Welcome to Flanders for the UCI Gravel World Championships 2024
In October 2024, Flanders will play host to the World Championships for gravel bikes. From Halle (just next to Brussels), the course runs through the Hallerbos, the Sonian and Meerdaal Forests (or Brabantse Wouden National Park) to the finish in Leuven. Come to Flanders to witness the battle for the world title on unpaved roads.
We invite you to rub plenty of warming cream into your calves whilst enjoying our beautiful region and all its gems during your stay in Flanders. Here are a few tips for competitors and supporters alike.
What to enjoy during, before and after the World Championships
As it is the final location of the World Championships, a visit to the university town of Leuven is of course a must. Leuven combines its centuries-old heritage and rich history with a convivial youthfulness. Our other art cities Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Ghent and Mechelen will also surprise you with their masterpieces, heritage, culinary delights and other highlights. Moreover, in Flanders all the major cities are just a stone’s throw away from each other. It often takes less than an hour to travel from one art city to another by train, which makes exploring very convenient!
Interactive map
Enjoy culinary delights and Belgian beer
After all that exertion on the bike, why not kick back and relax? Feed your body and mind with new energy, fully recharge and enjoy. In Flanders, we are lovers of life. We are proud of our fries, beers and chocolate as well as our chefs, who experiment with local ingredients, and of our beer brewers who combine centuries-old tradition with innovation. Did you know that the Belgian beer culture has even been added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage? Cheers to that!
Experience nature in Flanders
As a participant or supporter of the World Championships for gravel bikes, you will already enjoy the beautiful setting of the Brabantse Wouden National Park: the magical Hallerbos Forest that covers itself every spring with a purple blanket of wild hyacinths, the Sonian Forest of which five large areas are protected by UNESCO as a forest reserve and the Meerdal Forest-Dyle Valley. But Flanders has other hidden nature gems. Would you like to become one with nature, enjoy outdoor art or search for stunning views?
Still got some energy left?
Flandrien Challenge
Do you still have enough power in your legs to become a true Flandrien? We encourage you to take on our Flandrien Challenge: 59 iconic berg and cobblestone segments in less than 72 hours. If you succeed, we will make you a legend: with your own personalised stone on the wall of fame at the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen in Oudenaarde.
Unforgiving hills, cobblestones and gravel routes
Maybe you can have too much of a good thing in one got? All the more reason to come back again ! In the meantime, you can explore Flanders with The Tour of Flanders route, Gent-Wevelgem - In Flanders Fields and Bergs, Cobbles & Beerwith Sir Bradley Wiggins. Or to stay on theme: 86 km “Bergs & Gravel” starting in Oudenaarde or 76 km “Dwars door het Hageland Gravel”. All our routes are well documented for and by cycling enthusiasts!
Flanders Divide: 564 km bikepacking
This route is a must see on your next visit to Flanders: the 564 km bikepacking route Flanders Divide is made up of more than 40% unpaved paths and takes you from Genk in Limburg to Ostend on the Flemish coast.
