Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne

Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
Race details
Date Late February - Early March
Region Flanders, Belgium
English name Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
Local name(s) Kuurne–Brussel–Kuurne (Dutch)
Nickname(s) KBK
Discipline Road
Competition UCI Europe Tour
Type One-day race
Organiser Sportingclub Kuurne
Race director Peter Debaveye
History
First edition 1945 (1945)
Editions 69 (as of 2016)
First winner  Valère Olivier (BEL)
Most wins  Tom Boonen (BEL) (3 wins)
Most recent  Jasper Stuyven (BEL)

Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne is an annual single-day road cyling race in Belgium. It is held one day after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, on the last Sunday of February or the first of March, and completes the opening weekend of the Belgian cycling season.[1] It is ranked a 1.HC event of the UCI Europe Tour. Tom Boonen holds the most wins with three victories.

History

Early editions

First held in 1945, the race was run from Kuurne, a small town known for its textile industry, to the Belgian capital of Brussels and back. In the 1950s it served as the opening race of the Belgian cycling season. When Brussels was becoming inaccessible for a cycling event in the late 1960s, the race was rerouted towards the Flemish Ardennes and renamed "Omloop der beide Vlaanderen" ("Circuit of both Flanders").[N 1] In 1979 organizers decided to rename the event to Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne nonetheless.

Opening weekend

Since many decades, Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne serves as the second race of the opening weekend in Belgium, after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday, as well as the first weekend of racing in Northwestern Europe.[1] Although second after the Omloop, and considered the smaller of the two events, it holds significant prestige because of its calendar date. Since 2005 it is included in the UCI Europe Tour; in 2016 it was upgraded to a 1.HC event, the same ranking as Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Despite tandeming with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, no rider has ever won the Omloop and Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne on the same weekend.

Winter race

As it is run in late winter, Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne has often been affected by poor weather. The race had to be cancelled three times because of snow or frost – in 1986, 1993 and 2013. The 2010 event was run in extreme weather as the remnants of cyclone Xynthia hit Belgium, with strong winds and torrential rain ravaging the peloton.[2] The race had to be shortened by 20 km because a fallen tree obstructed the road.[3] The edition was won by Dutch outsider Bobby Traksel; only 26 of 195 riders finished the race.[4][5] In 2004 Kuurne served as the opening race of the season, after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was cancelled because of snow, before thaw set in on the night before the Sunday race.[6]

Route

Route of the 2015 edition

Despite its name, the route does not actually extend to Brussels. The race starts on the hippodrome of Kuurne, in the south of West-Flanders, before heading east in the direction of Brussels, but its easternmost point is somewhere near Ninove, 23 km west of Brussels. After the turning point, the race addresses the Flemish Ardennes where a number of hills feature, before finishing in Kuurne after approximately 200 km. The route in the hill zone changes every year, but some of the regular climbs include Edelareberg, La Houppe, Kanarieberg, Kruisberg, Oude Kwaremont, Tiegemberg and Nokereberg.

With a long and flat run-in to the finish, the course is less selective than the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The race ends with two local laps around Kortrijk and Kuurne.[7] With the last climb of the race coming at 53 km from the finish, Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne has established itself as something of a sprinters’ classic.[1]

List of winners

Podium of the 2015 race: Alexander Kristoff, Mark Cavendish and Elia Viviani
Rider Team
1945 Belgium Ollivier, ValereValère Ollivier (BEL) individual
1946 Belgium Delmuylle, HenriHenri Delmuylle (BEL) individual
1947 Belgium Pieters, AndreAndré Pieters (BEL) Celta-Erka
1948 Belgium Buysse, AchielAchiel Buysse (BEL) Thompson
1949 Belgium Decin, AlbertAlbert Decin (BEL) La Française-Dunlop
1950 Belgium Ollivier, ValereValère Ollivier (BEL) Bertin-Wolber
1951 Belgium Declerck, AndreAndré Declerck (BEL) Bertin-Wolber
1952 Belgium Maelbrancke, AndreAndré Maelbrancke (BEL) Devos Sport
1953 Belgium Graeveleyn, Leopold DeLeopold De Graeveleyn (BEL) Mercier-Hutchinson
1954 Belgium Daele, Leon VanLeon Van Daele (BEL) Bertin-d'Alessandro
1955 Belgium Planckaert, JosephJoseph Planckaert (BEL) Elvé-Peugeot
1956 Belgium Denijs, HenriHenri Denijs (BEL) Bertin-Huret
1957 Belgium Verhelts, JosephJoseph Verhelts (BEL) Faema-Guerra
1958 Belgium Desmet, GilbertGilbert Desmet (BEL) Faema-Guerra
1959 Belgium Saelens, GentielGentiel Saelens (BEL) Flandria-Dr. Mann
1960 Belgium Planckaert, JosephJoseph Planckaert (BEL) Wiel's–Flandria
1961 Belgium Bruyne, Alfred DeAlfred De Bruyne (BEL) (victory shared with Daele, Leon VanLeon Van Daele) Baratti-Milano
1961 Belgium Daele, Leon VanLeon Van Daele (BEL) (victory shared with Bruyne, Alfred DeAlfred De Bruyne) Wiel's-Flandria
1962 Netherlands Rentmeester, PietPiet Rentmeester (NED) Gitane-Leroux
1963 Belgium Fore, NoelNoël Foré (BEL) Faema-Flandria
1964 Belgium Cabooter, Arthur DeArthur De Cabooter (BEL) Solo-Superia
1965 Belgium Reybrouck, GuidoGuido Reybrouck (BEL) Flandria–Romeo
1966 Belgium Desmet, GustaafGustaaf Desmet (BEL) Wiel's-Groene Leeuw
1967 Belgium Rijckeghem, Daniel VanDaniel Van Rijckeghem (BEL) Mann-Grundig
1968 Belgium Leman, EricEric Leman (BEL) Flandria–De Clerck
1969 Belgium Decloedt, FreddyFreddy Decloedt (BEL) Pull Over Centrale-Tasmania
1970 Belgium De Vlaeminck, RogerRoger De Vlaeminck (BEL) Flandria–Mars
1971 Belgium De Vlaeminck, RogerRoger De Vlaeminck (BEL) Flandria–Mars
1972 Belgium Van Roosbroeck, GustaafGustaaf Van Roosbroeck (BEL) Watneys-Avia
1973 Belgium Planckaert, WalterWalter Planckaert (BEL) Watney-Maes
1974 Belgium Wesemael, WilfriedWilfried Wesemael (BEL) MIC-Ludo-De Gribaldy
1975 Belgium Verhaegen, FransFrans Verhaegen (BEL) IJsboerke-Colner
1976 Belgium Verhaegen, FransFrans Verhaegen (BEL) Flandria–Velda
1977 Belgium Sercu, PatrickPatrick Sercu (BEL) Fiat France
1978 Belgium Lefevere, PatrickPatrick Lefevere (BEL) Marc Zeepcentrale-Superia
1979 Belgium Planckaert, WalterWalter Planckaert (BEL) Mini Flat-V.D.B.
1980 Netherlands Raas, JanJan Raas (NED) TI-Raleigh
1981 Belgium Jacobs, JosJos Jacobs (BEL) Capri Sonne
1982 Germany Braun, GregorGregor Braun (GER) Capri Sonne
1983 Netherlands Raas, JanJan Raas (NED) TI-Raleigh
1984 Netherlands Lammertink, JosJos Lammertink (NED) Panasonic
1985 Belgium Tackaert, WilliamWilliam Tackaert (BEL) Fangio-Ecoturbo
1986 No race
1987 Belgium Peeters, LudoLudo Peeters (BEL) Superconfex-Yoko
1988 Belgium Redant, HendrikHendrik Redant (BEL) Isoglass-Robland
1989 Belgium Hooydonck, Edwig VanEdwig Van Hooydonck (BEL) Superconfex-Yoko
1990 Belgium Redant, HendrikHendrik Redant (BEL) Lotto-Super Club
1991 Belgium Dauwe, JohnnyJohnny Dauwe (BEL) Tulip Computers
1992 Germany Ludwig, OlafOlaf Ludwig (GER) Panasonic-Sportlife
1993 No race
1994 Belgium Museeuw, JohanJohan Museeuw (BEL) GB-MG Maglificio
1995 France Moncassin, FredericFrédéric Moncassin (FRA) Novell
1996 Denmark Sorensen, RolfRolf Sørensen (DEN) Rabobank
1997 Belgium Museeuw, JohanJohan Museeuw (BEL) Mapei-GB
1998 Belgium Tchmil, AndreiAndrei Tchmil (BEL) Lotto-Mobistar
1999 Belgium Planckaert, JoJo Planckaert (BEL) Lotto-Mobistar
2000 Belgium Tchmil, AndreiAndrei Tchmil (BEL) Lotto-Adecco
2001 Belgium Van Petegem, PeterPeter Van Petegem (BEL) Mercury-Viatel
2002 Estonia Kirsipuu, JaanJaan Kirsipuu (EST) AG2R Prévoyance
2003 Netherlands Sentjens, RoyRoy Sentjens (NED) Rabobank
2004 Netherlands De Jongh, StevenSteven de Jongh (NED) Rabobank
2005 United States Hincapie, GeorgeGeorge Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel
2006 Belgium Nuyens, NickNick Nuyens (BEL) Quick-Step–Innergetic
2007 Belgium Boonen, TomTom Boonen (BEL) Quick-Step–Innergetic
2008 Netherlands De Jongh, StevenSteven de Jongh (NED) Quick-Step
2009 Belgium Boonen, TomTom Boonen (BEL) Quick-Step
2010 Netherlands Traksel, BobbieBobbie Traksel (NED) Vacansoleil
2011 Australia Sutton, ChristopherChristopher Sutton (AUS) Team Sky
2012 United Kingdom Cavendish, MarkMark Cavendish (GBR) Team Sky
2013 No race due to snow[8]
2014 Belgium Boonen, TomTom Boonen (BEL) Omega Pharma–Quick-Step
2015 United Kingdom Cavendish, MarkMark Cavendish (GBR) Etixx–Quick-Step
2016 Belgium Stuyven, JasperJasper Stuyven (BEL) Trek–Segafredo

Winners by nationality

Wins Country
53  Belgium
8  Netherlands
2  Germany,  United Kingdom
1  Australia,  Denmark,  Estonia,  France,  United States

Notes

  1. The race has not been in Brussels since 1968. Since then it is run in the provinces of West-Flanders and East-Flanders, the two westernmost provinces of Belgium.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wynn, Nigel. "Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2016 preview". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  2. Benson, Daniel. "Rollin thrives in bad weather in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. Canadian impervious to Belgian storms". cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  3. Decaluwé, Brecht. "Peloton reacts to brutal battering at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne". cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  4. Decaluwé, Brecht. "Relatively unknown Traksel rides to Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne win". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  5. O'Grady, Patrick. "Traksel takes Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne". velonews.competitor.com. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  6. Jones, Jeff. "De Jongh repeats Rabobank's success". cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  7. "Organisatoren hertekenen finale Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne". sporza.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  8. "Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne afgelast door de sneeuwval" (in Dutch). Sporza. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, April 05, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.