Preparation guide · We Ride Flanders (Tour of Flanders cyclo-sportive)
We Ride Flanders 2027: how to prepare it and what to eat and drink
The next edition is on Saturday 3 April 2027 (provisional date: the organisers haven't confirmed it yet; in 2026 it was held on 4 April. Start time is indicative: it depends on the distance), starting in Oudenaarde (Flanders, Belgium) at 7:30. Here you have the route of We Ride Flanders 79 km, We Ride Flanders 133 km, We Ride Flanders 163 km and We Ride Flanders 247 km, its climbs, the usual weather and how much to eat and drink for your target time.
We Ride Flanders 79 km: route
Official 2026 track on RouteYou (not included: it may ask for an account).
Official profile and track on the organisers' website.
Route keys
- This isn't the professional Tour of Flanders: it's the We Ride Flanders cyclo-sportive, with four distances (79, 133, 163 and 247 km) and between 1,000 and 2,000 m of climbing. Pick the one that fits your hours on the bike.
- In Flanders what counts is the number of short, hard efforts (steep hills and cobbled sections) more than the total climbing: train 30 second to 2 minute efforts above your threshold.
- Cobbles are ridden seated, on wide tyres with a little less pressure, and the cobbled climbs with rhythm and an easy gear. Your position in the bunch before each hill decides how hard it is.
- The official 2026 guide lists feed stations by town (Oudenaarde, Ronse and, depending on the distance, Velzeke, Geraardsbergen or Wieze), without kilometres: 226ERS sports drink, bars and gels, fruit and biscuits, pasta in Geraardsbergen and sandwiches in Velzeke.
1 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
We Ride Flanders 79 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 h | 60 g/h | 145 g | 400 ml/h | 1.2 l | 300 mg/h |
| 3 h 45 | 75 g/h | 185 g | 400 ml/h | 1.5 l | 300 mg/h |
| 4 h 30 | 75 g/h | 185 g | 400 ml/h | 1.5 l | 300 mg/h |
| 5 h 15 | 75 g/h | 185 g | 400 ml/h | 1.5 l | 300 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
Oudenaarde and Ronse (2026 guide, no kilometre published): 226ERS sports drink, bars and gels; fruit and biscuits.
Without the official track loaded we don't work out the section-by-section plan. In WinWatts, with your GPX, you see how much to eat and drink between each feed station at your pace on every climb.
We Ride Flanders 79 km: weather in early April
What the weather was like on cyclo-sportive Saturday in recent editions:
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -0 ºC | 5 ºC | 0.0 mm | 22 km/h |
| 2023 | 8 ºC | 9 ºC | 0.8 mm | 25 km/h |
| 2024 | 15 ºC | 16 ºC | 0.0 mm | 26 km/h |
| 2025 | 8 ºC | 9 ºC | 0.0 mm | 17 km/h |
| 2026 | 10 ºC | 11 ºC | 0.0 mm | 15 km/h |
We Ride Flanders 133 km: route
Official 2026 track on RouteYou.
Official profile and track on the organisers' website.
Route keys
- This isn't the professional Tour of Flanders: it's the We Ride Flanders cyclo-sportive, with four distances (79, 133, 163 and 247 km) and between 1,000 and 2,000 m of climbing. Pick the one that fits your hours on the bike.
- In Flanders what counts is the number of short, hard efforts (steep hills and cobbled sections) more than the total climbing: train 30 second to 2 minute efforts above your threshold.
- Cobbles are ridden seated, on wide tyres with a little less pressure, and the cobbled climbs with rhythm and an easy gear. Your position in the bunch before each hill decides how hard it is.
- The official 2026 guide lists feed stations by town (Oudenaarde, Ronse and, depending on the distance, Velzeke, Geraardsbergen or Wieze), without kilometres: 226ERS sports drink, bars and gels, fruit and biscuits, pasta in Geraardsbergen and sandwiches in Velzeke.
1 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
We Ride Flanders 133 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 h | 75 g/h | 295 g | 400 ml/h | 2.0 l | 300 mg/h |
| 6 h | 75 g/h | 365 g | 400 ml/h | 2.3 l | 300 mg/h |
| 7 h | 75 g/h | 365 g | 400 ml/h | 2.3 l | 300 mg/h |
| 8 h | 75 g/h | 365 g | 400 ml/h | 2.3 l | 300 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
Velzeke, Oudenaarde and Ronse (2026 guide, no kilometre published): 226ERS sports drink, bars and gels; fruit and biscuits; sandwiches in Velzeke.
Without the official track loaded we don't work out the section-by-section plan. In WinWatts, with your GPX, you see how much to eat and drink between each feed station at your pace on every climb.
We Ride Flanders 133 km: weather in early April
What the weather was like on cyclo-sportive Saturday in recent editions:
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -0 ºC | 5 ºC | 0.0 mm | 37 km/h |
| 2023 | 8 ºC | 9 ºC | 1.7 mm | 29 km/h |
| 2024 | 15 ºC | 17 ºC | 0.0 mm | 30 km/h |
| 2025 | 8 ºC | 11 ºC | 0.0 mm | 33 km/h |
| 2026 | 10 ºC | 11 ºC | 0.0 mm | 23 km/h |
We Ride Flanders 163 km: route and profile
2026 track from Wikiloc (the route repeats with few changes); wall and station kilometres are approximate. Climbing from the official RouteYou track: the Wikiloc one measures less.
| Climb | Where | Length | Gain | Average grade | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muur van Geraardsbergen | km 68–70 | 1.8 km | +111 m | 6.2 % | 134 m |
| Oude Kruisberg / Hotond | km 131–134 | 3.3 km | +166 m | 5.0 % | 208 m |
| Karnemelkbeekstraat | km 137–140 | 2.6 km | +129 m | 4.9 % | 170 m |
The walls and cobbled sectors, one by one
| Wall or sector | Length | Surface and how to tackle it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wolvenberg km 6.8 | 0.65 km avg 7.9 % · max 17.3 % | Tarmac. A short wall a few kilometres in, with a very steep ramp. You arrive with cold legs among lots of riders: easy gear in beforehand and don't go too hard. There are over 20 of these today; the first isn't for winning, just for climbing. |
| 2. Ruiterstraat km 6.9 | — | Cobbles. First cobbled stretch, right after the Wolvenberg. First contact: loose hands on the tops, seated and in a slightly bigger gear so you float over the stones. Leave a gap to the wheel ahead so you can see where you're riding. |
| 3. Kerkgate km 10.4 | 2.65 km | Cobbles. A long cobbled stretch (2.65 km), gently uphill. It's long: don't ride it flat out. Look for the crown of the road, where the stones are usually better, and keep a slightly lower cadence and steady power. In a group, no turns on the front here. |
| 4. Jagerij km 13.7 | 0.8 km | Cobbles. An 800 m cobbled stretch. Carry speed in, don't brake on the stones, and relax your shoulders. Whatever you waste tensing your arms you'll pay for on the afternoon's walls. |
| 5. Molenberg km 19.3 | 0.46 km avg 7 % · max 14.2 % | Cobbles. A short, steep cobbled wall with widely spaced stones; you enter after a tight bend by a bridge. The slow, bending entry stops half the group: biggest sprocket in before the bend and climb seated with your weight back so the wheel doesn't slip. If it jams, better to walk up the side than fall over standing still. |
| 6. Paddestraat km 26.7 | 2.3 km | Cobbles. One of the longest and most famous cobbled stretches (2.3 km), flat. The Velzeke feed station comes right after. Flat and long: the classic stretch that goes well with rhythm and a decent gear, without fighting the bike. Velzeke (sandwiches) comes right after: eat and refill, it's 43 km to the next station. |
| 7. Marlboroughstraat km 41.7 | 0.9 km avg 4.8 % · max 7 % | Cobbles. A gentle cobbled rise, nearly 1 km long. No steep ramps, but cobbled: seated, steady cadence and weight slightly back. A place to settle in, not to attack. |
| 8. Haaghoek km 44.3 | 1.8 km | Cobbles. 1.8 km of cobbles: downhill first and then a short final kick. The only one of the classics that starts downhill: enter in a big gear, push on the descent to carry speed and hold it to the top. Loose hands on the tops on the way down too, no braking on the stones. |
| 9. Leberg km 46.4 | 0.7 km avg 6.1 % · max 14 % | Tarmac. Tarmac wall, with the steepest part (14 %) in a right-hand bend right at the bottom. It comes straight after the Haaghoek: shift down before the opening bend, which is the steepest bit, then climb at your own pace. |
| 10. Berendries km 50.8 | 0.94 km avg 7 % · max 12.3 % | Tarmac. A tarmac wall of almost 1 km with a drawn-out finish. Don't underestimate it because it's short: start hard and you'll blow halfway. Ride your pace up to the steepest part, push only there and keep something for the final stretch, which drags on. It's a 2–4 minute effort. |
| 11. Tenbosse km 58.5 | 0.5 km avg 6.2 % · max 9.8 % | Tarmac. A steady 500 m tarmac wall. One of the kinder ones: climb with rhythm and drink at the top. What's next (Parikeberg and the Muur) is more serious. |
| 12. Parikeberg km 61.9 | 0.6 km avg 6 % · max 8.7 % | Wall. 600 steady metres, no extreme ramps. Steady with no extreme ramps: seated and spinning. Eat something on the flat afterwards, before the Muur. |
| 13. Muur van Geraardsbergen km 69.9 | 1.08 km avg 9.3 % · max 19.8 % | Cobbles. The Kapelmuur: 1.1 km from the river to the chapel at the top, with a very steep cobbled final section (almost 20 %). Geraardsbergen feed station (pasta) at the top. The most famous wall of the day. The first part through the town is deceptive: don't ride it hard. Before the cobbles, your easiest gear; on the final ramp, seated with your weight back, where the stones are best. At the top, the chapel and the feed station: eat pasta and refill calmly. |
| 14. Valkenberg km 88.8 | 0.54 km avg 8.1 % · max 12.8 % | Tarmac. A short, punchy wall on good tarmac. A 2-minute effort. You've done almost 90 km: if your legs are talking, climb below what they ask for, the big ones are still to come. |
| 15. Eikenberg km 103.2 | 1.2 km avg 5.2 % · max 10 % | Cobbles. A 1.2 km cobbled climb, long for Flanders. Long for a cobbled one: pace it like a short climb, steady cadence and seated. The hard part of the day starts here: from now on, a gel before each big wall. |
| 16. Koppenberg km 112 | 0.6 km avg 11.6 % · max 22 % | Cobbles. The most feared: 600 m of rough cobbles at 11.6 % on average and up to 22 % (more on the inside of the bend). Often damp and muddy. Plenty of gears (36 or 39 at the front and 30 or 32 at the back, at least) and your small ring in before the cobbles. Look 10–15 m ahead, straight line, seated and weight back so you don't slip. If someone stops in front, there's no room: putting a foot down here is normal, walk up the side without getting in the way. |
| 17. Taaienberg km 119.9 | 0.53 km avg 6.6 % · max 15.8 % | Cobbles. Cobbled wall with the hard part at the start: 200 m at 11–15 % on poor stones; then it eases. You reach the foot slowly, so the start hurts: everything you've got in the first 200 m. The side gutter is smoother but narrow: only if it's clear. After that, recover and pick up speed on the final part. |
| 18. Berg Ten Houte km 123.2 | 1.1 km avg 6 % · max 21 % | Tarmac. A 1.1 km tarmac wall with a very steep ramp (up to 21 %). It comes just 3 km after the Taaienberg with 120 km in your legs: easy gear before the ramp and no sudden standing. This is where fatigue really starts to tell. |
| 19. Oude Kruisberg / Hotond km 132 | 2.7 km avg 4.1 % · max 9.4 % | Tarmac and cobbles. A long climb out of Ronse (2.7 km) linking the Kruisberg and the Hotond, the highest point around. Ronse feed station just before. The longest of the day: ride it like a short climb, steady and seated. In Ronse, before it starts, the last feed station: eat and refill well, because what's left (Kwaremont and Paterberg) is the hardest on the most tired legs. |
| 20. Karnemelkbeekstraat km 139.5 | — | Cobbles. A cobbled stretch on a gentle rise before the Oude Kwaremont. Cobbles on a gentle rise: don't turn it into a wall. Steady pace, loose hands and a gel before you reach the Kwaremont. |
| 21. Oude Kwaremont km 146.1 | 2.2 km avg 4 % · max 11.6 % | Cobbles. The longest cobbled wall (2.2 km): it starts rising before the stones, the steepest part (around 10–11 %) comes early and after the village it eases with a final kick. Don't start hard: the part before the cobbles already climbs and, if you overdo it, you'll stall further up. Ride the middle of the road, where the stones are best, and keep momentum so you don't grind to a halt. With almost 150 km in your legs, this is where you see who has eaten well. |
| 22. Paterberg km 149.6 | 0.36 km avg 12.9 % · max 20.3 % | Cobbles. The last wall: 360 m of cobbles at 12.9 % on average and up to 20 %. Short but brutal, on empty legs. Easiest gear in beforehand, seated, weight back and a low but round cadence. If you have to put a foot down, nothing to be ashamed of. From the top it's only about 13 km to Oudenaarde. |
Route keys
- 163 km with 2,000 m of climbing and over 20 walls and cobbled stretches: no long climbs, but they add up. The Koppenberg, Taaienberg, Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg come after km 110, on tired legs. Pace yourself for the second half.
- Each wall is a 1–4 minute effort above threshold: push only on the steepest part and recover on the flat. Go to the limit on every one and there'll be nothing left by the Koppenberg.
- In the rain the cobbles are like ice: on the walls stay seated (standing the wheel slips) and don't change line; on the flat stretches and bends, brake before the stones and never on them. White lines, manhole covers and the side gutter are even more slippery.
- Easy gearing: compact 50/34 with 11-32 or 11-34 (former pros recommend at least 36 or 39 with 30 or 32 for the Koppenberg). Better too easy than stuck at 22 %.
7 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
We Ride Flanders 163 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 h | 75 g/h | 365 g | 400 ml/h | 2.4 l | 300 mg/h |
| 7 h | 75 g/h | 435 g | 450 ml/h | 3.2 l | 300 mg/h |
| 8 h | 75 g/h | 510 g | 450 ml/h | 3.6 l | 300 mg/h |
| 9 h | 75 g/h | 580 g | 450 ml/h | 4.1 l | 300 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Section by section between feed stations (for about 7 h)
At the feed stations (km 27, 70, 108, 130) you stop, eat something and refill your bottles. But what matters most is what you take on the move until the next one: this table tells you how much. You can pick it up at the station or carry your own gels and bars; what matters is spreading it out, not eating it all at once when you stop.
| Section | Duration | Carbs to take in the section | Drink in the section |
|---|---|---|---|
| km 0 → 27 | 1 h 07 | 85 g | 500 ml |
| km 27 → 70 | 1 h 58 | 145 g | 900 ml |
| km 70 → 108 | 1 h 29 | 110 g | 650 ml |
| km 108 → 130 | 1 h 01 | 75 g | 450 ml |
| km 130 → 163 | 1 h 25 | 105 g | 650 ml |
The key section is the first one: there's no feed station until km 27, so you leave Oudenaarde with full bottles and about 85 g of carbs on you (for example, 2 gels).
Not going to take 7 h? In WinWatts you set your target time and the feed stations, and you see these sections with your real pace on each climb. You can also compare scenarios: what changes if you go faster or slower.
We Ride Flanders 163 km: weather in early April
What the weather was like on cyclo-sportive Saturday in recent editions:
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -0 ºC | 7 ºC | 0.0 mm | 23 km/h |
| 2023 | 9 ºC | 10 ºC | 2.2 mm | 22 km/h |
| 2024 | 15 ºC | 23 ºC | 0.0 mm | 28 km/h |
| 2025 | 8 ºC | 16 ºC | 0.0 mm | 14 km/h |
| 2026 | 10 ºC | 14 ºC | 0.5 mm | 20 km/h |
We Ride Flanders 247 km: route
Official 2026 track on RouteYou.
Official profile and track on the organisers' website.
Route keys
- This isn't the professional Tour of Flanders: it's the We Ride Flanders cyclo-sportive, with four distances (79, 133, 163 and 247 km) and between 1,000 and 2,000 m of climbing. Pick the one that fits your hours on the bike.
- In Flanders what counts is the number of short, hard efforts (steep hills and cobbled sections) more than the total climbing: train 30 second to 2 minute efforts above your threshold.
- Cobbles are ridden seated, on wide tyres with a little less pressure, and the cobbled climbs with rhythm and an easy gear. Your position in the bunch before each hill decides how hard it is.
- The official 2026 guide lists feed stations by town (Oudenaarde, Ronse and, depending on the distance, Velzeke, Geraardsbergen or Wieze), without kilometres: 226ERS sports drink, bars and gels, fruit and biscuits, pasta in Geraardsbergen and sandwiches in Velzeke.
1 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
We Ride Flanders 247 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 h | 75 g/h | 585 g | 400 ml/h | 3.6 l | 300 mg/h |
| 10 h 30 | 75 g/h | 660 g | 450 ml/h | 4.5 l | 300 mg/h |
| 12 h | 75 g/h | 660 g | 450 ml/h | 4.5 l | 300 mg/h |
| 13 h 30 | 75 g/h | 660 g | 450 ml/h | 4.5 l | 300 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
Wieze, Velzeke, Geraardsbergen, Oudenaarde and Ronse (2026 guide, no kilometre published): 226ERS sports drink, bars and gels; fruit and biscuits; pasta in Geraardsbergen and sandwiches in Velzeke.
Without the official track loaded we don't work out the section-by-section plan. In WinWatts, with your GPX, you see how much to eat and drink between each feed station at your pace on every climb.
We Ride Flanders 247 km: weather in early April
What the weather was like on cyclo-sportive Saturday in recent editions:
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -0 ºC | 6 ºC | 0.1 mm | 35 km/h |
| 2023 | 7 ºC | 9 ºC | 2.9 mm | 41 km/h |
| 2024 | 14 ºC | 17 ºC | 0.0 mm | 44 km/h |
| 2025 | 8 ºC | 11 ºC | 0.0 mm | 38 km/h |
| 2026 | 9 ºC | 11 ºC | 0.0 mm | 34 km/h |
Your We Ride Flanders, tailored to you
This guide uses a typical rider. In WinWatts we calculate it with your data:
- Your time, average power and finish time from your FTP and weight.
- The race-day forecast for each section, and what to wear.
- Your food and drink plan kilometre by kilometre, with your gels, bars and bottles.
- Your training plan until Saturday 3 April 2027, adjusted every week to how you're doing.
WinWatts is not affiliated with the organisers of the We Ride Flanders. Dates, routes, schedules and registration: official website. Distances and climbing from the official 2026 track (RouteYou); feed stations from the official 2026 guide; weather from past editions (Open-Meteo). For guidance only: it doesn't replace advice from a health professional.