Riders will have to face the Old Kwaremont on Sunday's Tour of Flanders.(Image credit: Sirotti)
The peloton climbing at the Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Lion of Flanders watches over the pack as they take a breather coming down a small hill.(Image credit: marcoquezada.com)
Boonen gets the better of Pozzato at the death to win the Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The 100th anniversary of the Tour of Flanders will follow the new course concept presented in 2012. The Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg will be climbed three times each, while the Muur van Geraardsbergen will once again not be feature.
"We go three times over the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg about. And the arrival remains in Oudenaarde. Underway there are here and there some small changes, like every year. But we continued with the new concept,” said race organizer Wouter Vandenhaute, according to sporza.be.
The race, to be held on Easter Sunday, March 31, and will start at the Bruges Market. “From there we pull in a straight line to Torhout, Ledegem, Wevelgem and on to Rekkem, which is this year's 'village of the Tour,'” race director Wim Vanherreweghe told HLN.be. The race then heads to Avelgem and the first of 17 climbs of the day, the Tiegemberg.
Once the Ardennes have been reached, the peloton will face 50 kilometres with the Taaienberg, Eikenberg, and Molenberg climbs, not to mention some difficult cobblestone stretches. After climbing Berendies and Valkenberg, the riders will have an easier section to catch their breath and prepare for the 37km loop which will take them over the Kwaremont for the first time, followed immediately by the second loop of 20km, with Kwaremont, Paterberg and Hotond.
“During the last loop, the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg are still built in, and then towards Oudenaarde and then the run-in to the finish,” Vanherreweghe said.
Amateur riders who want to recreate the 1913 race may do so – all 324km of it. Organizers are celebrating the race's centenary with a hobby race on May 25, with Eddy Merckx and Johan Museeuw.
"We can't promise exactly the same course,” Vanherreweghe said "But we will try to do the best possible. The trip will be 324 km long, as in 1913."
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