Relive the 1950 UCI World Championships in Moorslede
The route step by step
Start
Back in the days
World Championship cylcing in Moorslede, 1950: The archetypical Flandrien strikes again
A man made of iron, wrapped in a rainbow jersey. The 1950 World Cycling Championships in Moorslede ended splendidly for the home crowd. Briek Schotte, the archetypical Flandrien, was crowned world champion for the second time, after a grueling race on a magnificent course.
Little has changed here
When riding on this typical concrete road, fighting against the ever blowing wind amidst the fields, it's not hard to imagine how Iron Briek must have felt during those last miles towards the finish line.
Ever winding roads
Passage under the Menin Gate
Owner Dirk Ghyselinck is a retired professional cyclist himself and still knows lots of people in the sport.
Before arriving at the foot of Rodeberg, the riders in 1950 had to tackle a long ascending road towards the climb. We left this part in the route, so that you can feel their pain as well. You're welcome.
The Rodeberg can be tackled from both directions, but make sure you take a side-trip to the south at the summit, taking the small road up to the Molenhof restaurant, where the road really kicks up. This is the Baneberg. The hill is one of the best places in the area to pause with, t'Hellegat offering excellent food and drinks and the Nachtegaal campsite, where you can hire a retro camper to sleep in and enjoy fantastic views to the south.
This is the steepest and longest side of the Kemmelberg, with a maximum gradient of over 20%. Gent-Wevelgem used to descend this way but a Jeremy Roy crash in 2002 underlined the danger of using steep, tree shaded cobbled descents in the finale of a big race.
Riding out of Kemmel, you turn right onto the stones which trick you into thinking the summit is just around the long left hand bend before kicking you in the teeth with the last 20% ramp before the summit at the Ossuaire built to honour the remains of some 5294 French troops killed in fighting over the possession of the hill, who's guns overlooked the entire Ypres Salient. Of these, only 57 were identified. It is the largest French military monument outside of France.
Ireland Peace Park, Messines
Biking Bar is the cycling hotspot in Ypres. Simply enter with your bike and have a seat in the cosy bar or at the garden terrace. With Coureur coffee and several cycling beers on the menu, it's the perfect place to start and end your ride in the Flanders Fields region. Biking Bar also rents out race bikes and regular (e-)bikes. Owner Kurt arranges guided and self-guided tours.
1950 Finish line passage
The long and straight Breulstraat has been specially constructed for the World Championships. A 500 meter long tribune was erected there, quite unusual for that time. During the first big loop towards Ypres, the local priest held a mass under this tribune.
Finish like a Flandrien
Finish
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Epic Stories
Those who adore cycling are bound to collect some great stories. Here they are, or at least some of them.
