Cycling the Tour of Flanders: Red Loop

Conquering the steep inclines of the Tour is the only way to win. The Red Tour of Flanders Loop puts several leg killers on your programme.

The high point of the loop? The one and only Wall of Geraardsbergen. It used to be the iconic finish of an equally iconic race. It remains a crucial ingredient of one of the world’s most legendary cycling races. And now it’s on your menu. Are you hungry? We hope so. Head towards the Tour of Flanders Centre for the start of your Tour.

Through and over the Wall

The Red Loop – the little brother of the Yellow and Blue Loops – serves you some of the most challenging inclines of the race. Once you arrive in Geraardsbergen, you’ll feel the mystical Wall breathing down your neck. You know it’s coming. You know that it will push you to your limits. Yet you persevere bravely, pedal a little harder and wipe the sweat from your forehead.

There it is – the Kapelmuur. The mythical Oudenberg seems to push you back down every time you pedal, like a skilful challenger using all its strength to bring you to your knees. But you’re tough. Bit by bit, you push yourself to the top. You balance and manoeuvre your way to the most accessible part of the road. With the greatest of effort, you combine strength and balance – and tame the Wall.

A hard-to-digest buffet

If you think that this climb is the only challenge on your path, you are sorely mistaken. A buffet of hard-to-digest inclines still awaits you in the Red Loop. The Wall is not the only slope that will require all your strength. The Foreest, the Berendries, the Eikenberg and the Bosberg still await you.

Luckily, you can also enjoy the majestic landscape of the Flemish Ardennes along the way. You cycle right past Provincial Domain De Gavers. And little gems are scattered on the horizon, like the Bossenaremolen windmill in Etikhove. And it’s precisely this diversity that makes the Tour of Flanders route the ultimate excursion for every cycling fanatic.

You’ve arrived at last

We are not going to lie: the Red Loop is a tormentor for cycling enthusiasts. After completing this loop, you gain even more respect for the heroes of the race. Athletes who made the difference between eternal glory and that sour second place. Here you’ll triumph in the wake of icons such as Terpstra, Boonen, Gilbert and even Merckx. Not a bad list to be on, is it?

114 km later, you’re back where you started: at the Tour of Flanders Centre. You can recover with a refreshing shower before diving into the Centre to experience its magnificent exhibitions and activities. Finish off with a bite to eat and a refreshing beverage in the brasserie. Tired but so satisfied.

Hospitality in abundance (thank goodness)

How you finish the Red Loop is up to you: either in one go or split up in segments. If you choose the latter, there are plenty of pit stops along the way to regain your strength.

Put your bike aside for a moment and perk yourself up with a cool beverage in ’t Bruggenhuis, ’t Hemelryck, ’t Hol van Pluto or In den Trap Op. These are all cafés with an ingrained love of cycling.

Accommodations near the Tour of Flanders

If you really want to give your legs a rest, book a stay at an accommodation in the vicinity. Reserve a holiday home, such as Kanak holiday home or the Koppenherberg, where you can stay comfortably with the whole family or group of friends.

Time for your Tour of Flanders

You can’t wait to cycle your own Tour of Flanders? Then set a date to conquer the Red Loop. It starts at the Tour of Flanders Centre!

With the Flandrien Challenges, you now know to the very second how fast you’re riding the legendary inclines of the Flemish Classics. Measure yourself against professional cyclists or compare times with your friends. The Strava app enables you to (automatically) register your time between the marked start and finish line of the Challenge segment on well-known inclines and cobblestone sections.

More info