The 93rd edition of the Baloise Belgium Tour (12-16 June) will again be a true Belgian cycling tour, with start and finish locations in the three regions. The peloton gets underway with an individual time trial in Beringen, features a tough queen stage in Durbuy and concludes the Belgian cycling week with a final stage in and around Brussels.
The Baloise Belgium Tour will look for a successor to Mathieu van der Poel from 12 to 16 June. The Dutchman laid the foundations for his overall victory in Durbuy in 2023 and made it after five stages ahead of Norwegian Søren Wærenskjold and Dane Casper Pedersen. Anyone who wants to follow in the World Champion’s footsteps will have to be a jack of all trades.
Riders with classification ambitions will have to go full throttle straight away. The 93rd edition of the Belgian cycling race starts with a 12 km individual time trial in and around Beringen. On a flat course, with a stretch along the nature and recreation area ‘Het Koersels Kapelleke’, the real specialists can set themselves apart.
The second stage, a 185.5 km ride from Merelbeke to Knokke-Heist, is a classic. The coastal city is hosting the Baloise Belgium Tour for the 15th time in a row and offers sprinters the perfect opportunity to show off their fast legs on De Wandelaar. André Greipel, Tom Boonen, Jasper Philipsen and Fabio Jakobsen have all had the chance to raise their arms in the air here.
On the third day, just about all scenarios are possible. After the starting shot sounds on the Grote Markt in Turnhout, the peloton sets off in the direction of Diest, followed by two local, hilly rounds through the Hageland taking in the Rot in Holsbeek, the Roeselberg in Tielt-Winge and the cobbled Kerkstraat in Molenbeek-Wersbeek along the way. They reach the finish after a good 188 km in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem where Jasper Philipsen won the steep uphill sprint last year. However, escapees who handle slopes well stand an equal chance.
From Durbuy to the Atomium
In the fourth stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour, it is up to the classification riders to play their trumps. The 177.1 km ride with start and finish in Durbuy features a lot of vertical metres. With five climbs – the Champs des Hêtres, the Côte de Petite-Somme, the Côte de Hermanne, the Côte Grand Houmart and, above all, the Mur de Durbuy – the classification will undoubtedly be turned upside down.
For the final stage in and around Brussels, the Atomium will be the majestic setting for the final sprint, as it was last year. The riders will be presented with five laps of 37.6 km, passing through Wemmel, Merchtem, Meise, Kapelle-op-den-Bos and Grimbergen. A last chance for the sprinters to add to their wins. If the final classification is not set in stone yet, a tough battle for bonus seconds in the Golden Kilometre and at the finish awaits on the hilly roads around the capital.
Nine UCI WorldTeams and strong field of participants
Nine UCI WorldTeams have confirmed that they will take part in the Baloise Belgium Tour.
• UCI WorldTeams: Alpecin-Deceuninck, Arkea-B&B Hotels, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, Intermarché-Wanty, Lidl-Trek, Movistar Team, Soudal-Quick Step, Team dsm-firmenich Postnl, Team Visma | Lease a Bike
• UCI ProTeams: Bingoal WB, Israel-Premier Tech, Lotto Dstny, TDT-Unibet, Team Flanders-Baloise, Team Novo Nordisk, Team Polti Kometa, TotalEnergies, Uno-X Mobility
• UCI Cyclo-Cross ProTeams: Baloise Trek Lions, Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal
• UCI Continental Teams: Beat Cycling Club, Philippe Wagner / Bazin, Tarteletto-Isorex, Völkerwessels Cycling Team
The Baloise Belgium Tour can count on a strong field of competitors! Among the sprinters, look out for a spirited battle between Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier, Olav Kooij and Gerben Thijssen. Other eye-catchers appearing at the start: Jasper Stuyven, Quinten Hermans, Gianni Vermeersch, Mike Theunissen, Benoit Cosnefroy, Edward Theuns, Alec Segaert, Jasper De Buyst, John Degenkolb, …
PRACTICAL INFO 2024 BALOISE BELGIUM TOUR:
Stage Schedule:
• Tuesday 11 June – Team presentation in Beringen
• Wednesday 12 June – Stage 1: time trial in Beringen (12 km)
• Thursday 13 June – Stage 2: Merelbeke – Knokke Heist (185.5 km)
• Friday 14 June – Stage 3: Turnhout – Scherpenheuvel Zichem (188.2 km)
• Saturday 15 June – Stage 4: Durbuy – Durbuy (177.1 km)
• Sunday 16 June – Stage 5: Brussel – Brussels (186.1 km)
Live on TV:
You can watch the Baloise Belgium Tour 2024 live on Sporza (VRT), Tipik (RTBF) and Eurosport.
