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2002 Het Volk

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Mont Ventoux
Photo ©: Sirotti

58th Omloop Het Volk - 1.1

Belgium, March 1, 2003

Main page    Riding the Het Volk parcours

Course Description

In a slight change of location, the 58th Omloop Het Volk gets under way from outside the S.M.A.K,Gent's Museum of Contemporary Art, located in the Citadelpark near the middle of the city. To show that sport and art go hand in hand, the museum is opening its doors from 9am to 6pm for free admission to cycling fans. In the press this week, Eddy Merckx has been called "Michelangelo", while Briek Schotte "an expressionist". They take their cycling seriously here.

The riders will leave the S.M.A.K at 11:30am, with the official start on the outskirts of the city at 11:45. From there, the riders travel straight down to Oudenaarde on the main road. This is no Tour of Flanders, and there is no time to explore other parts of the country. The straight, wide roads continue all the way down to Kluisbergen (km 37), where the first of ten climbs in the race is located. This is a well known asphalt climb, measuring 1.1 km and averaging 6%, with the steepest part at the top. Certainly not decisive, but an indication that the race has really started.

From there, the parcours follows a traditional Ronde Van Vlaanderen route, with the narrow and steepish Côte de Trieu (km 44) coming shortly after Kluisbergen. After this climb, the riders descend on the main road back into Kluisbergen and turn right and right again onto the Oude Kwaremont. At 2.2 km, this is the longest climb in the race and it's cobbles are not easily ridden over. However it also comes quite early on, meaning that the pace and the weather will have to be really hard for there to be a decisive split on this climb.

The Muziekbos (Climb 4) is only 6 km after the Kwaremont, but it's short and shouldn't pose a big problem. After that there are 25 km of undulating roads and wind, before the riders get to Geraardsbergen. Although this isn't a particularly tough part of the race, attacks can often go here while the peloton is relaxing. Once they reach Geraardsbergen, they ride up the Muur, approaching it from a slightly different direction - they miss the first cobbled part in favour of a steeper asphalt road, then head up the final 500m of ancient cobbles.

Another 15 km of long, straight, concrete slab roads follow before the race reaches Brakel, where it heads up the Valkenberg climb. This is another short climb (450m at 8%), which shouldn't present too many difficulties by itself. There might be a few sore legs by this stage though. The race continues to head back west, tackling the Eikenberg (km 113), followed by the Haaghoek (2300 m of flattish cobbles), then the Leberg (km 124) and Berendries (km 129). This section could well produce some more splits.

The 10th and final climb is the Molenberg (km 139), which is roughly cobbled and averages 10%, but is only short at 325m. However it is followed by the Paddenstraat section of cobbles near Zottegem at km 147, another 2300m of bone jarring. Although there are no more hills in the final 50 km, there are numerous flat cobbled sections, which can be just as decisive as a climb near the end of the race. The finish is on the Bergendriesstraat (N70) in Lokeren, which is quite close to Gent.

Also see: Riding the Het Volk parcours with fakta

Time Table

                                                            km    km    41     43
                                                           gone to go  km/h   km/h
Gent
Neutral Start (S.M.A.K.)                                              11:30  11:30
Official Start                                               0   200  11:45  11:45
De Pinte                                                     2   198  11:48  11:48
Nazareth
Eke                                                          7   193  11:55  11:55
Zingem                                                      11   189  12:01  12:00
Oudenaarde                                                  20   180  12:14  12:13
Wortegem-Petegem
Petegem a/d Schelde                                         21   179  12:16  12:14
West-Vlaanderen
Avelgem
Kerkhove                                                    30   170  12:29  12:27
Waarmaarde                                                  33   167  12:33  12:31
Oost-Vlaanderen
Kluisbergen
Ruien                                                       35   165  12:36  12:34
Climb 1: Kluisberg                                          37   163  12:39  12:37
1100 m - avg. 6% - max. 15%
Henegouwen
Mont de L'Enclus
Orroir                                                      39   161  12:42  12:39
Amougies                                                    41   159  12:45  12:42
Russeignies                                                 42   158  12:46  12:44
Climb 2: Côte de Trieu                                      44   156  12:49  12:46
1100 m - avg. 8% - max. 13%
Oost-Vlaanderen
Kluisbergen
Kwaremont                                                   44   156  12:49  12:46
Knokstraat, Drogenbroodstraat, Ronde van Vlaanderenstraat
Ronsebaan (N36) (voor dorpskern)
Berchem                                                     47   153  12:54  12:51
Stationstraat, (voor) Parklaan, Bruggestraat
Broektestraat                                               48   152  12:55  12:52
Kwaremont                                                   49   151  12:57  12:53
Kwaremontplein, Schilderstraat
Climb 3: Oude Kwaremont                                     51   149  13:00  12:56
2200 m - avg. 4% - max. 11% - 2200 m
Zandstraat (N425), Hotondberg Molen, Zandstraat (N425)      53   147  13:03  12:59
Kruisstraat (N425)
Ronse                                                       56   144  13:07  13:03
Maarkedal
Nukerke                                                     57   143  13:08  13:05
Ronse                                                       59   141  13:11  13:07
Climb 4: Muziekbos                                          59   141  13:11  13:07
400 m - avg. 4% - max. 11%
Henegouwen
Ellezelles                                                  62   138  13:16  13:11
Flobecq                                                     64   136  13:19  13:14
Oost-Vlaanderen
Brakel
Everbeek                                                    71   129  13:29  13:24
Priemstraat, Molenstraat, Steenweg (N493)                   75   125  13:35  13:30
Geraardsbergen
Zarlardinge                                                 78   122  13:39  13:34
Goeferdinge                                                 79   121  13:41  13:35
Overboelare                                                 80   120  13:42  13:37
Geraardsbergen                                              81   119  13:44  13:38
Renners: Vesten (t.h.v. Superette), Oudebergstraat          83   117  13:46  13:41
Climb 5: Muur                                               84   116  13:48  13:42
825 m - avg. 9% - max. 20% - 500 m
Onkerzele                                                   86   114  13:51  13:45
Schendelbeke                                                88   112  13:54  13:48
Ophasselt                                                   89   111  13:55  13:49
Bevoorrading                                                90   110  13:57  13:51
Lierde
Sint-Maria-Lierde                                           95   105  14:04  13:58
Brakel                                                      99   101  14:10  14:03
Climb 6: Valkenberg                                        102    98  14:14  14:07
450 m - avg. 8% - max. 14%
Zegelsem                                                   103    97  14:16  14:09
Horebeke
Sint-Kornelis-Horebeke                                     107    93  14:22  14:14
Maarkedal
Schorisse                                                  110    90  14:26  14:18
Maarke-Kerkem                                              111    89  14:27  14:20
Climb 7: Eikenberg                                         113    87  14:30  14:23
1200 m - avg. 5% - max. 11% - 1200 m
Oudenaarde
Edelare                                                    113    87  14:30  14:23
Volkegem                                                   114    86  14:32  14:24
Mater                                                      117    83  14:36  14:28
Matersplein 200 m, na 200m Keirestraat                     118    82  14:38  14:30
Horebeke
Sint-Maria-Horebeke                                        120    80  14:41  14:32
Sint-Kornelis-Horebeke                                     121    79  14:42  14:34
Sint-Kornelisplein, Meersestraat, Haaghoek 2300 m
Brakel
Zegelsem                                                   123    77  14:45  14:37
Climb 8: Leberg                                            124    76  14:46  14:38
600 m - avg. 4% - max. 16%
Elst                                                       125    75  14:48  14:39
Michelbeke                                                 127    73  14:51  14:42
Climb 9: Berendries                                        129    71  14:54  14:45
900 m - avg. 5% - max. 14%
Zottegem
Sint-Maria-Oudenhove                                       130    70  14:55  14:46
Zwalm
Rozebeke                                                   133    67  15:00  14:51
Boembekestraat 300 m, Rozebekeplein
50m after the cobbles, Vijflindenlaan, Hooglaan (N415)
Sint-Blasius-Boekel                                        135    65  15:03  14:53
Horebeke
Sint-Maria-Horebeke                                        138    62  15:07  14:58
Zwalm
Sint-Denijs-Boekel                                         139    61  15:08  14:59
Climb 10: Molenberg                                        139    61  15:08  14:59
325 m - avg. 10% - max. 17% - 300 m
Wijlegem, Wijlegem (Witte Kapel)                           140    60  15:10  15:00
Wijlegem, (omhoog) Wijlegem
Roborst                                                    142    58  15:13  15:03
Borstekouterstraat, Borstekouterstraat 300 m,
Zottegem
Velzeke                                                    144    56  15:16  15:06
Paddenstraat 2300 m
Romeinsplein, Lippenhovenstraat 1000 m, Lippenseweg        147    53  15:20  15:10
Provinciebaan (N46)                                        149    51  15:23  15:13
Elene                                                      150    50  15:24  15:14
Oombergen                                                  152    48  15:27  15:17
Oosterzele
Balegem                                                    153    47  15:29  15:18
Oosterzele                                                 158    42  15:36  15:25
Gijzenzele                                                 159    41  15:38  15:27
Wetteren
Kwatrecht                                                  161    39  15:41  15:30
(Kruising met N9) Brusselsesteenweg (N9)                   162    38  15:42  15:31
Wetteren                                                   163    37  15:44  15:32
Gentsesteenweg (N400), Felix Beernaertsplein               167    33  15:49  15:38
Kon. Astridlaan, Schelde, Nieuwe Brug, Kapellendries (N407)
Kalkensteenweg (N407) (richting Lokeren)                   169    31  15:52  15:41
Laarne
Kalken                                                     171    29  15:55  15:44
Provinciebaan (N407), Colmanstraat, Berlindestraat
Krimineelstraat, 's Gravenbrielplein 150 m
Krimineelstraat 350 m
Heirweg (N445), (past Café Schorpioen)                     174    26  16:00  15:48
Steenbeekstraat 600 m , Nerenweg, Kleine Molenstraat 250m
Vaartstraat (N407), Kalken Dorp, Vromontstraat (N407)      176    24  16:03  15:51
Berring, Boombosstraat, Vaarschootstraat, Uitbergsestraat  178    22  16:05  15:53
Berlare
Overmere                                                   180    20  16:08  15:56
Burgveldstraat, Molenstraat, 's Heeremeersstraatje
Koningstraat 700 m, Broekstraat
Lindestraat, Heistraat 500 m, Kerkstraat (N407)            182    18  16:11  15:59
Lokeren
Heieindestraat, na 200m aan bushalte Vogelzangstraat 1300m 184    16  16:14  16:02
Kerrebroeckstraat, Nieuwe Molenstraat                      187    13  16:19  16:06
after 200m Beerveldestraat 
Heieindestraat (N407)                                      189    11  16:22  16:09
Heiendestraat 4 x , Hillarestraat                          192     8  16:26  16:13
Hillarestraat, na 100m Karlapperstraat, Eekstraat          193     7  16:27  16:14
after 10m Durmelaan, Markt 400 m                           194     6  16:29  16:16
Grote Kaai, Sportlaan (rechter rijweg), Koning Albertlaan
Oude Bruglaan (N473), Rozenstraat (N473)                   196     4  16:32  16:18
Antwerpsesteenweg (N70), Tweebruggenstraat (N70)           198     2  16:35  16:21
Bergendriesstraat (N70)                                    199     1  16:36  16:23
Finish                                                     200     0