Koppenberg back in Ronde van Vlaanderen

The Koppenberg climb has been reinstated in the route of the 2008 Ronde van Vlaanderen, according to the Gazet van Antwerpen. Last year the Koppenberg was swapped for the Kortekeer, due to the poor state of Melden hill.

Over the course of the past year, the city of Oudenaarde has renovated the climb completely in order for the race organisers to reconsider the climb in the race.

"There where deals made between the various institutions," explained race organiser Wim Van Herreweghe. "We are going to make sure that during the Ronde van Vlaanderen the Koppenberg will be in good condition. This hill is a monument that has a lot of nostalgia attached to it, in the monument that the Ronde van Vlaanderen is.

"Riders old and new, such as, Scott Sunderland, Serge Baguet, Kevin Hulsmans en Kevin Van Impe have looked at the renovated Koppenberg a short time ago and have given the thumbs up," he added. "All the holes have been fixed also the descent is under control. The public will be allowed on the climb, but with the necessary safety regulations. The climb needs to remain competitive. On top of that we have implemented measures so that we can continue to use the climb in the future."

The Koppenberg is the seventh of 17 hills. It comes after 195 km of racing and with 69 km to the finish in Ninove. It comes after the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg and is followed by the Steenbeekdries and the Taaienberg. The Kortekeer, the Koppenberg's replacement last year, has been scrapped from the route of the 92nd Ronde van Vlaanderen.