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Deinze - Wevelgem, 249.2 km

Van Avermaet and Keukeleire finish well ahead of their chasers

Weather at the finish town of Wevelgem at 2:26 PM, local time: 15C (59F), Sunny, with the wind from the ENE at 18 km/hr (11 mph)

The race: Here's the report from winner Greg van Avermaet's BMC team.

Greg Van Avermaet made history by winning Gent-Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, on the back of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Record Bank –E3 Harelbeke, the first rider to win all three Classics in the same season.

After winning two UCI WorldTour Classics in three days, Van Avermaet showed he is the hot favorite for Ronde van Vlaanderen with an aggressive ride over the 249km parcours, which ended with a nail-biting sprint against Jens Keukeleire (ORICA-SCOTT).

The day started with nine riders going clear and building a solid gap of more than seven minutes. Their advantage reduced when cross winds caused echelons in the peloton but eventually, the peloton came back together and began the chase for the breakaway.

With 88km to go, BMC Racing Team made the most of the chaotic conditions of cross winds and crashes, to put in a big push and split the peloton again into six groups.

The race came back together for a second time as the peloton approached the new addition of gravel roads, and it was here that Quickstep-Floors launched a move with a small group of serious contenders going clear.

Stefan Küng, Daniel Oss, Silvan Dillier and Loïc Vliegen put in a huge effort to bring the group back for Van Avermaet as the race entered the final 50km.

It was on the final ascent of the Kemmelberg when Van Avermaet made his move and a group of 14 riders went clear of the peloton. Approaching 20km to go, Keukeleire attacked and Van Avermaet, Nikki Terpstra (Quickstep-Floors), Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Soren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb) joined.

15km before the line it was just Van Avermaet and Keukeleire left at the front. The duo put in a brilliant effort to stay clear and eventually, it was Van Avermaet who took the win on the line as the peloton came storming home just six seconds behind the duo.

The Winner's Interview with Greg Van Avermaet

Greg, Congratulations! Describe your feeling right now.

“I was not expecting to win Gent-Wevelgem, but I’m really happy. It’s definitely the best start of the season that I’ve ever had. I’ve won three Classics already so it’s an amazing feeling. It’s never easy to win these races and normally Gent-Wevelgem isn’t so much of a race for me. I tried so many times to win here and now I’ve won three all in one season. It’s a wonderful feeling and it gives me extra confidence for Ronde van Vlaanderen.”

It was a chaotic day with cross winds and crashes but you had the team there to protect you in crucial moments. How was it out there?

“The guys, like Stefan Küng and Loïc Vliegen, did a great job to bring Quickstep-Floors back when they went away on the gravel roads. Daniel Oss was strong too the whole day. It was a really hard race for sure and you need a strong team in these races.”

You attacked and created the final selection on the Kemmelberg. Was this the plan?

“The Kemmelberg is always a point when everyone wants to go and I felt really strong there. I hoped to get a good group with me and that’s what happened. Then we went way with strong guys. I was riding really hard the whole time because sometimes when you do a small pull you lose less energy than when you have to close gaps. In a race like this you can’t say we are not going to ride with 20km to go. You have to keep going the whole time. That’s what happened with Jens Keukeleire and I when it was just the two of us. The whole last 10km we weren’t speaking, it was just head down and going as fast as we could. It was a great win and the race was really perfect.”

Three big wins must put you in a fantastic position for Ronde van Vlaanderen?

“For sure. I don’t think I can say anymore that I’m not the favorite. These wins give me extra confidence before next Sunday. I said on Friday that I can beat anyone in the sprint on a hard race. Now we look to Ronde van Vlaanderen and I’m going to give it everything I have.”

Fabio Baldato, Sports Director: “When you have a strong leader like Greg, who has already won big races, it brings the level up. Everyone gave everything today. Greg wanted to have a hard race so we tried to move and to attack and when we missed the move, the guys were really strong and closed the gap. It was perfect. Our race plan was to race aggressively and not take too many risks that would make the race come down to a sprint. Greg is super strong and there’s not many riders who can do what he does.”

“I hope the success continues to Ronde van Vlaanderen. For sure, Greg is the favorite now. We all need to step up to Greg’s level and do the best we can to put him in the position to win on Sunday.”

Complete Results:

249.2 kilometers raced at an average speed of 44.095 km/hr

1	Greg VAN AVERMAET	BMC	5hr 39min 5sec
2	Jens KEUKELEIRE	Orica-Scott	s.t.
3	Peter SAGAN	Bora-hansgrohe	@ 6sec
4	Niki TERPSTRA	Quick-Step	s.t.
5	John DEGENKOLB	Trek-Segafredo	s.t.
6	Tom BOONEN	Quick-Step	s.t.
7	Jens DEBUSSCHERE	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
8	Michael MATTHEWS	Sunweb	s.t.
9	Fernando GAVIRIA	Quick-Step	s.t.
10	Sacha MODOLO	UAE Abu Dhabi	s.t.
11	Maxime VANTOMME	WB Veranclassic	s.t.
12	Bert VAN LERBERGHE	Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise	s.t.
13	Sonny COLBRELLI	Bahrain-Merida	s.t.
14	Juraj SAGAN	Bora-hansgrohe	s.t.
15	Christophe LAPORTE	Cofidis	s.t.
16	Søren Kragh ANDERSEN	Sunweb	s.t.
17	Sam BENNETT	Bora-hansgrohe	s.t.
18	Jos VAN EMDEN	Lotto NL-Jumbo	s.t.
19	Edward THEUNS	Trek-Segafredo	s.t.
20	Guillaume VAN KEIRSBULCK	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	s.t.
21	Ian STANNARD	Sky	s.t.
22	Oliver NAESEN	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
23	Coen VERMELTFOORT	Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij	s.t.
24	Daniele BENNATI	Movistar	s.t.
25	Marco MARCATO	UAE Abu Dhabi	s.t.
26	Luka MEZGEC	Orica-Scott	s.t.
27	Loïc VLIEGEN	BMC	s.t.
28	Jasha SÜTTERLIN	Movistar	s.t.
29	Scott THWAITES	Dimension Data	s.t.
30	Yoann OFFREDO	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	s.t.
31	Nikolas MAES	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
32	Alberto BETTIOL	Cannondale Drapac	s.t.
33	MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN	Astana	s.t.
34	Hugo HOULE	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
35	Bram TANKINK	Lotto NL-Jumbo	s.t.
36	Hugo Hofstetter	Cofidis	s.t.
37	NICCOLO' BONIFAZIO	Bahrain-Merida	s.t.
38	Dries VAN GESTEL	Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise	s.t.
39	Daniel OSS	BMC	s.t.
40	ANDREY GRIVKO	Astana	s.t.
41	Jurgen ROELANDTS	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
42	Silvan DILLIER	BMC	s.t.
43	Mitch DOCKER	Orica-Scott	@ 13sec
44	Edvald BOASSON HAGEN	Dimension Data	s.t.
45	Koen DE KORT	Trek-Segafredo	s.t.
46	Jasper STUYVEN	Trek-Segafredo	s.t.
47	Christopher JUUL JENSEN	Orica-Scott	s.t.
48	Julien VERMOTE	Quick-Step	s.t.
49	Yves LAMPAERT	Quick-Step	s.t.
50	Fabio FELLINE	Trek-Segafredo	s.t.
51	Matteo TRENTIN	Quick-Step	s.t.
52	Zdenek ŠTYBAR	Quick-Step	s.t.
53	Dimitri CLAEYS	Cofidis	s.t.
54	Luka PIBERNIK	Bahrain-Merida	@ 30sec
55	Tom VAN ASBROECK	Cannondale Drapac	+1:20
56	Marcel SIEBERG	Lotto Soudal	+1:32
57	Robert Thomas WAGNER	Lotto NL-Jumbo	+7:26
58	Pim LIGTHART	Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij	s.t.
59	Julien DUVAL	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
60	Elmar REINDERS	Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij	s.t.
61	Laurens DE VREESE	Astana	s.t.
62	Moreno HOFLAND	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
63	Huub DUYN	Veranda's Willems-Crelan	s.t.
64	Iljo KEISSE	Quick-Step	s.t.
65	Francisco Jose VENTOSO	BMC	s.t.
66	Jay Robert THOMSON	Dimension Data	s.t.
67	Carlos BARBERO	Movistar	s.t.
68	Rick ZABEL	Katusha Alpecin	s.t.
69	Viacheslav KUZNETSOV	Katusha Alpecin	s.t.
70	Mark MCNALLY	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	s.t.
71	Simone CONSONNI	UAE Abu Dhabi	s.t.
72	Ryan MULLEN	Cannondale Drapac	s.t.
73	Alexander KRISTOFF	Katusha Alpecin	s.t.
74	Andrea PASQUALON	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	s.t.
75	Kenneth VAN ROOY	Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise	s.t.
76	Bernhard EISEL	Dimension Data	s.t.
77	Dennis VAN WINDEN	Israel Cycling Academy	s.t.
78	Arnaud DEMARE	FDJ	s.t.
79	Mike TEUNISSEN	Sunweb	s.t.
80	Dylan GROENEWEGEN	Lotto NL-Jumbo	s.t.
81	Amund Grondahl JANSEN	Lotto NL-Jumbo	s.t.
82	Stefan KÜNG	BMC	s.t.
83	Borut BOZIC	Bahrain-Merida	s.t.
84	Jelle WALLAYS	Lotto Soudal	s.t.
85	Baptiste PLANCKAERT	Katusha Alpecin	s.t.
86	Dmitriy GRUZDEV	Astana	s.t.
87	Preben VAN HECKE	Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise	s.t.
88	Raymond KREDER	Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij	s.t.
89	Berden DE VRIES	Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij	s.t.
90	Dylan TEUNS	BMC	s.t.
91	Gediminas BAGDONAS	Ag2r La Mondiale	s.t.
92	Héctor CARRETERO	Movistar	s.t.
93	Marcus BURGHARDT	Bora-hansgrohe	s.t.
94	Maciej BODNAR	Bora-hansgrohe	s.t.
95	Lars BOOM	Lotto NL-Jumbo	s.t.
96	Tyler FARRAR	Dimension Data	s.t.
97	Dylan VAN BAARLE	Cannondale Drapac	s.t.
98	Mathew HAYMAN	Orica-Scott	s.t.
99	Sebastian LANGEVELD	Cannondale Drapac	s.t.
100	Florian SENECHAL	Cofidis	s.t.
101	Caleb EWAN	Orica-Scott	s.t.
102	Wesley KREDER	Wanty-Groupe Gobert	s.t.
103	Michael MORKOV	Katusha Alpecin	+13:47
104	Ivan GARCIA	Bahrain-Merida	s.t.
105	Federico ZURLO	UAE Abu Dhabi	s.t.
106	Olivier LE GAC	FDJ	s.t.
107	Mickael DELAGE	FDJ	s.t.
108	Loic CHETOUT	Cofidis	s.t.
109	Lukasz WISNIOWSKI	Sky	s.t.
110	Christian KNEES	Sky	s.t.
111	Christophe MASSON	WB Veranclassic	s.t.
112	Gregory RAST	Trek-Segafredo	s.t.
113	Tony MARTIN	Katusha Alpecin	s.t.
114	Edward PLANCKAERT	Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise	+13:51
115	Gianni MOSCON	Sky	+13:52

Course map and profile:

2017 Gent-Wevelgem course map

2017 Gent Wevelgem course profile

Start list with back numbers, March 25:

	BORA-HANSGROHE
1	SAGAN Peter
2	BENNETT Sam
3	BODNAR Maciej
4	BURGHARDT Marcus
5	KOLAR Michal
6	SAGAN Juraj
7	SARAMOTINS Aleksejs
8	SCHILLINGER Andreas
	QUICK-STEP FLOORS
11	BOONEN Tom
12	LAMPAERT Yves
13	DEVENYNS Dries
14	GAVIRIA Fernando
15	KEISSE Iljo
16	STYBAR Zdenek
17	TERPSTRA Niki
18	TRENTIN Matteo
	LOTTO - SOUDAL
21	DEBUSSCHERE Jens
22	ROELANDTS Jurgen
23	MAES Nikolas
24	FRISON Frederik
25	HOFLAND Moreno
26	WALLAYS Jelle
27	BAK Lars Ytting
28	SIEBERG Marcel
	BMC
31	VAN AVERMAET Greg
32	DILLIER Silvan
33	OSS Daniel
34	QUINZIATO Manuel
35	TEUNS Dylan
36	KÜNG Stefan
37	VENTOSO Francisco José
38	VLIEGEN Loïc
	AG2R LA MONDIALE
41	NAESEN Oliver
42	VANDENBERGH Stijn
43	DENZ Nico
44	DUVAL Julien
45	GOUGEARD Alexis
46	HOULE Hugo
47	BARBIER Rudy
48	BAGDONAS Gediminas
	ASTANA
51	BRESCHEL Matti
52	DE VREESE Laurens
53	GATTO Oscar
54	GRIVKO Andriy
55	GRUZDEV Dmitriy
56	LUTSENKO Alexey
57	TLEUBAYEV Ruslan
58	VALGREN ANDERSEN Michael
	BAHRAIN - MERIDA
61	FENG Chun Kai
62	BONIFAZIO Niccolo
63	BOZIC Borut
64	COLBRELLI Sonny
65	GARCIA CORTINA Ivan
66	INSAUSTI Jon
67	PER David
68	PIBERNIK Luka
	CANNONDALE-DRAPAC
72	VAN ASBROECK Tom
73	KOREN Kristjan
74	SCULLY Thomas
75	LANGEVELD Sebastian
76	VAN BAARLE Dylan
77	MULLEN Ryan
78	WIPPERT Wouter
	FDJ
81	DEMARE Arnaud
82	DELAGE Mickael
83	GUARNIERI Jacopo
84	MANZIN Lorrenzo
85	KONOVALOVAS Ignatas
86	LADAGNOUS Matthieu
87	LE GAC Olivier
88	SARREAU Marc
	MOVISTAR
91	ARCAS Jorge
92	BARBERO Carlos
93	BICO Nuno Miguel Alves
94	BETANCUR Carlos Alberto
95	CARRETERO Hector
96	PEDRERO Antonio
97	SÜTTERLIN Jasha
98	BENNATI Daniele
	ORICA - SCOTT
101	KEUKELEIRE Jens
102	HAYMAN Mathew
103	EWAN Caleb
104	JUUL JENSEN Christopher
105	DOCKER Mitchell
106	KLUGE Roger
107	MEZGEC Luka
108	CORT NIELSEN Magnus
	DIMENSION DATA
111	REGUIGUI Youcef
112	BOASSON HAGEN Edvald
113	DOUGALL Nick
114	EISEL Bernhard
115	FARRAR Tyler
116	RENSHAW Mark
117	THOMSON Jay Robert
118	THWAITES Scott
	KATUSHA-ALPECIN
121	MARTIN Tony
122	PLANCKAERT Baptiste
123	KRISTOFF Alexander
124	KUZNETSOV Vyacheslav
125	HALLER Marco
126	MORKOV Michael
127	BYSTROM Sven Erik
128	ZABEL Rick
	LOTTO NL - JUMBO
131	BOOM Lars
132	GROENDAHL JANSEN Amund
133	GROENEWEGEN Dylan
134	LEEZER Tom
135	TANKINK Bram
136	VAN EMDEN Jos
137	WAGNER Robert
138	VAN HOECKE Gijs
	TEAM SKY
141	ROWE Luke
142	STANNARD Ian
143	DOULL Owain
144	KNEES Christian
145	MOSCON Gianni
146	DIBBEN Jonathan
147	VAN POPPEL Danny
148	WISNIOWSKI Lukasz
	TEAM SUNWEB
151	DE BACKER Bert
152	WAEYTENS Zico
153	CURVERS Roy
154	ANDERSEN Søren Kragh
155	MATTHEWS Michael
156	SINKELDAM Ramon
157	TEUNISSEN Mike
158	ARNDT Nikias
	TREK-SEGAFREDO
161	STUYVEN Jasper
162	THEUNS Edward
163	DEGENKOLB John
164	FELLINE Fabio
165	VAN POPPEL Boy
166	RAST Grégory
167	REIJNEN Kiel
168	DE KORT Koen
	UAE - TEAM EMIRATES
171	CONSONNI Simone
172	GANNA Filippo
173	KUMP Marko
174	LAENGEN Vegard Stake
175	MARCATO Marco
176	MODOLO Sacha
177	TROIA Oliviero
178	ZURLO Federico
	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
181	VAN GESTEL Dries
182	FARAZIJN Maxime
183	PLANCKAERT Edward
184	VAN HECKE Preben
185	STEELS Stijn
186	VAN LERBERGHE Bert
187	VAN ROOY Kenneth
188	WALLAYS Jens
	WANTY – GROUPE GOBERT
191	VAN KEIRSBULCK Guillaume
193	DEVRIENDT Tom
194	KREDER Wesley
195	PASQUALON Andrea
196	STENUIT Robin
197	VANSPEYBROUCK Pieter
198	DEHAES Kenny
199	MCNALLY Mark
	VERANDA'S WILLEMS-CRELAN
201	DEVOLDER Stijn
202	CORDEEL Sander
203	DE BONDT Dries
204	BILLE Gaetan
205	DUYN Huub
206	DUPONT Timothy
207	GOOLAERTS Michael
208	KRUOPIS Aidis
	COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CRÉDITS
211	CHETOUT Loïc
212	CLAEYS Dimitri
213	HOFSTETTER Hugo
214	LAPORTE Christophe
215	LEMOINE Cyril
216	SENECHAL Florian
217	VAN STAEYEN Michael
218	VAN BILSEN Kenneth
	WB-VERANCLASSIC AQUALITY PROTECT
221	DE WINTER Ludwig
222	ISTA Kevin
223	JANS Roy
224	KIRSCH Alex
225	NAESEN Lawrence
226	MASSON Christophe
227	STASSEN Julien
228	VANTOMME Maxime
	ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY
231	BOIVIN Guillaume
232	DEMPSTER Zakkari
233	LOWNDES Jason
234	PERRY Benjamin
235	RÄIM Mihkel
236	VAN WINDEN Dennis
237	WILLIAMS Tyler
238	YECHZKEL Aviv
	ROOMPOT-NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ
241	ASSELMAN Jesper
242	DE VRIES Berden
243	KREDER Raymond
244	LIGTHART Pim
245	LOOIJ André
246	VERMELTFOORT Coen
247	REINDERS Elmar
248	VAN DER HOORN Taco

November 11, 2016:

The race organizer put out this release describing the 2017 route:

Ghent-Wevelgem 2017: looking back at one of the most remarkable phenomena in the history of war.

Ghent-Wevelgem In Flanders Fields travels once again along the Flemish Fields that were once the backdrop of the Great War on Sunday, 26 March 2017. The contest pays tribute with its itinerary to the 600.000 victims who met their demise in Flanders Fields. A detour will be made through the Plugstreets, in and around Ploegsteert, to commemorate the Christmas ceasefire of 1914.

Life on the Western Front was certainly no joke in the winter of 1914. Both combating sides (the allies on the one side and Germany on the other side) had dug themselves in after the war ended in a stalemate. The Northern European landscape looked quite remarkable: there were two opposing trench systems reaching from the North Sea coast to the Swiss border with no man's land and barbed wire fences in between. More or less permanent facilities were erected on both sides, such as underground rooms, shelters, stoves and toilets. It was freezing on the Western Front on Christmas Eve 1914. No further offensives were therefore expected. Both sides tried to make the best of it.

The Germans started to celebrate Christmas first: there was some drinking and here and there a Christmas tree appeared or a lantern above the trenches. Somewhere a soldier began to sing Silent Night, Holy Night. The British felt they had to do something in return and sang ‘The First Noel’. The Germans applauded and then commenced with ‘O Tannenbaum’ and so it carried on.

The following day, on Christmas Day, soldiers came out of their trenches from both sides on the front. Field services were held in full view of the enemy without a single shot being fired. Both parties waved to one another and a few brave soldiers walked into no man's land to greet one another. Small groups were initially formed; the groups then became bigger until hundreds of soldiers eventually stood by one another in some places. They were shaking hands; they offered one another a light and exchanged gifts: cigarettes, sausages and cigars, canned stew, tobacco and London newspapers.

In some places they even played some football. The most legendary match was between the British and the Germans in the Saint-Yvon region, near Ploegsteert. The Germans won with 3-2. The UEFA Christmas Truce Monument was inaugurated by Michel Platini in Komen-Waasten on 11 December 2014.

This spontaneous ceasefire was obviously much to the displeasure of the commanders. It affected the discipline; soldiers could indeed come to think that the enemy was also only human. The carefully crafted image of the enemy had to be preserved at all cost. Both sides carried out justified measures in order to avoid this in the future. Nevertheless, there was already a twinning again during the Christmas of 1915, though on a smaller scale. The army leadership was furious, once again. In the autumn of 1916, orders were drawn up with a command to execute those who fraternized. There was no more ceasefire that winter and also not in the one of 1917.

However, there was a moment of peace on earth in 1914. The guns and cannons fell silent for a moment. There was room for Christmas just for a short while; for a little bit of camaraderie and humanity.

There has never been talk of such a spontaneous rapprochement between the besieged during any other conflict. It is and remains one of the most remarkable phenomena in the history of war.

“Christmas Eve was celebrated this way in a fraternal mood. The Germans brought nice things. They also had plenty of wine. Our soldiers could offer nothing in return. As the hours passed, everyone pulled back to his trench and soon gunfire crackled again No man’s land. [...] There was an investigation, the military tribunal got involved and the station commander was called to account. Second Lieutenant Naviau, a Walloon, got demoted. One must leave the soldiers well alone.” (Belgian soldier Rik Reynaerts)

Hans De Clercq, sports manager at Ghent-Wevelgem: We enjoy a massive exposure as World Tour Tier 1 competition. Ghent-Wevelgem In Flanders Fields is broadcast around the world; from Norway to Australia, from Mexico to Thailand.
By integrating the Plugstreets in the itinerary, there will be combat once again, although this time, luckily, by bicycle. In addition, we also pay tribute to the victims and the viewer can commemorate the fallen in an appropriate manner.
We would therefore like to be the link between the sport in the year 2017 and the unfortunate past of 100 years ago. ‘Let us never forget how they combated for us!

Plugstreets:

‘This pertains to 3 strips, semi-paved roads, or otherwise called Green Roads, with a total distance of 5,2 kilometres. The first two strips are slightly sloping and are located in open plains where the wind will have free reign. At the entrance to the 2nd strip is the Christmas Truce Monument that reflects the symbolism of the Christmas ceasefire of 1914.’

‘Integrating this strip between the two Kemmel climbs will provide additional nervousness. There will be less opportunity to recover. The competition will not be ‘won’ here, but the chaff will be further separated from the wheat.’

A special detour - “Plugstreet 14-18 Experience”

In order to reach this historic place, the peloton will make a detour on so-called ‘Green Roads’ – roads that are constructed by means of a special process and that are water- and air permeable.

These semi-paved roads consist only of hard stone granules with a 100% natural binder. This binder is activated every time anew when there is contact with water. Hence, completely ecological. More information can be found on: http://www.greenroad.be/nl/werkwijze/

Three Green Roads have been included in the itinerary; we call them ‘Plugstreets’ after the WWI experience centre built in Ploegsteert: “Plugstreet 14-18 Experience”. Ploegsteert was called “Plugstreet” by the British. The centre is reminiscent of the battle, but also the suffering, the British and German military losses, the insecurity of the population faced with the occupation, the mass departure and so much more. Exceptional iconographic documents illustrate the dangerous and difficult society of soldiers and civilians. Other documents show relaxation, friendship, fraternity and the surprising Christmas Peace of December 1914 in Saint-Yvon.

There are numerous, easily accessible memorial sites in the vicinity of the “Plugstreet 14-18 Experience”, such as the British Memorial of Ploegsteert (for the commemoration of 11.447 missing persons, killed on the more southern front line), the British cemeteries, the memorials and memorial stones and so on ...

Concrete racing course itinerary change

The first Kemmelberg climb is over. 14 km and after passing the Monteberg, the village of Wulvergem with several British cemeteries and the Kraaiberg en Mesenberg hills, the peloton will reach Mesen. The course itinerary changes just after passing the impressive Irish Peace Tower. Once in the Ploegsteert territory, we will ride, quite appropriately, onto the Bondgenotenweg. ‘Plugstreet 1’ starts just past the ‘Irish Farm’ on the left.

Plugstreet 1 is the Hutteberg, also known as Hill 63. A strategic vantage point on the hill crest of Mesen and the underlying Heuvelland (hill country). The Catacombs are situated underneath the Hutteberg, an enormous dugout with 19 corridors, 1.200 beds and one-way traffic. The sports area is 2,1 km long and consists of a little hill and in the descent a treacherous chicane, near the ruins of the destroyed Breuvart castle, former observation post of the British.

The “Plugstreet 2” is reached after 800 meters of asphalt; one turns right at the Christmas Ceasefire: called Mud Lane in WWI, now luckily a half-paved road with six British cemeteries nearby. There is also a memorial along this road of the famous British rugby player Ronald Poulton Palmer. We ride onto the main road again after 1,3 km.

The stunning British Memorial casts its shadow on the peloton 250 meters further. Covering the same distance again, one turns to the right into the Munquestraat; 400 meters further, once again to the right, to “Plug Street 3”. The last Green Road is 0,6 km long and passes through the Ploegsteert woods.

The complete zone is 5,7 km long of which 4 km is half-paved. We reach Nieuwkerke via the ‘Rosenberg’ and ‘De Trompe’ hills and we join the course itinerary of 2016. In this zone you will imagine yourself being in London at times. The British wanted to feel at home and so you will find: The Strand, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street and Hyde Park Corner.