We Ride Flanders 2026

The route

We Ride Flanders is the amateur version of the Tour of Flanders, the most important monument of spring cycling. It takes place on the Saturday before the professionals race the Ronde, and the 235 km route uses exactly the same cobblestones, the same climbs and the same final 45 km as the pros will ride the following day: the Koppenberg, the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg and the Karnemelkbeekstraat. Finishing in the Oudenaarde velodrome the day before Wout van Aert or Mathieu van der Poel is an experience that few cyclosportives in the world can match in terms of historical atmosphere.

The Koppenberg is the most famous wall in Flanders: 600 metres at 22% average on uneven cobblestones. Climbing the Koppenberg on fresh legs is already hard. In We Ride Flanders it comes after 120 km, which means most riders walk at least the first few metres. The Oude Kwaremont, at 2.2 km averaging 4% but with sections at 11%, can be ridden fully but requires careful management. The Paterberg, 400 metres at 12% on pavés, arrives just as the body hits its limit. The 175 km distance includes the same final walls but shortens the opening loop. The 123 km version covers only the finale.

Wind in Flanders in April is the third competitor, after the walls and the cobbles. The Flemish plain has no geographical feature to slow it: wind generally comes from the southwest or west, and the open flat roads between climbs can carry gusts of 20 to 35 km/h. The walls themselves are sheltered by hedgerows and trees, but the ridge roads linking them are completely exposed. In We Ride Flanders the bunch provides meaningful shelter on the flat sections, but losing contact with the group in a wind-exposed moment can cost an effort that is very hard to recover from.

Registration opens in autumn and places for the 235 km distance are limited. Logistics run from Antwerp for the start and Oudenaarde for the finish, with transport between the two cities included in the entry fee. Bike preparation matters: 28 mm tyres minimum, low pressure and brakes in good condition. Rain turns the cobblestones into something approaching ice and mud on the edges is constant. Bringing both dark and clear glasses (one spare pair) is essential. The atmosphere the day before the Ronde, with thousands of cyclists, team caravans and fans across the region, is unlike anything else in cycling.

Variants and GPX

Past editions

Real Open-Meteo weather on each edition day.

How to register

Registration, price and rules are on the official website of the organization. Official march website →

More information

All marches in Belgium
Keep reading about planning routes with wind