Dwars door Vlaanderen takes in eleven hills and three stretches of pavé. The route is similar to last edition, meaning the race is not as tough as in the past. The race features in the Tour of Flanders build-up and the organisers don’t want to scare off the big guns with a too demanding route. Still, not all stellar names show up in Dwars door Vlaanderen.
Dwars door Vlaanderen starts in Roeselare and after 80 kilometres the first ‘helling’ appears in the shape of the Nieuwe Kwaremont. From then on it’s all systems go with another climb every 10 kilometres or so. The riders tackle Kluisberg, Knokteberg and Kortekeer before the cobbles of Mariaborrestraat lead onto the Steekbeekdries and Stationsberg. Hardly time for a breather as the Taaienberg and Berg Ten Houte follow in rapid succession.
The Knokteberg is tackled for the second time after almost 150 kilometres before the finale is pepped up by stretches of pavé and three ‘hellingen’. After the cobbles of the Varentstraat (809 metres) the race continues to the uphill cobbles of the Vossenhol (800 metres at 6.5%) and Holstraat (1 kilometre at 5.2%). The last climb is the cobbled Nokereberg: 500 metres at 5.7% and crested with around 9 kilometres to go.
800 metres of gobbles on the Herlegemstraat are the final hurdle. Only 5.9 kilometres left to race before the 2019 winner of Dwars door Vlaanderen crosses the line.
Yves Lampaert won last two editions – two years ago with a solo and last year he outsmarted Sep Vanmarcke, Mike Teunissen, Mads Pedersen and Edvald Boasson Hagen in the final kilometre.
Dwars door Vlaanderen 2019: route, profile, more
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