Heuvelland Hellingen route HHR40
Pre-Ride
The route step by step
Start
This route is a rouleur's paradise, plenty of hills nothing too severe, momentum your friend. The only cobbled stretch is up the Kemmelberg.
Scherp means 'sharp' in Dutch, and so it comes as no surprise that the Scherpenberg has ramps of up to 11%. The road is tiny, and as it curves over the roots of nearby trees. Combine this with the Zandberg.
Ok, so the Zwarteberg is technically in France, and as such is also known as Mont Noir (Black Mountain) but it's just over the border from the Kemmel range of hills where the infamous Kemmelberg is located. Mont Noir has featured in Gent-Wevelgem a number of times, and takes its name from the black pine woods that surround it.
The Schomminkelberg is a climb which the professionals stay away from, despite it's popularity in amateur races. It is narrow and steep, gaining more than 65m over the last 1.1km - the deceptive average gradient of 4.4% includes the gentle pitch out of Westouter, but it's really in the last kilometer, including a ramp of 17% in the steepest section, where the climb does it's damage. You may wish to fortify yourself at the excellent frituur on the way out of the village. Westouter is also a great spectating point for Gent-Wevelgem and In De Zwaan is a great traditional Flemish cafe.
A very short and venomous climb or should we say 'wall'. Only 270m long, with an average incline of 9% and a maximum incline of 20%. If you manage to pull your eyes away from your front wheel, you will note the incongruous sight of a ski-lift above the road. This climb is used in Gent-Wevelgem and one of our favourites.
Brilliant rolling countryside.
At 156 meters the Kemmelberg is the highest point in West Flanders. Named after the village of Kemmel on its eastern slopes, during World War One it was the scene of brutal slaughter, the roads up it's slopes were only constructed to allow the hauling of munitions up to the gun emplacements on top. Today, it is the showpiece of Gent-Wevelgem, one of the great Classics and whose two ascents of the Kemmelberg’s notorious cobbled pavement, or pavé, continued to court controversy. For if the riders must climb from the south-east the Kemmel twice, for a while they also had to descend down the northern face. With its 20 per cent gradient over unpredictable terrain, the Kemmelberg has witnessed some truly horrendous crashes.
Quote
"The Kemmelberg is a savage little climb made harder by the up and down effect of the hills efore it, by the deadly Flemish roads and by the speed of the race. I love it." - Barry Hoban, winner of the 1974 Ghent-Wevelgem.
Downhill on cobbles
Looking down from the top of the Kemmelberg is the Monument to fallen French servicemen and women. Careful on this steep cobbled descent. Many professional riders crashed over here. So keep focussed.
Congratulations. You survived. Time for beers and Flemish stew with fries in Casino!
Finish
Plan your stay
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