northern classics shuffled

[il_fiammingo]

It looks like Belgian TV-producer Wouter Vandenhaute, who bought the Tour of Flanders, Omloop Het Volk and Paris-Bruxelles, was able to convince the UCI to change the sequence of the Flemish (semi-)classics. His goal is to give the Flemish Cycling Week more international exposure by e.g. organizing Gent-Wevelgem on sunday before the Tour of Flanders. By doing so he wants to upgrade the status of Gent-Wevelgem which is now often skipped by the Flanders & Roubaix favourites.

What will happen with the KBC Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde is not clear yet.

The 2010 calendar:

Wednesday 24 March: Dwars Door Vlaanderen (to be confirmed)
Sunday 28 March: Gent-Wevelgem (UCI confirmed)
Wednesday 31 March: E3-prijs Harelbeke (to be confirmed, used to be on Saturday, the day before the Brabantse Pijl))
Sunday 4 April: Ronde van Vlaanderen (UCI confirmed)
Wednesday 7 April: Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen (to be confirmed)
Sunday 11 April: Parijs-Roubaix
Wednesday 14 April: Brabantse Pijl (to be confirmed, used to be on Sunday before the Ronde)

 

[Mellow Velo]

Very interesting and quite radical.
However, to "upgrade" Gent-Wevelgem, they first need to upgrade the course.
Especially after emmasculating the Kemmelberg, last year.

 

[Moondance]

Sigh, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

As long a the Ronde is on the first Sunday in April, and there's lots of good Belgian beer to drink, i'll be there.

 

[Bala Verde]

Apparently the organisares of the E3 are very unhappy with the new situation and threaten to cancel the race...

Sporza/dutch

 

[ak-zaaf]

This would be stupid. It's good the way it is now. Gent-Wevelgem wants a semi-classic and a nice little stage race to sacrifice themselves so they can get more status?

I think the E3 and De Panne are perfect where the are because they seem like better preparation for Vlaanderen than Wevelgem.

 

[Furbo_]

to "upgrade" Gent-Wevelgem, they first need to upgrade the course.

Word.

A nonsense change.

 

[il_fiammingo]

It looks like Belgian TV-producer Wouter Vandenhaute, who bought the Tour of Flanders, Omloop Het Volk and Paris-Bruxelles, was able to convince the UCI to change the sequence of the Flemish (semi-)classics. His goal is to give the Flemish Cycling Week more international exposure by e.g. organizing Gent-Wevelgem on sunday before the Tour of Flanders. By doing so he wants to upgrade the status of Gent-Wevelgem which is now often skipped by the Flanders & Roubaix favourites.

What will happen with the KBC Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde is not clear yet.

The 2010 calendar:

Wednesday 24 March: Dwars Door Vlaanderen (to be confirmed)
Sunday 28 March: Gent-Wevelgem (UCI confirmed)
Wednesday 31 March: E3-prijs Harelbeke (to be confirmed, used to be on Saturday, the day before the Brabantse Pijl))
Sunday 4 April: Ronde van Vlaanderen (UCI confirmed)
Wednesday 7 April: Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen (to be confirmed)
Sunday 11 April: Parijs-Roubaix
Wednesday 14 April: Brabantse Pijl (to be confirmed, used to be on Sunday before the Ronde)

Apparently things weren't communicated correctly: the E3-prijs stays on saturday and precedes Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday. The Driedaagse De Panne is kept the week before the Ronde.

Wednesday 24 March: Dwars Door Vlaanderen
Saturday 27 March: E3-prijs Harelbeke
Sunday 28 March: Gent-Wevelgem
Wednesday 30 March - Thursday 1 April: KBC Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde
Sunday 4 April: Ronde van Vlaanderen
Wednesday 7 April: Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen
Sunday 11 April: Parijs-Roubaix
Wednesday 14 April: Brabantse Pijl

 

[eric_vv]

Apparently things weren't communicated correctly: the E3-prijs stays on saturday and precedes Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday. The Driedaagse De Panne is kept the week before the Ronde.

Wednesday 24 March: Dwars Door Vlaanderen
Saturday 27 March: E3-prijs Harelbeke
Sunday 28 March: Gent-Wevelgem
Wednesday 30 March - Thursday 1 April: KBC Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde
Sunday 4 April: Ronde van Vlaanderen
Wednesday 7 April: Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen
Sunday 11 April: Parijs-Roubaix
Wednesday 14 April: Brabantse Pijl

Which is a logical change, the Brabantse Pijl has always been more suited as prep for AGR then Flanders. It's a good way to elevate that race, it might attract more top riders this way being closer to AGR, FW and LBL.

I really like the Brabantse Pijl and if this improves the field for that race I'm all for it. The only problem is that it's on wednesday now, which means taking a day off to watch it.

 

[Anonymous]

Sigh, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

As long a the Ronde is on the first Sunday in April, and there's lots of good Belgian beer to drink, i'll be there.

+1,000

When I first read this OP my heart skipped a beat. I have plane tickets, rented houses... everthing is scheduled for the Flanders/Roubaix double.

I guess I'll miss G/W...

 

[Swingtop]

This is a logical change I think, but only as long as they televise the first hours of GW. The real action of GW in the last years was in the first part of the race.

 

[Wrecktangle]

Hey, let's move Easter while we are at it. Christmas too...