Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne News: Tiegemberg and Boembeek Replace Eikenmolen

We appreciate that lesser cycling fans might think the names in the headline are pro cyclists. But we also appreciate that our readers know the sport inside out. So thank you for letting us write that headline. Also thanks for the weird French food, ratty magazines, clothing, and unlabeled pills you sent us over the past 15 years. And for that Mercedes one of you parked in our driveway.

Alright, the last link’s a hint for readers who haven’t been here for 15 years: the Eikenmolen (that’s Oak Mill in cow language) is a hill along the route of the Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. The Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne is the second race of the season, and is basically just a re-do of the Omloop. Ignore anyone who tells you that there are races before these two, even us when we write up the race we’re currently at.

The Eikenmolen crosses a cobbled road and then turns sharply into a steep climb. It wrecks pelotons, bringing everything to a halt and forcing riders at the back to unclip. Some might argue that’s the entire point of these climbs, but the teams have voiced their concerns this year.

The organizers have now officially removed the climb. They also had an ulterior motive: including it meant the race passing over two level crossings, which always has the potential to cause major headaches for race organizers.

In one of the greatest trade deals of all time, one hill is being replaced by two hellingen: the Tiegemberg and Boembeek. That means there are 12 climbs in total now. Nice.

Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne will take place without fan access (boo) or VIP areas (yay). Both are, of course, closed due to Covid-19. Safety measures will be in place along the entire route. Not sure what those measures are or how they’ll be enforced over 200km.