After the Wall of Geraardsbergen was taken out the Tour of Flanders in 2012 the Eneco Tour adopted the climb. Since then Alessandro Ballan, Zdeněk Štybar, Greg Van Avermaet and Manuel Quinziato powered to victory at the steep cobbles.
In the closing stage of the 2016 Eneco Tour the riders first hit the Hurdumont, a 550 metres climb at 8% that’s crested with 105 kilometres done. The next two climb are Côte D’Houppe (1,900 metres at 2.8%) and the Tenbossestraat (500 metres at 7%) before they arrive at the final circuit.
Barely on the circuit the riders face the steep cobbled climb up the Denderoordberg and 5.5 kilometres later the first passage on the line is a fact. Obviously, they climb all the way to the top after this first passage, meaning a 1.1 kilometre cobbled climb with an average gradient at 8.7% and a steepest section at 20%.
The closing circuit is the same as last year, featuring Bosberg (1 kilometre at 6%), Onkerzelestraat (1.5 kilometres at 3%) and Denderoordberg (0.7 kilometre at 8%). As said, the finish line is halfway up the Wall of Geraardsbergen. The closing climb is 0.6 kilometre at 7.6%.
The Eneco Golden KM is scheduled 173.8 kilometres into the race, when three intermediate sprints within 1,000 metres come with time bonuses at 3, 2 and 1 second each. At the finish line bonuses at 10, 6 and 4 seconds lay waiting.
Results/race report 7th stage, 2016 Eneco Tour.
Eneco Tour 2016 stage 7: Route-, profile maps and more
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