The riders click into their pedals in Leuven and begin a zigzag journey through Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant. None of the hills are hard in itself, but the ceaseless succession will wear the riders out.
Smeysberg gives a first taste of what’s in store. The ‘helling’ appears at kilometre 13 and the hilly party really starts to get going some 30 kilometres later when the riders hit the Chaussée d’Alsemberg. After this the route tackles another hill every 5 kilometres or so. Following climbs up Alsemberg, Bruine Put (twice), Menisberg (twice), Eigenbrakelsesteenweg, Rue Pierre Flamand and Rue Francoise Dubois the riders enter the final circuit after approximately 105 kilometres.
The first passage of the finish line is at kilometre 126.1 and with three 23.4 kilometres laps to go. With the bell still ringing in their ears the riders tackle the Hagaard climb before continuing to the Hertstraat. Via Holstheide and IJskelderlaan the local circuit concludes with Schavei.
The trio Holstheide, IJskelderlaan and Schavei is clustered in the last 10.3 kilometres. So this is the finale’s finale. Holstheide is a 1 kilometre climb at 5% and the IJskelderlaan 400 metres at 8%. A flat section of 3.4 kilometres runs to the foot of the final uphill, the Schavei: 700 metres at averaging 6.2%. The finish line is 200 metres after the Schavei.
Last year, Tim Wellens soloed to victory in the last 8 kilometres. He broke clear in a front group with Jelle Vanendert, Enrico Gasparotto, Pieter Serry, Serge Pauwels, Xandro Meurisse and Bert-Jan Lindeman to finish off a strong team effort by Lotto-Soudal.
The race is expected to finish around 17:30 – local time.
Other interesting reads:
– live race report
– start list
– favourites
Brabantse Pijl 2019: route, profiles, more
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