Bring me back "Across Belgium" (À travers la Belgique/Dwars door België)

[Echoes]

Bring me back "Across Belgium" (À travers la Belgique/Dwars door België)

Hello,

The race that will take place tomorrow was known as "À travers la Belgique" from 1945 to 1999, the first editions until 1964 were two stage races.

The last edition of À travers la Belgique had a magnificent route which you can see on this link: http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/1999/mar99/dwars99.html

I showed it to a friend who is an amateur rider and he was pretty much impressed.

The so-called Côte de Les Hauts (côte des Hauts in grammatically correct French, also known as Côte du Beau Site; South-West side) is one of the hardest cobbled climb in Belgium, arguably harder than the Kapelmuur. It's situated in the French-speaking part, though the historical region is known as Gallicant Flanders, or the Tournaisis.

Here's the profile:
http://www.climbbybike.com/fr/profil.asp?Climbprofile=Beau-Site-Sud-Ouest&MountainID=137

What's really hard about it is that once you reach the top, it's flat. The descent is a bit further away. Hence, when you think it's over, you still have to pedal.

Not a single pro elite race nowadays takes the Beau Site. However it's the main climb of the Tryptique Monts et Chateaux on the U23 circuit.
This Dwars door Vlaanderen thing only has climbs that the Tour of Flanders or Ghent-Ghent already has. It has no point. The uniqueness of the race disappeared.

The Tournaisis formerly had a dozen pro races in Merckx's time. Nowadays, only one stage of the Franco-Belge.

 

[il_fiammingo]

Hello,

The race that will take place tomorrow was known as "À travers la Belgique" from 1945 to 1999, the first editions until 1964 were two stage races.

The last edition of À travers la Belgique had a magnificent route which you can see on this link: http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/results/1999/mar99/dwars99.html

I showed it to a friend who is an amateur rider and he was pretty much impressed.

The so-called Côte de Les Hauts (côte des Hauts in grammatically correct French, also known as Côte du Beau Site; South-West side) is one of the hardest cobbled climb in Belgium, arguably harder than the Kapelmuur. It's situated in the French-speaking part, though the historical region is known as Gallicant Flanders, or the Tournaisis.

Here's the profile:
http://www.climbbybike.com/fr/profil.asp?Climbprofile=Beau-Site-Sud-Ouest&MountainID=137

What's really hard about it is that once you reach the top, it's flat. The descent is a bit further away. Hence, when you think it's over, you still have to pedal.

Not a single pro elite race nowadays takes the Beau Site. However it's the main climb of the Tryptique Monts et Chateaux on the U23 circuit.
This Dwars door Vlaanderen thing only has climbs that the Tour of Flanders or Ghent-Ghent already has. It has no point. The uniqueness of the race disappeared.

The Tournaisis formerly had a dozen pro races in Merckx's time. Nowadays, only one stage of the Franco-Belge.

If i'm not mistaken, they did the climb in the Eneco Tour last year.
You're absolutely right about being hard. Of all the climbs I did in the region, i rate it N°2 after the Koppenberg.

edit: Bourliquet is a nice one too. A bit like the Berendries.

 

[Lanark]

Interesting piece Echoes! I didn't know about that climb, a shame they use it so little. You're right about the fact that so many Belgian semi-classics try to become Ronde van Vlaanderen clones. Dwars door Vlaanderen changed it route last year to make it more difficult in the final, E3-prijs is very similair, as is the first stage of the Driedaagse van de Panne. They probably ride the Oude Kwaremont about a dozen times just in the spring.

Luckily de Omloop seems the have found it's own niche, being the only Belgian semi-classic that's usually descided on the cobblestones, and not on the hills.