From Heusden-Zolder to Hasselt on on some of Limburg’s most picturesque roads
Next year’s UEC Road European Championships will take place in Flanders from 11 to 15 September 2024, with the picturesque province of Limburg serving as the setting for 14 European championships. Each race starts from the Circuit Zolder motorsport racetrack and finishes in the centre of Hasselt, the capital of Limburg. The time trials will be held on flat stretches of road while the road races wind their way through the hilly landscape of Haspengouw, incorporating the DNA of the Ronde van Limburg.
After the success of the UCI Road World Championships in 2021, Flanders will be hosting another major cycling event next year. From Wednesday 11 until Sunday 15 September, riders will line up to contest 14 European titles on Limburg’s roads. All the races take place within Limburg, starting in Heusden-Zolder and finishing in Hasselt. Ben Weyts, Flemish Minister for Sport: “Over the last few years, we have been attracting more and more top events with international appeal to Flanders. The European Championships in Limburg will again be one long commercial for Flanders as the cradle of cycle racing. With this event, however, we also hope to encourage the people of Limburg and other Flemish people along the course to get more active. Because watching sport makes people want to move.”
Flanders is the heartland of cycling, with a rich tradition of iconic spring cycling events but this time around, Limburg will be touting its assets. Zuhal Demir, Flemish Minister for Tourism: “Cycling is coming home to our welcoming, beautiful province. We all know that Flanders is mad about cycling. It's in our DNA. That's why it's so wonderful and only logical that after the 2021 UCI Road World Championships, the UEC Road European Championships will be coming to Flanders, more specifically Limburg, Flanders’ no. 1 cycling region. An event that makes the most of Limburg’s landscape, its hospitality, and passion for cycling, benefiting local businesses and the hospitality industry.”
An event that makes the most of Limburg’s landscape, its hospitality, and passion for cycling, benefiting local businesses and the hospitality industry
An excellent opportunity for the province of Limburg to profile itself further as the perfect cycling province. Jos Lantmeeters, Governor of the Province of Limburg: “ “With the UEC Road European Championships in 2024, Limburg is gearing up for a sporting spectacular of unprecedented scale and engagement. But it is also an excellent opportunity to position our province as Europe’s no. 1 cycling destinations, thanks to the passion for this exciting sport, which unites so many Limburgers. The event will undoubtedly inspire even more people, both within and outside Limburg, to get on their bikes more often.”
Igor Philtjens, Provincial Deputy of the Province of Limburg, responsible for Tourism: “Limburg is a pioneer when it comes to cycling tourism. Guests from around the world flock to Limburg to enjoy our diverse landscapes, our unique heritage, and our extensive 2,000-kilometre network of cycling routes with its tantalising and innovative cycling experiences. With the UEC Road European Championships, we can once again promote Limburg internationally as Flanders’ undisputed cycling destination.”
Bert Lambrechts, Provincial Deputy of the Province of Limburg, responsible for Communication, Regional Marketing, Mobility and Education: “With this international event, we want to highlight all the positive aspects of our province while also inspiring our residents, our schoolchildren and our students, to use their bike even more often, for fun and for sport, but also functionally. This also explains why we are steadily expanding our functional cycling network and investing heavily in the construction of new cycling highways in coming years.”
With this international event, we want to highlight all the positive aspects of our province while also inspiring our residents, our schoolchildren and our students, to use their bike even more often, for fun and for sport, but also functionally
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UEC President Enrico Della Casa: "The Union Européenne de Cyclisme is delighted to officially launch the 2024 Road European Cycling Championships, which will take place in the beautiful region of Flanders and involve Limburg. This exceptional event follows on from the success of the 2021 Road World Championships and represents another important moment to celebrate cycling in Europe." "The Union Européenne de Cyclisme is committed to promoting and developing cycling throughout Europe, and these Championships represent an extraordinary opportunity to do just that. Limburg and Flanders offer a unique and fascinating setting for this event which, as always, will be greeted with great affection by the local public and beyond. As well as celebrating the passion for cycling, the Championships will also be an opportunity to promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle through cycling." "I would like to thank the Governments of Flanders and Limburg, the Belgian Cycling Federation with its President Tom van Damme, the technical organisers of Flanders Classics and all the partners involved for their commitment and support in staging this event. Together, we will make the 2024 Road European Cycling Championships a great success. Let's get ready for another unforgettable chapter in the history of European cycling!" |
Tom Van Damme, president Belgian Cycling: : “As a cycling nation, we are currently experiencing a tremendous sports momentum. The fact that we are once again able to host an international road championship just three years after the amazing success of the UCI Road World Championships in Flanders is wonderful. I am also very pleased that Limburg will be hosting the event. It has a reputation of being a paradise for cyclists and has all the assets necessary to strengthen the sport of cycling in the province.”
The event will be organised by EK Limburg 2024 vzw, a partnership of Flanders Classics and Limburg Demarreert. “Since 2021, we have been collaborating on the Ronde van Limburg,” says Tomas Van Den Spiegel of EK Limburg 2024 vzw. “We are definitely looking forward to further enhancing the link between Limburg and cycling. Moreover, cycling is always a pleasure in Limburg, something these European Championships will only underscore further. Flatter in the north and hillier in the south, the province’s beautiful nature is everywhere you look.”
Herman Reynders, co-chairman of EK Limburg 2024 vzw, adds: “This will be the biggest sporting event in years in Limburg. With 14 races in just 5 days, the riders and the fans and we as an organisation can look forward to a compact and intensive race schedule.”
Heusden-Zolder serves as the starting point for each of the 14 races, with riders crossing the finish line in Hasselt. Both host cities are particularly proud to host the European Championships in 2024.
Mario Borremans, Mayor of Heusden-Zolder: “As the starting location of all the races, we underscore our passion for cycling, in addition to highlighting the hospitality of our residents and local entrepreneurs. A warm welcome awaits the pack and cycling fans in Heusden-Zolder and Limburg in general.”
Lode Schops, Alderman of Heusden-Zolder, responsible for Sport: “Heusden-Zolder is working towards an ambitious vision, i.e., to become the sportiest municipality. The European Championships are the platform we need to inspire our residents to embrace sport and physical activity. Behind the scenes, we are already hard at work to try and get the entire municipality on their bikes before, during, and after the European Championships.”
“As the capital of Flanders’ undisputed cycling destination, we are definitely looking forward to the start of the European Championships. We are particularly proud to host this event and are delighted to be the epicentre of the cycling world for the occasion,” says Mayor of Hasselt Steven Vandeput. “The riders and spectators will receive a warm welcome in our lovely city. Moreover, Hasselt is the perfect base for exploring our province in general and taking in the European Championships in particular.”
“As a top sports city,we obviously are delighted that the finishing line for the European Championships is in Hasselt,” said Habib El Ouakili, Alderman of Hasselt, responsible for Sport. As such, the city of Hasselt, which has hosted the Ronde van Limburg for several years, cements its reputation the no. 1 cycling city of the cycling province of Limburg. “But the European Championships are the icing on the cake: A major sports event that will give cycling as a sport a tremendous boost in addition to bringing a great atmosphere to our city once again.”
The time trialists, who will kick off the European Championships, will hit the starting ramp with the brand-new Velodrome of Heusden-Zolder as their backdrop. During the individual time trials, each category - both youth and elite - will follow an identical 29.9-km course. “The first stretch is on Circuit Zolder,” says race director Wim Van Herreweghe. “After that, the route winds its way through the centre of Heusden-Zolder and the De Wijers nature reserve, along the Albert Canal, to the finish in Hasselt. The finishing times will be clocked in Koning Boudewijnlaan, near Kolonel Dusartplein, in Hasselt’s city centre. The course is completely flat with several nice, long, and straight stretches.”
In the Team time trial mixed relay, the men will also line up at the start near the Velodrome in Heusden-Zolder for a 27.3-km ride on a route that is largely identical to that of the individual time trials. Once they reach Hasselt, the women take over in Kolonel Dusartplein, riding 2 loops on the Hasselt Circuit, which is also part of the course of the road races. After 24 km, the event finishes, with the women crossing the finish line in Koning Boudewijnlaan in the same spot as the individual time trials.
Like the time trials, the road races start from Circuit Zolder. The course of the Women’s Elite road race is 160 km, with the Men’s Elite race covering a distance of 220 km to the finish line in Koning Boudewijnlaan in Hasselt. From Heusden-Zolder, the pack will make their way through Zonhoven, among others, as they head to Hasselt for their first lap on the city circuit. “The road race course includes a Hasselt loop and a Limburg loop,” explains Wim Van Herreweghe. “The Hasselt loop is a flat course, taking the riders through the capital of the province to nearby Diepenbeek. In Hasselt, the loop includes the ring road and the city centre.”
The pack then leaves Hasselt for a connecting stretch, including the cobbles of Printhagendreef in Kortessem, which takes them to Borgloon where the Limburg loop awaits with a cobbled stretch at Manshoven and Op De Kriezel, and two climbs of Kolmontberg and Zammelenberg respectively. “That Limburg loop incorporates the DNA of the Ronde van Limburg,” Wim Van Herreweghe explains. “The roads in southern Limburg and Haspengouw in particular are hillier than expected. The course of the Limburg loop is never completely flat, making it more challenging for the riders.”