Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne

Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne is an annual single-day road cycling 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 was ranked a 1.HC event of the UCI Europe Tour before joining the UCI ProSeries in 2020. Tom Boonen holds the most wins with three victories.

Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
Race details
DateLate February – Early March
RegionFlanders, Belgium
English nameKuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
Local name(s)Kuurne–Brussel–Kuurne (in Dutch)
Nickname(s)KBK
DisciplineRoad
CompetitionUCI ProSeries
TypeOne-day race
OrganiserSportingclub Kuurne
Race directorPeter Debaveye
Web sitewww.kuurne-brussel-kuurne.be Edit this at Wikidata
History
First edition1945 (1945)
Editions76 (as of 2024)
First winner Henri Delmuyle (BEL)
Most wins Tom Boonen (BEL) (3 wins)
Most recent Wout Van Aert (BEL)

History

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Early editions

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First held in 1946, 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

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For 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, but Omloop was upgraded to UCI World Tour level in 2017. Despite tandeming with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, no rider has ever won the Omloop and Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne on the same weekend.

Winter race

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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 Bobbie 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

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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

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Podium of the 2015 race: Alexander Kristoff, Mark Cavendish and Elia Viviani
Year Country Rider Team
"Omloop van Kuurne"
1945   Belgium Valère Ollivier individual
"Bruselj–Kuurne"
1946   Belgium Henri Delmuylle individual
"Kuurne–Bruselj–Kuurne"
1947   Belgium André Pieters Celta–Erka
1948   Belgium Achiel Buysse Thompson
1949   Belgium Albert Decin La Française–Dunlop
1950   Belgium Valère Ollivier Bertin–Wolber
1951   Belgium André Declerck Bertin–Wolber
1952   Belgium André Maelbrancke Devos Sport
1953   Belgium Leopold De Graeveleyn Mercier–Hutchinson
1954   Belgium Leon Vandaele Bertin–d'Alessandro
1955   Belgium Joseph Planckaert Elvé–Peugeot
1956   Belgium Henri Denijs Bertin–Huret
1957   Belgium Joseph Verhelts Faema–Guerra
1958   Belgium Gilbert Desmet Faema–Guerra
1959   Belgium Gentiel Saelens Flandria–Dr. Mann
1960   Belgium Joseph Planckaert Wiel's–Flandria
1961   Belgium Alfred De Bruyne (victory shared with Leon Vandaele) Baratti–Milano
1961   Belgium Leon Vandaele (victory shared with Alfred De Bruyne) Wiel's–Flandria
1962   Netherlands Piet Rentmeester Gitane–Leroux
1963   Belgium Noël Foré Faema–Flandria
1964   Belgium Arthur Decabooter Solo–Superia
1965   Belgium Guido Reybrouck Flandria–Romeo
1966   Belgium Gustaaf De Smet Wiel's–Groene Leeuw
1967   Belgium Daniel Van Rijckeghem Mann–Grundig
"Omloop der Beide Vlaanderen"
1968   Belgium Eric Leman Flandria–De Clerck
1969   Belgium Freddy Decloedt Pull Over Centrale–Tasmania
1970   Belgium Roger De Vlaeminck Flandria–Mars
1971   Belgium Roger De Vlaeminck Flandria–Mars
1972   Belgium Gustaaf Van Roosbroeck Watneys–Avia
1973   Belgium Walter Planckaert Watney–Maes
1974   Belgium Wilfried Wesemael MIC–Ludo–De Gribaldy
1975   Belgium Frans Verhaegen IJsboerke–Colner
1976   Belgium Frans Verhaegen Flandria–Velda–West Vlaams Vleesbedrijf
1977   Belgium Patrick Sercu Fiat France
1978   Belgium Patrick Lefevere Marc Zeepcentrale–Superia
"Kuurne–Bruselj–Kuurne"
1979   Belgium Walter Planckaert Mini Flat–V.D.B.
1980   Netherlands Jan Raas TI–Raleigh
1981   Belgium Jos Jacobs Capri Sonne
1982   West Germany Gregor Braun Capri Sonne
1983   Netherlands Jan Raas TI–Raleigh
1984   Netherlands Jos Lammertink Panasonic
1985   Belgium William Tackaert Fangio–Ecoturbo
1986 No race
1987   Belgium Ludo Peeters Superconfex–Yoko
1988   Belgium Hendrik Redant Isoglass–Robland
1989   Belgium Edwig Van Hooydonck Superconfex–Yoko
1990   Belgium Hendrik Redant Lotto-Super Club
1991   Belgium Johnny Dauwe Tulip Computers
1992   Germany Olaf Ludwig Panasonic–Sportlife
1993 No race
1994   Belgium Johan Museeuw GB–MG Maglificio
1995   France Frédéric Moncassin Novell
1996   Denmark Rolf Sørensen Rabobank
1997   Belgium Johan Museeuw Mapei–GB
1998   Belgium Andrei Tchmil Lotto–Mobistar
1999   Belgium Jo Planckaert Lotto–Mobistar
2000   Belgium Andrei Tchmil Lotto–Adecco
2001   Belgium Peter Van Petegem Mercury–Viatel
2002   Estonia Jaan Kirsipuu AG2R Prévoyance
2003   Netherlands Roy Sentjens Rabobank
2004   Netherlands Steven de Jongh Rabobank
2005   United States George Hincapie Discovery Channel
2006   Belgium Nick Nuyens Quick-Step–Innergetic
2007   Belgium Tom Boonen Quick-Step–Innergetic
2008   Netherlands Steven de Jongh Quick-Step
2009   Belgium Tom Boonen Quick-Step
2010   Netherlands Bobbie Traksel Vacansoleil
2011   Australia Christopher Sutton Team Sky
2012   Great Britain Mark Cavendish Team Sky
2013 No race due to snow[8]
2014   Belgium Tom Boonen Omega Pharma–Quick-Step
2015   Great Britain Mark Cavendish Etixx–Quick-Step
2016   Belgium Jasper Stuyven Trek–Segafredo
2017   Slovakia Peter Sagan Bora–Hansgrohe
2018   Netherlands Dylan Groenewegen LottoNL–Jumbo
2019   Luxembourg Bob Jungels Deceuninck–Quick-Step
2020   Denmark Kasper Asgreen Deceuninck–Quick-Step
2021   Denmark Mads Pedersen Trek–Segafredo
2022   Netherlands Fabio Jakobsen Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
2023   Belgium Tiesj Benoot Team Jumbo–Visma
2024   Belgium Wout Van Aert Visma–Lease a Bike

Wins per country

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Wins Country
54   Belgium
10   Netherlands
3   Denmark
2   Germany (including   West Germany)
  Great Britain
1   Australia
  Estonia
  France
  Luxembourg
  Slovakia
  United States

Junior race

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A junior version of the race has been held since 2000.

Winners

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Year Winner Second Third
Kuurnse Leieomloop
2000   Kevin De Weert   Wim De Vocht   Jurgen Van den Broeck
2001   Sven Vervloet   Giovanni Pommelaere   Joeri Clauwaert
2002   Jasper van Heeswijk   Stefan Huizinga   Nick Ingels
2003   Geraint Thomas   Jérémy Beyaert   Bart Veyt
2004   Stijn Joseph   Tim Roels   Ian Stannard
2005   Frederiek Nolf   Toon Declercq   Jérôme Baugnies
2006   Sven Nooytens   Jan Ghyselinck   Ludovic Vasseur
2007   Adam Blythe   Nicolas Vereecken   Kevin Lava
2008   Barry Markus   Nicolas Vereecken   Moreno Hofland
2009   Moreno Hofland   Rune van der Meijden   Jochen Deweer
2010   Paul Moerland   Frederik Frison   Didier Caspers
2011   Joachim Vanreyten   Dylan Groenewegen   Yannis Yssaad
2012   Niels Vanderaerden   Félix Pouilly   Piotr Havik
2013 No race
Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne Juniors
2014[9]   James Shaw   Lionel Taminiaux   Robbe Casier
2015[10]   Yannick Detant   Mathieu Rigollot   Alan Riou
2016[11]   Ethan Hayter   Clément Bétouigt-Suire   Jasper Philipsen
2017[12]   Johan Langballe   Peter Haslund   Rémi Huens
2018[13]   Remco Evenepoel   Jacob Hindsgaul Madsen   Charley Calvert
2019[14]   Casper van Uden   Antonin Corvaisier   Bodi del Grosso
2020   Cian Uijtdebroeks   Pepijn Reinderink   Jack Rootkin-Gray
2021 No race
2022   Sente Sentjens   Vincent van Dorp   Thibaud Gruel
2023   Jarno Widar   Zak Erzen   Steffen de Schuyteneer

Notes

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  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

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  1. ^ a b c Wynn, Nigel. "Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2016 preview". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  2. ^ Benson, Daniel (March 2010). "Rollin thrives in bad weather in Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne. Canadian impervious to Belgian storms". cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  3. ^ Decaluwé, Brecht (March 2010). "Peloton reacts to brutal battering at Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne". cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  4. ^ Decaluwé, Brecht (28 February 2010). "Relatively unknown Traksel rides to Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne win". Cyclingnews.com. 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. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Organisatoren hertekenen finale Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne". sporza.be (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 6 April 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  8. ^ "Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne afgelast door de sneeuwval" (in Dutch). Sporza. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  9. ^ James Odvart (2 March 2014). "Kuurne–Bruxelles–Kuurne Juniors : Classement". directvelo.com.
  10. ^ James Odvart (1 March 2015). "Kuurne–Bruxelles–Kuurne Juniors : Classement". directvelo.com.
  11. ^ Francis Spruyt (28 February 2016). "Kuurne–Bruxelles–Kuurne Juniors : Classement". directvelo.com.
  12. ^ Frédéric Gachet (26 February 2017). "Kuurne–Bruxelles–Kuurne Juniors : Classement". directvelo.com.
  13. ^ James Odvart (25 February 2018). "Kuurne–Bruxelles–Kuurne Juniors : Classement". directvelo.com.
  14. ^ Francis Spruyt (3 March 2019). "Kuurne–Bruxelles–Kuurne Juniors : Classement". directvelo.com.
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