Tour of Flanders: Blue loop

This is one of the classic rides in Belgium, and features a great many legendary climbs such as the Oude Kwaremont, Paterberg, Koppenberg, Taaienberg, and more. It’s called the blue loop because this is the color of the sign posts that you’ll find along the way. There are two other official loops that are signposted: the yellow loop and the red loop.

The yellow loop is an alternative loop that takes you through the less-traveled cycling roads, where the red loop takes you to Geraardsbergen and the legendary Muur van Geraardsbergen. Geraardsbergen is a little bit further away than most of the other famous climbs, which would possibly explain why there’s a separate loop for the Muur.

As you can see on the map, there’s a lot of climbs covered in a relatively small area. In fact, many climbs tackle a different side of the same hill. Starting at the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen in Oudenaarde, you ride along the banks of the river Schelde towards Kluisbergen.

Just like in the real Ronde Van Vlaanderen, the first kilometers are flat, but once in the hill zone, it doesn’t stop going up and down. Starting with one of the all-time greats: the Oude Kwaremont. Not so steep, but it’s long, on cobbles that were seemingly thrown in from a distance.

Back on the main road, the climbing goes on gently, followed by a quick descent to that other monument: the Paterberg. It’s a very short climb, but boy, is it steep. And again over cobbles, but these are in great shape overall.

Up next is probably the most difficult climb of them all. The road towards the Koppenberg may seem flat, but it’s undulating on less than great roads. And usually the wind has free play and doesn’t do you any favors.

One tip for steep cobble climbs like the Paterberg and Koppenberg: stay firmly seated and move some of your body weight to the handlebars. You wouldn’t be the first one to do an involuntary wheelie and fall down. The steepest part of the Koppenberg goes up to 24%, where it often is covered with leaves and therefore also often slippery and wet.

Barely over the Koppenberg lies the next hurdle in wait: the Mariaborrestraat that seemingly converts into the Steenbeekdries.

After going down the Stationsberg (going downhill on cobbles at speed is some experience!), the Tom Boonen climb awaits: the Taaienberg. If you want to cheat, you can ride in the gutter here (also on the Paterberg, but that’s a tricky one - you might crash), or ride on the cobbles like a real man.

After the Taaienberg, it’s time for a tarmac climb of the Muziekbosberg in the forest. Then it’s 5-10 gentle kilometers down the Kanarieberg, through the town of Ronse, and then up the long climbs of the Oude Kruisberg and the Hoogberg (the highest point of the province of East-Flanders at a whopping 145m of altitude!).

One more bump over the Karnemelkbeekstraat and you can almost start to relax, but not before you’ve tackled the last climb of the day, a few kilometers further is the Kluisberg that waits you from the Wallonian side (Mont d’Enclus).

From there, you can cruise back to Oudenaarde along the Schelde and lovely country side scenery.