. It's a bit telling that the team that won the last two editions is now choosing to skip it, but the field is at least quite good overall.

 

[Gigs_98]

Whoever decided this race needed to be moved to Friday and cut to 160k should be put on trial. It's a bit telling that the team that won the last two editions is now choosing to skip it, but the field is at least quite good overall.

Maybe the fact that they have a cobbled climb in the finale now made them think that they are missing out on riders coming there after Roubaix if they keep it on a wednesday. And tbf, the starter field is kinda proving them right. I agree about the 160k though.

 

[Lequack]

The most important race of the year.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

The most important race of the year in Overijse.

Fixed it.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

The return of Remco should certainly be interesting... I'm not necessarily expecting him to win, but I'm very curious what kind of shape he'll be in. (And I'm not just talking about his weight.)

Having said that Pidcock for the win! (And at least one Astana rider in the top 10.)

 

[Berniece]

The return of Remco should certainly be interesting... I'm not necessarily expecting him to win, but I'm very curious what kind of shape he'll be in. (And I'm not just talking about his weight.)

Having said that Pidcock for the win! (And at least one Astana rider in the top 10.)

I don't expect Remco to win because the race isn't difficult enough, but that might also be a good thing for AGR 2 days later. That he doesn't have to go too deep, and just get some racing in the legs. Someone to challenge Healy and Pogacar in AGR.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Thursday I would've understood but Friday? What's the benefit in that? Surprised to see this kind of starting field given that you only have one day to recover before Amstel.

 

[AmRacer]

Thursday I would've understood but Friday? What's the benefit in that? Surprised to see this kind of starting field given that you only have one day to recover before Amstel.

Only 160 k helps

 

[Samamba]

Whoever decided this race needed to be moved to Friday and cut to 160k should be put on trial. It's a bit telling that the team that won the last two editions is now choosing to skip it, but the field is at least quite good overall.

Thomas Van de Spiegel, the head of Flanders Classics.

Also notorious for being the first big organizer to be on board with OneCycling.

Why are you asking? Well, because the Ronde van Limburg is a Flanders Classic race and didn't attract a good field in May, so they wanted a better spot and obviously the UCI listens to whatever Van de Spiegel says. The funny thing is that the startlist for the Ronde van Limburg is equally as pathetic as before. It did not work at all (why would it, it's a random .1 sprinters race). They said it would also be good for the Brabantse Pijl cause in the past no one from Itzulia started there, but that didn't change at all cause now they just don't want to combine Brabantse with Amstel as Amstel is obviously 10 times more important.

 

[Didinho]

You can find me on the local lap for the next days and supporting on the Moskes on Friday. Ready for Remco’s comeback.

Pidcock to win a photo finish sprint against Wout, again.

Edit: just checked my Strava segments of these climbs how many times I’ve done them. (In about 4 years, mostly summer)

Holstheide 57x
Hertstraat 53x
Moskesstraat 55x

 

[Peyroteo94]

I'm little bit surprised to see such a good startlist, specially with AGR just 2 days after

 

[Pantani_lives]

The funny thing about the S-bend Overijse is that its altitude profile is also an S-bend.

 

[E_F_]

Fixed it.

Nah, the Druivenkoers is top dog in Overijse.

 

[Sciatic]

Whoever decided this race needed to be moved to Friday and cut to 160k should be put on trial. It's a bit telling that the team that won the last two editions is now choosing to skip it, but the field is at least quite good overall.

Very disappointing.

 

[Netserk]

S-bend Overijse

I don't think they go through Solheide.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Nah, the Druivenkoers is top dog in Overijse.

I stand corrected. You are so right there!

 

[Samamba]

You can find me on the local lap for the next days and supporting on the Moskes on Friday. Ready for Remco’s comeback.

Pidcock to win a photo finish sprint against Wout, again.

Edit: just checked my Strava segments of these climbs how many times I’ve done them. (In about 4 years, mostly summer)

Holstheide 57x
Hertstraat 53x
Moskesstraat 55x

127x Holstheide
9x Moskes
7x Hertstraat

I think I have a favorite

 

[ashhutch1997]

One of the most underrated races of the year IMO.

 

[E_F_]

Am I really the only person who has huge issues with this race?

 

[Sciatic]

Am I really the only person who has huge issues with this race?

Issues such as . . . ? Getting there? Beer that’s available? Sounds too much like “barbecue”?

 

[E_F_]

Issues such as . . . ? Getting there? Beer that’s available? Sounds too much like “barbecue”?

I think the loop makes it feel a bit cheap. Also they kinda just made it the Druivenkoers... The route is much easier than it could have been. They changed the starting and finishing cities.

 

[Sandisfan]

Nah, theNah, the Druivenkoers is top dog in Overijse. is top dog in Overijse.

Is it only me when I see Druivenkoers I Read it as Drunkenvoers LOL.

 

[E_F_]

Is it only me when I see Druivenkoers I Read it as Drunkenvoers LOL.

It does mean "Graperace" so really that's not too far off.

 

[Berniece]

I don't think they go through Solheide.

I wasn’t sure, I tried to match the route on La Flamme Rouge, with climbfinder. I’ll double check, and thanks for correcting me.

EDIT: You were right, I've changed the profile. Thanks!