Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne 2023

Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne is a one-day race in Belgium that forms part of the Spring Classics campaign. 

Together with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on the preceding Saturday, it forms part of what's known as the Opening Weekend of the Belgian Classics season – a tone-setter ahead of the bigger prizes to be won in the main spring period. 

While the Omloop shares a similar race identity to the Tour of Flanders, Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne is more geared towards the sprinters, with Mark Cavendish a two-time winner.

That has been changing in recent years as the organisers have sought to intensify the route and racing has become more open, but two of the last four editions have culminated in bunch sprints, with Fabio Jakobsen and Mads Pedersen speeding to glory.

As indicated by the name, the race starts and finishes in Kuurne, but, although it heads southeast through the Flemish Ardennes, it doesn't come anywhere near Brussels.

The winner of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne receives a toy donkey, stemming from the not-so-affectionate nickname for locals of this sleepy town just outside of Kortrijk. 

2023 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne teams

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Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne race history

Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne was first held in 1945 and is now about to hold its 74th edition.

Valère Olivier was the first winner and Belgians have gone on to dominate the race, with a total of 53 home winners. Of them, the decorated Tom Boonen holds the record of three victories, in 2007, 2009, and 2014. 

The late February date has often seen wintery conditions, and the race has had to be cancelled on three occasions: 1986, 1993, and 2013. That makes it 73 editions in the past 76 years, but there have in fact been 74 winners, with Alfred De Bruyne and Leon Van Daele sharing the honours in 1961 after a close finish that the officials were unable to call. 

• Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne Past Winners