Tour of Flanders: KOPPENBERG back in the race!

Cyclists in Flanders and abroad were delighted yesterday upon the announcement that the legendary Koppenberg will return to the course of the Tour of Flanders this year! The cobbled "beast" of Melden (Oudenaarde) with its +20% stretches is an integral part of the Ronde's history and was omitted from the 2007 edition because of the worsening condition of the cobblestones, which showed large gaps between them. The town of Oudenaarde has invested in the resurfacing once again (they had just done it a few years ago to get the Koppenberg back in after a hiatus of over a decade) and all lights were put on green by the race organisers yesterday.

In 2006 a large part of the professional peloton had to get off the bike on the steepest bits of the climb. The Koppenberg substitutes the Kortekeer climb on the 2008 course.

The Ronde will be held on the 5-6 April weekend. The cyclotour version on Saturday, the ProTour race on Sunday. Six riders associated with the Frankfurt International Cycling Club will make the journey down there, and will in fact stay in "Koppenberg town", Oudenaarde.