Bergs, Cobbles & Beers with Sir Bradley Wiggings

Gent
Wiggins banner
We invited Sir Bradley Wiggins, Britain’s most decorated cyclist – winner of five Olympic gold medals, Tour de France champion and hour-record holder – to ride the bergs & cobbles of Flanders, starting in Ghent, the city the city where he was born. This is the route we did. Enjoy!
 

The route step by step

0KM

Start

Gent
Wiggings in Flanders - Leeuw Bandana

Good morning Ghent

Ghent, a small city of just over 250,000 people is the unmistakable capital of cycling in northern Europe. Home to the Ghent Six Day and the opening cobbled classic of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

Wiggings in Flanders - St Michielshelling

Roll out

Ghent, the birthplace of Sir Bradley Wiggins is a beguiling mix of ancient buildings and youthful, creative energy; its cobbled squares and narrow streets are full of quirky shops, cafes and restaurants and echo to the chimes of the city’s three towers and the trundling of its trams.

ZesdaagseGhent - tKuipke - (c) Too Soon Too Late
2KM
Gent

Cycling enthusiasts are undoubtedly familiar with ’t Kuipke. This cycling track hosts the yearly Six Days of Ghent, a world-famous track cycling event. With a length of 166 metres, ‘t Kuipke is one of the shortest cycling tracks in the Six Days circuit. This means that you as a spectator can see the entire track. At 52%, the bends are exceptionally sharp, which means that Ghent also has one of the fastest tracks in Europe. ’t Kuipke is only open to visit during events.

Wiggings in Flanders - Groepje Schelde

Along the River Schelde

Head south along the river Schelde for 30km to arrive in the Flemish Ardennes.

These are the roads that put hairs on your chest; where careers are forged, where dreams are both created and shattered, and where generations of riders have come to seek betterment through battering in the Belgian kermesse scene.

Vleesstraat - (c) Andy Cobbles Chase
28KM
WIGGINS IN FLANDERS
31KM
Wiggins in Flanders Backdrop

Windswept fields & Concrete lanes

Haaghoek
36KM
Wiggins in Flanders - Leberg
Leberg
38KM
Wiggins in Flanders - Groepje - Berendries
42KM
Mattentaarten

Refuel with mattentaarten

Bar Gidon
56KM
Geraardsbergen

Bar Gidon is located on the market square in Geraardsbergen, next to the Vesten and close to the famous Muur, where cycling history is written. The cycling café bar is owned by ex-professional Frederic Penne who was active in cycling for 20 years, of which 5 years as a prof. His girlfriend, Els Ritserveldt is the granddaughter of Ophasseltse cycling legend Albert Ritserveldt who won in 1939 Liège-Bastogne-Liege.

The bar breathes pure race and is meticulously decorated, with an eye for the smallest details.

Logos of famous cycling teams are on the bar stools, bicycle wheels are incorporated into tables, the names of winners of the Tour of Flanders are on the chairs and the ceiling is covered with cycling jerseys of known and lesser-known riders, but each with their own story.

On the heated terrace you can enjoy winter and summer the view of the market square of Geraardsbergen.

Since 2018, Bar Gidon also houses of the official fan club of Remco EVENEPOEL.

Join him and enjoy the special beers or challenge him to a sprint challenge uphill on the cobblestones of the Muur!

WIGGINS IN FLANDERS
56KM
Race

The race is on!

Wiggins-Ronse Mural
85KM
Ronse

The mural was made by painter Jos Peeters on the occasion of the World Championship in Ronse in 1988. Both the 1963 and 1988 World Championships had a rather dramatic outcome. The world championship for professional riders 1963 in their own country had to be crowned by super favorite Rik Van Looy. The Emperor of Herentals was able to win the world title for the third time. When Van Looy broke away from the spurting group at 250 meters from the finish, the goal was within reach. However, a modest servant and teammate decided differently. Against all team appointments Benoni Beheyt remounted his leader, passed over and knocked him half a wheel. Rik Van Looy was second and the Dutchman Jo De Haan completed the stage that plunged the entire Belgian cycling world into mourning. Ronse immediately became a household name for cycling enthusiasts.

Perhaps even more dramatic and much closer is the World Championship for pros in 1988. The Walloon regional cyclist Claude Criquielion seemed in a spurt with three well on his way to fulfill his favorite role and on the flank of the Kruisberg a second world title behind his name. At 175 meters from the finish line he dived into the gap between the Canadian Steve Bauer and the nadar barrier. His front wheel hit the concrete support base, Criquielion went head over. and the unknown Italian Maurizio Fondriest became world champion. Ronse again became an item for (sports) world news.

Wiggins-Oude-Kruisgberg
85KM
Wiggings in Flanders - Ronse Hotond

Overlooking Ronse. The Hotond

WIGGINS-IN-FLANDERS
94KM
RondeVanVlaanderenstraat - (c) Kramon
96KM
d’Oude Hoeve  (c)DriesJaegher

Time for Beers

WIGGINS
97KM
WIGGINS
100KM
Koppenberg
105KM
Wiggins in Flanders - Friets and beers
110KM

Friets & Beers!!

We finished our ride in Oudenaarde drinking beers in the Carillon, the oldest bar in town.

If you want to ride back to Ghent, it's an easy, car free spin along the river Schelde (as long there is no headwind ;-) ). The route back is about 30 km. You can download the gpx here.

110KM

Finish


READY TO GO?

So you’ve decided to conquer the Bradley Wiggins route? Get ready here!

cycling in Flanders (c) too soon too late (11)

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While you're here: discover Ghent!


The Castle of the Counts, three iconic towers, the Adoration of the Lamb of God, medieval streets and buildings and confluence of the Leie and Scheldt rivers. For centuries, Ghent has been a heritage treasure trove.

Graslei Ghent - © Milo Profi

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