Explore the 2024 Road European Championships in Limburg
After sipping your pre-ride coffee at Fietsbar in Hasselt, you are ready for a perfect cycling day in Limburg. The rolling countryside of South Limburg offers you a stunning landscape, but… you have to earn it. You first ride towards the Circuit of Zolder, a cycling temple hosting World Championships in road racing, cyclo cross and BMX since 1963. As the official starting point of the 2024 road European Championships, this could be your alternative starting point as well. When heading back south, the route offers you a classic final, with various cobbled sections and short climbs. This is where you tackle the main segments from the championships, like the cobbles of Manshoven and Op de Kriezel. Or climbs like Kolmont and Zammelenberg. In between, you ride along castles and beautiful orchards. It’s going to be tough, but the more rewarding. Take a well deserved break at Café Coureur, or have that perfectly chilled cycling beer back in Hasselt, where the finish line of the European Championships is drawn. The content of this route was created together with our friends at Wielerflits and RIDE Magazine.
The route step by step
Start
Our route starts at the railway station of the charming city of Hasselt, finish town of the road European Championships. Easy to arrive by train, but you can also park your car here. Don't hesitate to have a pre-ride coffee at Fietsbar. You could also consider to start at the Circuit of Zolder with its velodrome and bar, or at Café Coureur hotel, bar and restaurant.
We first ride north towards Heusden-Zolder, the official starting place of the 2024 Road European Championships.
Circuit Zolder is undoubtedly the temple of cycling paradise Limburg. Rik Van Looy, Mario Cippolini and Erik De Vlaeminck are just a few of the names from the Circuit’s glorious past. More recently, we can easily add Cadel Evans, Philippe Gilbert and Tom Boonen to this list. On this circuit, all of them tested the limits of both man and material.
The first sporting event ever held here was the 1969 Belgian Cycling Championship followed by many international cycling championships such as the World Championships on the road and in cyclo-cross (2002). Circuit Zolder is an ideal base for discovering cycling paradise Limburg and its cycling history.
But that's not all. In 2023 a brand new cycling track opened here. It is said to be one of the fastest in the world, and everyone can ride it on fixed hours. You can rent a track bike as well. Afterwards, you can have a drink or a bite in the bar and eatery.
EVENING CYCLING
Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. you can test your own limits at Circuit Zolder. Cycle together with many other racers and enthusiasts in the peloton on the legendary asphalt. The track is fully lit, so you can also cycle safely during the winter months. A day ticket costs 4 euros. With a timing chip, subscribers can time and analyze their lap times, as well as compare them with their friends.
The first tens of kilometers of the route are not too difficult. We enjoy the well-maintained cycling roads, as is often the case in Limburg, and continue towards the next part of the route. This takes us to the beautiful fruit region of Haspengouw. We also feel this in our legs, because we are presented with more and more altitude meters. After 50 km, we arrive at the Romeinse Kassei.
Romeinse Kassei
The Romeinse Kassei ('Roman cobble') is a straight, undulating road that runs through the fruit region. Some parts are quite steep, at one point the road approaches a 10% gradient. Then it levels off and we can enjoy the surroundings a bit more. The Floating Chapel of Helshoven is also located along this road, a nice place to stop and look at the masterpiece of artist Frits Jeuris.
After the Romeinse Kassei, Manshoven soon appears. A beautiful rolling cobbled segment of about one kilometer. We turn left from a nice wide road onto the cobblestones. The first 500 meters of the segment are virtually flat, followed by a more difficult section that is introduced by a sharp bend to the right. That part hurts us for a moment, but the views at the top make up for a lot.
Treeyards, neatly landscaped with hawthorn gardens, an impressive farmstead and extensive meadows. The Manshoven cobble section is located in one of the most beautiful places of Haspengouw. The first 500m are as straight as an arrow and relatively fast, But about halfway you turn right and you get a solid climb of 300m. Then you descend to the village of Heks (witch in English).
The cobbles of Manshoven are not to be underestimated, but fortunately there is a nice stretch to recover afterwards. Via undulating and descending roads we arrive at the foot of Op de Kriezel. This cobbled climb is quite long, but is never really steep. You ride up between the fields on rather easy to ride cobblestones. Towards the end the climb becomes a bit tougher, but all in all it's not too bad. It is mainly a climb where you can enjoy the surroundings.
From the village of Hopmaal you take 'Op de Kriezel'. This 1400m long cobblestone road is one of Limburg's toughest segments. In the past, the strip was even twice as long. The cobbles are relatively small, but the potholes in the road surface make it difficult. The strip is slightly uphill and in the open field you have no shelter for the wind. During passages of cycling races, the peloton is often split into small groups. This section is part of the Tour of Limburg.
The route leads us further towards the south of Limburg and for a moment we even cross the Walloon border. In this section it goes up and down continuously. For the real climbing, we have to wait until the Kolmont. That's a nice climb on a well-maintained road. There is also a beautiful S-bend, which really invites you to stand on the pedals and test your legs.
From the village of Piringen you can see the Kolmontberg already emerging. This climb is 700m long and has an average grade of 4.5%. The hardest part is the first 300m of the climb, then the climb goes steadily to the top. The Kolmontberg is part of the final local laps of the Tour of Limburg.
The Zammelenberg appears soon after the climb of Kolmont. We climb via the Jesserweg and immediately find ourselves between the fields. The great thing about this climb is that you see the village of Jesseren disappear behind you. It is a steady climb, which allows us to organize the climb well. After a few bends we suddenly find ourselves back among the orchards, a nice surprise. The Zammelenberg is the last climb of the final lap of the European Championships. We did that lap once, the pros will do it no fewer than three times in September.
Zammelenberg is a smooth and beautiful climb between the fields and orchards. It is 800m long and never gets really steep. Time to enjoy the view! Something the riders in the Tour of Limburg race don't get the chance to do.
We have already covered many kilometers and the many climbs and cobbles are getting to us. Time for a well deserved pitstop at the Café Coureur bar.
Café Coureur is a cycling hotspot where cycling is king and the cyclist emperor! They combine a top-notch shop, where you can find the best cycling stuff, combined with a true kick-ass bicycle café. In the café you can find everything a true cyclist needs. They have many cycling beers perfectly chilled for the awesome après bike camaraderie.
Café Coureur is the all in one cycling experience, as they also organize social rides, cycling events and cycling holidays in the region.
After this there is another 20 kilometers on the menu. In this part we have to brave the Printhagendreef, a short cobblestone strip. Fortunately, our pit stop gave us some energy again. The real climbs are already over.
In the Printhagendreef you can choose between a concrete bike path or the 400m long cobblestone road. But of course, a real Flandrien always rides the cobbles. The strip is slightly downhill, so you can go really fast on this one. Check out the impressive castle farm on your left.
The last tens of kilometers are a bit less difficult. This way we arrive in Hasselt fairly quickly. We have already cycled more than 100 kilometers, but still find the energy to do a final sprint. We didn't earn a European jersey, but it was cool!
The succession of different climbs, with or without cobblestones, will hurt even the best riders in the world at the European Championships in September. We have earned our final stop at the cozy Fietsbar in Hasselt.
Finish
Plan your stay
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