Insider's guide: Climbs of the Ronde van Vlaanderen

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The Eikenberg's surface is dotted with asphalt patches(Image credit: Ben Atkins)

Tales from the peloton, April 6, 2007 - Page 2 of 2

With a maximum gradient of 'only' 10%, the Eikenberg looks fairly simple on paper, but the cobbles seem to go on for an awfully long time with no let up. There are bits and pieces of asphalt at the sides of the road as it climbs, offering a very brief respite to any riders who like things a bit smoother, but very often these areas are packed with fans who like to see their heroes battle it out on the cobbles.

When this was first used in the Tour of Flanders - back in 1978 - it was surfaced with cobbles, but presumably it didn't return until recently due to its poor state. The gradient rises sharply at first and continues between a small group of houses before easing off - this shallow gradient continues for what seems to be an interminably long time and is very exposed to an inevitable headwind, with nothing but fields to either side.

It's similar in many ways to the Boigneberg, but as there's now less than 50km to go there may be some serious attacks put in by the favourites. No one will want to attempt riding to the finish on their own from this point but a rider that fears sprinters like Boonen may try and drag a couple of like minded colleagues with him. If three or four get away here and work together, it would take a concerted and organised effort behind to get them back.

Not to be confused with Valkenburg, the town that hosts the finish of the Amstel Gold Race. This climb was reintroduced in 2005, after a break of many years, to spice up what would otherwise have been a flat stretch of over 10 kilometres. Positioned as it is, the climb serves to break the rhythm of the race, and provide an umpteenth opportunity for riders to attack as they approach the closing stages of the course.

Difficult to predict what will happen here, as its the climb's first time in the race, but anyone left in the front group who's not too confident about the Muur may well make a move here, especially if Boonen is isolated from his team. If a solo rider manages to escape here, and they've managed to avoid doing too much work, they may even be able to get to the finish alone as there is less that 30 km to go, but it's unlikely that the peloton would allowed it.

The climb through the town is never too severe, until it reaches the actual Muur itself, which is normally closed to traffic. There, the road swings left around an off camber bend and suddenly riders see how the climb got its name as it rises to 19.8%. It's only a mercifully short section though before it levels out, but then it steepens once more to tackle the short sharp rise that is the Kapelmuur. Once over the top, the cobbles end and the road drops down almost as sharply as it rose.

The Muur is a fixture in Flemish bike racing (many of the other great races climb it at some point during their course) and, while not always decisive, it's always proved eventful. In recent times attacks on the Muur have led to the victories of Stefan Wesemann (2004) and Peter Van Petegem (1999 & 2003), in all three cases they managed to pull a rider or two with them to share the last sixteen kilometres or so before taking victory in a small group sprint. The 1999 attack for Van Petegem came just as the rest of the group - including Erik Zabel, Frank Vandenbrouke, Andrei Tchmil and Michele Bartoli - were taken out by the slippery surface on a corner, allowing him and Museeuw to escape. Only Vandenbrouke had the legs to catch the two old rivals, but even he had no answer to Van Petegem in the sprint.

The surface was pronounced dangerous after the 2002 race and was resurfaced in time for the next year. Some said that this took away a lot of its character, but even so, a 19.8% section of cobbles at this stage of a race will always prove a challenge. If more than one rider reaches this point together, there will be an attack! Flanders expects, and it may be the last chance, to shake Tom Boonen...

Rising through a wood (where it got its name, Bos is Flemish for wood) on the way out of the Geraardsbergen, it's not really steep enough to put anyone in trouble unless their legs are really tired and it hasn't produced a decisive attack for several years, In both his victories (1989 and 1991) Edwig van Hooydonck used the Bosberg to escape his breakaway companions and soloed away to win, because of this he became known as Edwig Van Bosberg. The climb itself has not been quite so influential since then and is simply a further obstacle on the way to the finish. Nevertheless, riders in the front group will be watching each other like hawks because a Van Hooydonck style attack is still possible.