The men’s elite officially started the road race of the World Cycling Championships in Belgium around 10.45am in Antwerp on Sunday. A large crowd along the stadium cheered Wu van Aert and his teammates. Loudly. When you get to Leuven, it’s already busy at noon.
After starting at the Grote Markt in Antwerp, the peloton heads to Leuven, via a mixed bag of rings. The local loop is found in and around Leuven, with four slopes, and the Flanders Ring, with six slopes.
Wijnpershilling, one of the most important slopes in Leuven during the cycling world championships, is closed at noon. Additional supporters cannot be added. This was reported by the local police in Leuven. People also flock to other places in the city of arrival.
• Overview | Watch the Cycling World Championships everywhere for free, but how do you get there?
First, the riders ride the home circuit one and a half times, then the flanderen circuit once, then the home circuit four times and then the flanderen circuit again to finish 2.5 times the home circuit. The end on Geldenaaksevest is slightly sloping. Along the way, riders must overcome 2,562 vertical meters spread over 42 inclines and 268.3 kilometers.
The top candidate is Wout van Aert, but there are plenty of competitors eager to make his dream shatter. Magnus Court, Peter Sagan, Sonny Colbrelli, Julian Alaphilippe, and Matthew van der Poel are just a few names that can make his life miserable.
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