Steenbeekdries
50°28′54″N 3°21′54″E / 50.4818°N 3.3649°E
Steenbeekdries | |
|---|---|
| Location |  Flanders Belgium |
| Start | Etikhove, Maarkedal |
| Gain in altitude | 59 m (194 ft) |
| Length of climb | 820 m (2,690 ft) |
| Elevation | 69 m (226 ft) |
| Average gradient | 7.6 % |
| Maximum gradient | 12.8 % |
Steenbeekdries is an uphill cobbled road in the municipality of Maarkedal, in the Belgian province of East Flanders. With its top at 69 m altitude, its is one of many hill formations in the Flemish Ardennes, in the south of East-Flanders. The entire road is paved in cobbles; in 1995 the road of the Steenbeekdries was classified as a protected landscape monument.
Cycling
The site is best known from cycling, as it regularly features in the spring classics, most notably the Tour of Flanders. The 800 m climb immediately follows the Mariaborrestraat, a long flat sector of cobbles, and at 7.6% average gradient, is not very steep. The descent following the climb, the Stationsberg, is a straight poorly-paved cobbled road and in fact steeper than the Steenbeekdries.[1]
The Steenbeekdries was first included in the Tour of Flanders route in 2002 and has remained a fixed location in the race. In recent years, it comes at 39 km from the finish in Oudenaarde, usually the first climb after the notorious Koppenberg.[2][3]
The Steenbeekdries is also regularly included in Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders for Women.
References
- ^ "Insider's guide: Climbs of the Ronde van Vlaanderen". Cycling News. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
- ^ http://www.rondevanvlaanderen.be/en/elite-men/race/track
- ^ http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/extra/rvv2015/parcours