Relive the UCI Gravel World Championships 2024 in Flanders

EK Gravel (c) Golazo - Kramon.be

In October 2024, Flanders was the battleground for the World Championships for gravel bikes. From Halle (just next to Brussels) the course ran through the Hallerbos, the Sonian and Meerdaalwoud Forests (or National Park Forests of Brabant) to the finish in Leuven.  

Want to reminisce a little about this sporting spectacle? Fancy rubbing plenty of warming cream into your calves? And in the meantime enjoy our beautiful region? 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!

Bruges
Bruges ©Pieter D'Hoop - www.pdsign.be

Bruges

Bruges, Picture Perfect
Ghent
Antwerp
The Port house - Havenhuis ©Havenbedrijf Antwerpen - Peter Knoop

Antwerp

Stylish to a Fault
Brussels
Leuven
Hasselt
Fietsen tussen de bloesems © Guyvan Grinsven - Studiopress

Hasselt

Shopping, fashion and jenever
Mechelen

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!

Belgian Beer World in Brussels

The worlds’ biggest interactive centre about beer welcomes you into the historic Brussels Stock Exchange building. Learn more about the history of Belgian beer, explore a multitude of aromas and flavours and discover your personal taste profile. End your visit with a beer tasting on the stunning rooftop bar. The view of Brussels is breath-taking!

De Beurs

Experience nature in Flanders

As a participant or supporter of the World Championships for gravel bikes, you already enjoyed a beautiful setting in the National Park Forests of Brabant: the magical Hallerbos that covers itself every spring with a purple blanket of wild bluebells, the Sonian Forest of which five large areas are protected by UNESCO as a forest reserve, the Meerdalwoud Forest and the Dyle Valley. But Flanders also has other hidden nature gems. Want to become one with nature, enjoy outdoor art or search for stunning views? In our Flemish parks, micro-adventures mean maxi happiness! 

Still got some energy left?

CyclingVla anderen Flandrien Challenge - (c) Too Soon Too Late

Flandrien Challenge

Do you have enough power in your legs to become a real 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.

EK Bolero Gravel - tdebelle best of

Unforgiving hills, cobblestones and gravel routes

Maybe you can have too much of a good thing in one got? Come and visit (or visit again) soon. 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!

Bikepacking Flanders Divide - (c) bikepackr.be

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.

On every Flandrien’s agenda

Keep up to date with the most high-profile cycling races, cyclo-sportives and cycling events in Flanders. Watch the classics, or brave them yourself.

EC BC GravelChamps - (c) Kramon
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