Lotte Kopecky on the Muur van Geraardsbergen in 2023 Once a crucial part of the Tour of Flanders now the cobbled berg holds sway as a key Opening Weekend launch point continued on without the Muur van Geraardsbergen as its penultimate climb Not only has it returned to the race at times since, playing a pivotal role when it was first re-introduced in 2017 even though it was 95km from the end – with eventual winner Philippe Gilbert among an elite group that escaped on the climb The Kapelmuur may have been completely missing from recent editions of the Ronde punishing and always spectator-packed climb which delivered memorable late race battles at the Tour of Flanders since its introduction in 1970 – like Fabian Cancellara surging away from Tom Boonen in 2010 – had long been included at an earlier point in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad until 2018 the finish of the opening Classic moved from Ghent – first to Meerbeke and then next year the neighbouring Ninove – reviving the once much-loved finishing climb duo that was last used as the race finale of the Monument in 2011 the Muur van Geraardsbergen slotted into its role as a crucial race-defining part of the finale Just like it once was at the Tour of Flanders it would deliver a tough penultimate climb with the Bosberg to follow shortly thereafter just at a different race this time instead The Muur, or wall, is the penultimate climb at both the 197km men’s and 137.9km women’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad comes at 15.7km from the line and is followed soon after by the Bosberg at 11.8km to go The written race guide says the Muur of Geraardsbergen – or the Kapelmuur as the document refers to it – is officially 475m long with an average gradient of 9.3% and a maximum of 19.8% though it’s perhaps a description that downplays the extent of the effort including the Strava segment and even the Flanders Classic video description of the climb put the total distance of the ascent at over one kilometre – starting out in the town square and stiffening up in the final few hundred metres with the steep bend towards the church at the end “It’s an honest climb, where the strongest riders can make the difference,” says Sep Vanmarcke in the race guide The second half of the Muur is the most demanding Anyone who still has a little in reserve will usually launch an attack there it is still about 15 kilometres to the finish in Ninove So this is the perfect springboard to victory.” tried to execute on that by launching on the second half of the ascent in 2018 when it was first introduced as the penultimate climb in the race and while he wasn’t quite able to use it as a springboard to victory the climb has provided iconic moments in the race's history from Eddy Merckx dropping breakmate Frans Verbeek to win his final title in 1975 to Peter Van Petegem's battle with Frank Vandenbroucke in 2003 and the famous Fabian Cancellara vs Tom Boonen duels In recent years at Omloop it has provided a successful final launching point for Annemiek van Vleuten in 2020 and Chantal van den Broek Blaak in 2019 who both used the Muur to launch toward a solo victory While in 2023, Dylan van Baarle (Jumbo-Visma) was the first man to utilise the tricky cobbled climb in his charge to victory He finally dropped his last break companion Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa-Samsic) on the way up to the chapel on top of the hill before holding off the charging peloton behind to claim victory by 20 seconds She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor Previously she worked as a freelance writer Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport you will then be prompted to enter your display name The TimesThey have been drinking live fish from goblets of wine in the Belgian town of Geraardsbergen for more than 600 years But a ban on animal welfare grounds drew protests over the weekend from traditionalists who wish to defend the custom The Flemish town’s Krakelingen carnival celebrations were first recorded in 1413 and revolve around the throwing of ring-shaped bread crackers by town worthies dressed as druids on the Oudenberg hill the mayor and aldermen drink a sip of wine with a live fish from a 400-year-old silver cup Traditionalists protest the ban by holding up signs saying “I want fish”REX/SHUTTERSTOCKOr they did until this year when new animal welfare legislation passed last summer banned the controversial Belgian festival-goers are in uproar after after a government ban put an end to one of its most bizarre traditions - drinking live fish from a goblet of wine the town of Geraardsbergen has marked the arrival of spring with the Krakelingen festival a raucous celebration featuring costumed processions and the dramatic tossing of bread rings from the historic Oudenberg Hill But the most controversial custom of all - the moment when town officials sip wine with a live fish wriggling inside - has now been outlawed under new animal welfare laws who took to the streets over the weekend to demand the reinstatement of the ritual Protesters waved placards reading 'I want fish' and accused authorities of destroying an age-old cultural tradition without consultation Furious at the ruling, local alderman Ann Panis, dressed in full traditional costume, called the decision a 'disaster'. 'The regulation was approved without us ever being heard,' she fumed to The Times on Sunday defiantly donning his ceremonial robes as he vowed to fight for the return of the practice 'Flanders must take into account cultural-historical arguments We therefore hope that our protest will be picked up so that the regulation can be changed,' he said The drinking of live fish is said to represent the changing of the seasons rise to the surface of ponds with the arrival of spring Yet animal rights activists have long condemned the tradition with Belgium's leading welfare organisation Gaia chairman Michel Vandenbosch was among those at the festival warning that any violations of the new law would result in legal action 'Traditions are no excuse for animal suffering,' he declared 'The ban on drinking fish must be observed everywhere in Geraardsbergen We will file a complaint against anyone caught breaking the law.' gudgeon have been replaced with smaller fish typically used as aquarium feed and the practice has been limited to the town's officials But that wasn't enough to satisfy campaigners who have now succeeded in forcing a total ban The battle over Krakelingen is the latest in a series of cultural clashes surrounding Belgium's historic festivals the Ducasse d'Ath folk festival was stripped of its UNESCO cultural heritage status after officials refused to remove a controversial blackface character known as 'The Savage' Last year, a popular biscuit eating race was banned from The Knob Throwing Games a festival held in the village of Chilfrome The race sees participants compete to eat as many biscuits as possible in an allotted time and did not make a comeback because of choking concerns said at the time: 'We are not doing knob eating this year but you can pin the knob on the Cerne Abbas Giant.'  And in 2016 a seaside resort banned a traditional Punch and Judy show - because councillors feared it trivialised domestic violence. The classic puppet show was supposed to be part of the Barry Island Beats, Eats and Treats festival in south Wales. But the performance was scrapped after officials and some councillors decided it would be at odds with the county council's standpoint on domestic violence. Ian Johnson, of Barry Town Council, which agreed to give £2,500 to support the festival, said at the time: 'The issue was that it was treading a fine line between entertainment and recognising that some of it was inappropriate.  'It has elements of hitting people and that is not something that we would want to promote'.  Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our... Horror as $4.5M influencer-laden yacht SINKS off Miami... after glam women made a rookie maritime... 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No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} back in the low countries we got some action going on Second up Tuesday we got the Muur Class Geraardsbergen with a startlist with just two WT teams but a tasty little course I’ll point at Milan Menten because Milans have been doing quite well lately But this race is running up against the Eneco Tour Let’s throw Mikkel Bjerg onto the top step of the podium It says here that Milan bags a second win Queen stage and Tim Wellens wins the stage and secures his fifth overall win The report on the implementation of the Convention, due by States Parties every 6 years, includes a section on the elements inscribed on the Representative List. Read more on periodic reports Belgium Inscribed in 2010 (5.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity The city of Geraardsbergen holds its annual market on the first Monday in March and celebrates the end of winter on Sunday eight days earlier with the festival of Krakelingen and Tonnekensbrad bakers bake special ring-shaped breads called krakelingen and schoolteachers recount a tale explaining the origins of the ritual a thousand-strong parade leaves the church of Hunnegem led by the church dean and city councillors in historical costume the participants make their way to Oudenberg Hill climbing to the Holy Mary Chapel on the hilltop the dean blesses the krakelingen and recites a prayer The religious and secular authorities then drink wine from a sixteenth-century silver goblet containing tiny live fish which has recently become a controversial custom They then throw ten thousand krakelingen into the crowd At night people gather again on the hill to light a wooden barrel Spectators carry burning torches back down the hill to bring light to the city The festive ritual yields a strong sense of continuity and historical awareness for its participants evoking historical events and legends passed on from generation to generation Password forgotten? 22 squadre al via della Muur Classic Geraardsbergen 2024 la corsa belga è stata promossa quest’anno alla categoria UCI 1.1 dopo essere stata per molti anni una kermesse locale e Alla partenza della gara si schiereranno solamente due compagini WorldTour l’Arkéa-B&B Hotels e l’Intermarché-Wanty come parte delle 13 squadre Continental al via saranno presenti anche quattro formazioni di sviluppo di team della massima divisione A completare il gruppo saranno sette compagini Professional Il tuo indirizzo email non sarà pubblicato email e sito web in questo browser per la prossima volta che commento The defence ministry plans to build a new East Flemish army base in Ursel (Aalter) Plans to build the new base near Geraardsbergen are no longer under consideration Plans to close the Koksijde air base in West Flanders have also been scrapped The defence ministry will even increase housing for military personnel in Koksijde The previous government decided to build a new army barracks in Geraardsbergen (East Flanders) ‘A project in ‘Aalter/Ursel’ was always the defence ministry's preference but was rejected by the previous government in favour of Geraardsbergen,’ says an officer involved in the dossier There are claims former prime minister Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal Open VLD) who hails from a neighbouring municipality promoted Geraardsbergen for electoral reasons the defence ministry already owns a lot of land and it even has a small airport there The current government is now following the defence ministry’s preferred option: Ursel Both the Belgian armed forces’ air component and the land component are showing great interest in the site ‘Both components are looking for additional space and it has not yet been decided who will get preference,’ said one person involved The land component claims it could use the space and green surroundings at Ursel especially now that many new armoured vehicles are being delivered The defence ministry wants to recruit almost 10,000 extra staff during this parliament and that will require extra space Plans to sell the Koksijde air force base have now been completely reversed the defence ministry will also build new housing Search and Rescue capacity including the NH90 helicopter will remain based at Koksijde the defence ministry will also invest in new rescue helicopters so that the NH90 helicopters can be fully deployed to the Navy frigates There are also plans for a new command centre at the Zeebrugge naval base Plans to build a tower are being changed to an underground command centre due to the current security situation the foundation stone will be laid for a new headquarters for the Belgian armed forces at the Queen Elisabeth Base The new headquarters will be on the site of the old NATO HQ high-security site including several buildings will accommodate nearly 4,000 staff The main building itself consists mainly of offices with 2,800 workstations that will house all services of the Defence Staff the Military Intelligence Service (ADIV) as well as ‘Cyber Command’ The new headquarters will cost 500 million euros There will also be at least two new ammunition storage sites the defence ministry still has one large ammunition depot near the Walloon town of Bertrix As the ministry wants to expand ammunition stocks once again space is also needed with more secure storage The ministry wants to open two new storage sites where ammunition manufacturer FN Herstal has a factory It was a wild weekend for Lars Van Der Haar as he took the win over reigning World Chamion Wout Van Aert The early season test at Geraardsbergen Cross saw numerous cross racers looking to test their form and gauge one another prior to the first World Cup in Waterloo with ambitions to continue the pace in weeks to come but was pleased to see it come to him in advance of bigger goals Preparations for Kona on track as O'Donnell sets course record in Georgia The Muur is an icon of the Tour of Flanders but stage one of the Tour still saw some phenomenal times Cycling fans were treated to a welcome spectacle on stage one of the 2019 Tour de France as the peloton tackled the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen The punchy Belgian cobbled climb is part of the mythology of the spring Classics but this year general classification riders were forced to battle their way over the ascent with the Muur being the first categorised climb of the race but who was fastest on the first climb of the race according to Strava The fastest rider to the summit of the 1.08km eight per cent average climb may not be a surprise – Greg Van Avermaet (CCC Team) was the quickest on the day setting a time of 2-48 during his stint in the breakaway leading the race over the top and talking the first polka dot jersey of the race in the process Van Avermaet climbed at an average speed of 23.1km/h The Belgian one-day specialist was fast enough to match the Strava King of the Mountain time set by Magnus Cort (Astana) at this year’s Tour of Flanders The second fastest time was set by Van Avermaet’s fellow Belgian and breakaway companion Xandro Meurisse (Wanty-Gobert) who was able to stick with Van Avermaet but climbed in 2-51 Mads Würtz Schmidt (Katusha-Alpecin) was the third fastest on the day in a time of three minutes holding a monstrous 502 watts over the climb Other notable riders making putting in strong times over the Muur include Jumbo-Visma’s Wout van Aert and Michał Kwiatkowski (Team Ineos) who both climbed in 3-18 The fastest of the general classification contenders over the climb was American Tejay van Garderen (EF Education First) in 3-20 with Groupama-FDJ’s Thibaut Pinot just one second slower Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 the leading publication for the UK cycle industry and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com After gaining experience in local newsrooms national newspapers and in digital journalism then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books A finale atop the Muur van Geraardsbergen caps off the five-stage WorldTour race The opening stage in Riemst is similarly hilly and will likely lead to a first selection for the overall classification contenders with repeated climbs such as the Côte Slingerberg Côte de Hallembaye and Côte Sur les Coteaux there are two stages suited for the sprinters before the big showdown in Geraardsbergen she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track Laura has a passion for all three disciplines When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads UCI governance and performing data analysis The fifth edition of Challenge Geraardsbergen took place this past Sunday in East Flanders Featuring some of the iconic cobbles of the Belgian classic pro cycling events and the climb of the Muur van Geraardsbergen which features in the Ronde van Vlaanderen – the Tour of Flanders – the event was won by Menno Koolhaas (NED) and Margie Santimaria (ITA). You can read how the race played out in our report from the day Following up on that report – and with great thanks to regular contributor José Luis Hourcade (www.joseluishourcade.com) – we can now bring you the story of the race in pictures too Follow the madness of the 'Race that eats its young' on RUN247 Deceuninck-QuickStep rider challenges himself on famous Belgian cobbled ascent is to have ridden the famous Belgian cobbled climb of the Muur van Geraardsbergen 50 times in one day During cycling's shutdown, Evenepoel has proposed a number of 'challenges' to keep himself busy and one of those was to climb the Muur van Geraardsbergen 10 times by bike the Belgian ended up cancelling his plans to tackle the Muur last week after concerns that too many people would come out to watch – which was not part of the plan during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic On Sunday, Evenepoel rode the 256km distance of the postponed Liège-Bastogne-Liège which this season should have been the first Ardennes Classic of his career Evenepoel then went out – unannounced – to tackle the Muur van Geraardsbergen Evenepoel posted a picture of his bike computer afterwards which showed a riding time of over eight hours Evenepoel would have ridden a huge 5,145 vertical metres The practice of 'Everesting' – the considerable achievement of climbing the height of Mount Everest by bike – requires riders to notch up 8,848 vertical metres the day after riding the distance of Liège-Bastogne-Liège The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Evenepoel had notched up 12 race days this season before competition stopped, and won the overall classification at both the stage races he took part in, winning a stage and the GC at the Vuelta a San Juan in Argentina and two stages and the overall title at Portugal's Volta ao Algarve. Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999 and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling Tackling the Muur van Geraardsbergen during the 2009 Tour of Flanders TEAM SKY CLIMBS THE MUUR VAN GERAARDSBERGEN The Muur van Geraardsbergen is one of the most famous climbs having been used in the Three Days of De Panne “The Muur is a rendezvous with your character,” Eddy Planckaert Ninety-two metres that selects a winner of the most charismatic of bike races in front of the sport’s most fanatical fans and to join them on the Muur is to worship inside their cathedral The atmosphere builds for hours as they wait When the first riders thunder past the fans are redlining with hysteria The lightning flash of colour passes so quickly and the Muur breathes again relaxing into 364-day torpor as just another quiet road over a hill who moments before were baying like hounds become fathers and mothers again >>> Tour of Flanders: Latest news and information Muur means wall in Flemish and the words ‘the Wall shall choose the winner’ have passed into Flemish folklore Sometimes one man has forged ahead on the Muur and won while just as often a group force their way clear of the rest and the winner of the Tour of Flanders comes from that group the fact that the Muur is at the end of a series of strength sapping cobbled climbs its closeness to the finish and the sheer toughness and uncompromising nature of it as a cycling challenge make it the most iconic climb of this iconic race “On a number of occasions in Flanders I was strong enough to make the front group at the bottom of the Muur but only once was I strong enough to still be there at the top.” but it is most closely identified with the Tour of Flanders a long haul over tough terrain that gradually erodes the frontrunners until only the strong remain But this is the severest test they have met all day and one by one they slip out of contention victims of the Muur and victims of vicious attacks from the men who are the real contenders The race starts with a relatively short and flat run from Bruges to the Belgian coast where the wearing down process begins as the riders fan out across the wide flat roads in response to the cutting wind blowing in off the North Sea the one that’s all graft and no glory as teams fight to keep their favourites safe along the coast and inland towards the ridge of hills that makes up the Flemish Ardennes the tops barely scrape though the 100-metre contour but the hills on its northern side are the jagged teeth of the Tour of Flanders down and up another; the race rips itself apart on the ridge every year Climb follows climb until there is a lull before the Muur the winner will come from the first few over the top began in 1913 and its first editions were long circuits on bad roads Only as the race got older did it venture into the Flemish Ardennes and when it did the Muur was just another climb It was tried out in 1950 and stayed for three years But then the race switched to using the Kloosterstraat ascent It climbs the same ridge in Geraardsbergen and now a Tour of Flanders without the Muur would be like chips without mayonnaise “The Tour of Flanders is not a subtle race,” says the 1988 winner Eddy Planckaert “You have to ride near the front all day; fight with your elbows shoulders and even sometimes with your hands to be in a good place for the climbs Then you must go hard on the climb and keep it going over the top because the really strong riders attack there And you have to keep doing that time after time until the end The Ronde takes character and strength but not too much thought.” The Tour of Flanders road book says that the Muur starts on Oudebergstraat and is 475 metres long where the hostilities on race day take place To go earlier on the Muur would be folly for a racer but the full Muur can only be experienced from the very bottom of the climb The riders climb a humped bridge over railway lines It looks temporary but has been there for as long as locals can remember A short descent and the green bridge over the river Dender a tiled pedestrian free-for-all most days of the year Flick left and right into the market place The Gothic town hall is on the left and St Bartholomeus Church on the right The cobbled road climbs past bars and cafes many serving Geraardsbergen’s contribution to the cuisine of Flanders which pre-dates the ancient Kingdom of Flanders In the 11th century it became part of Flanders and grew to become a fortified city centred on St Adrien’s abbey This was so important that the town became known as Adrienopolis a two-lane cobbled highway at the top end of the town’s commercial area The gradient begins to bite on this long straight stretch of the climb A sharp right onto Oudebergstraat (Old Hill Street) and the real Muur begins really beginning to pull on the legs as it steepens all the way an impression in bronze of the bike fans of Flanders Past a gable end exhibition of black and white photographs taken by Steven Van Vletteren as part of his dedication to the fans Further up the climb a stone bears a poem by a Flemish writer about Eddy Merckx Flandrien being a mark of respect the Flemish pay to those who show the characteristics they hold in high esteem The Muur as a sporting challenge is tolerable until a sharp right where the houses give way to trees A bollard in the middle of the road prevents cars from going any further They take it away on race day but the following vehicles still aren’t allowed up here just a whaleback of pave going straight upwards The cobbles are bad but not as bad as they were In 2004 the town council laid new cobblestones at a cost of one and a quarter million euros although that was offset by selling off the old ones at 2.5 euros each and it was treacherous in bad conditions before it was re-laid “There used to be a line to ride,” says Eddy Planckaert “a line worn by the tyres and by people walking up there you could see it and if you followed it the Muur was easier You had to ride at the edge where the roughness gave some grip.” The cobbles don’t camber as much from the road centre now In the past potholes and subsidence lay in wait for the unwary which is why there were falls when it was wet If you went off line and couldn’t find a good place on the edge you had little control over you bike,” says Planckaert but it is still incredibly tough and selective Then comes a sharp left with a sheer earth bank on its inside burning with thoughts of victory or growing dim with the realisation of defeat There is a sudden moment of flat before the last ramp but now the route loops around a chapel standing on what looks like a man made mound at the top; the Kapelmuur There is still an opportunity here for the strong to turn the screw still further Just enough for the weak to say goodbye altogether The best riders lever their way over this final obstacle then down the other side turn left onto Dreipikkel and launch themselves down Oude Steenweg and towards the Bosberg “It’s not far,” the good natured in the crowd shout Four men have won the Tour of Flanders three times; Achille Buysse Triple winners get called Lions of Flanders after the rampant black lion with red claws on the yellow regional flag who is 87 but still very active in cycling 1950 and 1951 and he was the first winner to ride over the Muur van Geraardsbergen on its introduction in 1950 Talking recently about his success Magni said “All I heard about the Tour of Flanders was bad roads I prepared for it and even used wooden wheel rims because they had some give and didn’t break as easily as the metal ones in those days.” this fearsome sprinter from West Flanders won in 1970 but it was a terrible year for him - his wife was killed in a car crash just one week before the race a sprinter who could win three stages in a Tour de France but who was so durable that he had 17 top ten Flanders performances in his career He was incredibly difficult to beat in his favourite race Frans Verbeek and Roger De Vlaeminck all tried It’s rumoured that in 1970 his co-escapees Merckx and Walter Godefroot made a pact to attack him in turn after the Muur he handled everything they threw at him and beat them both in the sprint At 27 Leman was the youngest ever three times winner It’s hard to pick a Merckx win as being out of the ordinary because he was out of the ordinary almost every day In the 1975 Tour of Flanders he attacked on the Kwaremont with 100 kilometres to go Up and down the Flemish Ardennes they went Verbeek helping where he could but for the most time Merckx set a horrible but then the elastic snapped and the chasers fell back to two It was the first year of the Muur-Bosberg combination From 1970 the Muur had been the final climb Merckx romped up its slopes increasing the pair‘s lead by another 30 seconds Verbeek could do nothing by now and with five kilometres to go Merckx rode away on his own to win by 30 seconds from Verbeek A few years ago Verbeek told us what it was like riding with Merckx that day; “I’m sure he could have dropped me earlier and if he had he would have won by 10 minutes That way he could thumb his nose at the Flandria riders Since Museeuw’s name was connected with a doping inquiry surrounding a veterinarian all the guts and determination are clouded Of course Museeuw won’t see it like that He lives in the bubble of Belgian cycling where he is still a hero Maybe Museeuw was clean when he won three times maybe they were the glorious performances that they looked Maybe not On the two occasions that Van Petegem won the Tour of Flanders he did it by attacking on the Muurm and each time he beat the same rider into second place Victory number one came in 1999 when Van Petegem used the Muur to escape with Johan Museeuw The pair were caught by Frank Vandenbroucke and Museeuw weakened on the run in allowing Van Petegem a sprint formality against Vandenbroucke In 2003 Van Petegem attacked again with Vandenbroucke following Van Petegem’s cycling life revolved around the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix He rarely rode the mid-week race of the cobbled Classics He lives on the Flanders route and he puts his successes down to local knowledge “I knew the route in every condition That meant I could sometimes relax in what for others is a very nervous race and therefore save a lot of energy,” he says By the top, Cancellara was out of sight, having opened a gap which surprised the helicopter TV cameraman, who panned from Boonen as he passed the summit, down the steep ramp off the Kapelmuur, along the flat road to the beginning of the descent. Cancellara had opened a gap of over 150 metres in that short, sharp attack. He went on to win again in 2013 and 2014. Tour of Flanders winner Eddy Planckaert shares his memories of the Muur The noise of the crowds is the impression left by the Muur. It is like riding through a tunnel of noise that you can almost touch. The fans on the Muur have a force together, willing you on. It means that the Muur hurts less than it should. And when you won, what was your memory from that day? Phil Anderson’s strength at the end. When we were together I knew I would beat him in a sprint, but so did he. The problem for me was getting to the sprint with him. He attacked so many times, going so hard, I had to dig very deep to hang on. The sprint was always going to be mine though. You can hardly see him in the photograph. Is the Muur the hardest climb in the Tour of Flanders? It’s hard, but the Koppenberg is harder. The first climb of the day is also very hard, no matter which one, because riders are fresh and the climb is a change of rhythm. You suffer there. The thing with the Muur is you cannot make a mistake or have a bad time because it is too close to the finish. What happened on the Muur the day you won? Anderson, Adrie Van der Poel and I took it together. Anderson mostly set the pace. Hard but steady because it was still too early to try on his own. Was the Tour of Flanders the race you most wanted to win? What advice would you give to a cyclist riding the Muur for the first time? Pick a gear that you can ride sat down so you keep weight over your back wheel and don’t cut the corners, it’s steeper on the insides. Oh, and stop for a beer in that café at the top. Edward Pickering is a writer and journalist editor of Pro Cycling and previous deputy editor of Cycle Sport he has also written for the likes of the New York Times saw him shortlisted for Best New Writer at the British Sports Book Awards If the rescheduled Tour of Flanders takes place this October, it will be without the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen. This comes after organiser Flanders Classics announced it would be shortening the route from 267km to 241km in response to the altered race calendar caused by the coronavirus pandemic With the race's beginning and end set in stone – with a start in Antwerp and finish in Oudenaarde – it was decided the omission of the Kapelmuur was the only viable option if the race was to keep its Oude Kwaremont/Paterberg finish and reduce the race length This alteration sees the removal of the Ten Bosse climb while the Valkenberg has been added to the route.Related questions you can explore with Ask Cyclist, our AI search engine.If you would like to ask your own question you just need to Login, Register or subscribe 'In order to give teams and riders the opportunity to build in sufficient rest between races that follow each other at a rapid pace in October to shorten the distance of its races slightly,' read a statement from the organiser 'As a result of the change [to the Tour of Flanders] Tenbosse and the Muur van Geraardsbergen will not be on the menu in October and the Valkenberg will be added to the course.' Flanders will take place on Sunday 18th October in a new condensed WorldTour calendar that has been forced to respond to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic It will see the cobbled Monument now overlap with the Giro d'Italia and form part of a 71-day block of racing that contains all three Grand Tours as well as Paris-Roubaix and the Ardennes Classics Flanders Classics has decided to shorten all of its races but it is the omission of the Muur from Flanders that will cause the most controversy the removal of 'The Wall' from the race back in 2012 caused such controversy among the Flandrian fans that 500 fans staged a mock funeral on the climb's cobbled slopes carrying a coffin to the summit of the climb it was rumoured that the race would again skip the Muur as local authorities were unwilling to pay for the race to visit now believes this dispute over payments between the town and the race is playing out through its omission from the 2020 race 'The Tour of Flanders has grown with the Muur And the Muur has grown with the Tour of Flanders I am not a doom-monger or superstitious but sometimes I get the impression that what happened last year has now played a role But we don’t want to pay money for a passage 100 kilometres from the finish.' 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To subscribe, or for other enquiries, please contact us Sign up to the Cyclist newsletter to receive curated emails direct to your inbox Sign up to our newsletter Log in to access Cyclist Rides using your email pertaining to your subscription Don't forget a subscription to Cyclist includes: Log in to post comments and use Ask Cyclist our AI platform that answers your questions based on our articles Register to comment on our latest articles Occasional emails from selected third-party sponsors and advertisers Please enter your username or email address to reset your password Belgian expects action to pick up well after iconic climb The ascent with its distinctive chapel at the top had been the scene of many a decisive moment over the years Muur van Geraardsbergen returns for 2017 Tour of Flanders Tour of Flanders: Top 10 contenders inCycle: The legend of the Muur Tour of Flanders 2017 preview Flanders hopefuls recon the cobbles and climbs - Gallery The Belgian says that the climb is too early to have a proper impact on the race and the route taken to include it has been to the detriment of the parcours and the organisers have had to go well out of their way to include it in the loop out east of Oudenaarde meaning there will be long stretches without any climbing "I think it's nice to have the Muur back in the parcours but I don't think that it will really have a decisive factor," Van Avermaet said during his pre-Tour of Flanders press conference The parcours from the Muur to Oudenaarde is not really attractive and I think that the guy who made the parcours would say this because it's a little bit out of the action I think that the parcours last year was really nice I think that it is a zone where nothing is going to happen "I think from the second time up the Kwaremont will be the most important part and from there on the race will be on For sure there will be some attacks earlier on on Berendries or earlier but there is not the moment to go I think that the second time up the Kwaremont will be where the final really starts." Van Avermaet was ready to admit that he was the main favourite who are really in good shape and have shown really good results," he said but I think that we can say we are the three main favourites." Van Avermaet was in strong form last year – although perhaps not as strong as he is in 2017 – on the run into the Tour of Flanders with a win at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and a surprise overall success at Tirreno-Adriatico It seemed that he was destined to win his and BMC's first monument but it wasn't to be when a crash midway through the race took him and many of his teammates out and while he's keen to get his first Flanders win under his belt as soon as possible he denied that it is a case of now or never at the 2017 race I'm really happy with how things are going," he said E3 and Gent-Wevelgem were always the hardest races for me to get a big result I know that it's the hardest race but it fits me better as a rider so this also gives me confidence If you see my results of the last 10 years "The few goals before I have already achieved so now the biggest one is coming and I hope to do what I have done in the races before." Born in Ireland to a cycling family and later moved to the Isle of Man so there was no surprise when I got into the sport Studied sports journalism at university before going on to do a Masters in sports broadcast After university I spent three months interning at Eurosport before becoming the deputy editor of Procycling Week The on-off darling of the Tour of Flanders and the headline act of Opening Weekend With a MRW subscription you’ll get access to: Race organisers include the Muur van Geraardsbergen for the 2017 Tour of Flanders after a five-year absence and move the start from Bruges to Antwerp for the next five years The iconic climb will feature with 100km remaining in the race with the final 75km unchanged from this year's edition Between 1988 and 2011 the Muur was the penultimate climb on the route but with the race finishing in Oudenaarde from 2012 it was not possible to include the climb for the past five editions Organisers confirmed that Antwerp will host the start for the next five years "Everyone on the Flanders Classics team worked hard over the past few years for a return of the Muur to the route," race director Wim Van Herreweghe said "This updated route is a complete package; it brings the very best of more than a century of the Tour of Flanders together in a single monumental race which is beloved by racers and audience alike and the finale so tremendously applauded in past years will remain securely intact." The finish in Oudenaarde and the preceding 75km will remain the same with Van Herreweghe keen to preserve what has turned into a popular finale Riders will tackle the Oude Kwaremont for a second time before ascents of the Paterberg Taaienberg and Kruisberg and then it's back to the Kwaremont for the final time and the last ascent of the Paterberg It was on the Paterberg where Peter Sagan made his decisive attack to win the 2016 edition of the race The Tinkoff rider soloed his way to the finish line on Minderbroederstraat in Oudenaarde which will host the finish once more in 2017 Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing following the World Tour races and its characters After a five-year gap, the Muur van Geraardsbergen returns to the route of the 2017 Tour of Flanders. Another major change will see the start move from Bruges to Antwerp the 2017 men’s Tour of Flanders will be 259.5km long with 18 climbs and five cobbled sections The women’s race will cover a 153km version of the course which was the starting point for the race between 1977 and 1997 The first cobblestones of the day come as the riders pass through Herzele and Zottegem The climbing begins with the first ascent of the Oude Kwaremont after 115km and the route then takes in the Kortekeer the Leberg and the Berendries – plus the cobbled sections of Holle Weg and the Haaghoek the Valkenberg and the Kaperij from last year’s route have been replaced by Ten Bosse the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Pottelberg which is 1km long with an average gradient of 9.3% is the eighth climb of the day and will come 95km from the finish “The Muur van Geraardsbergen is monumental in the world of cycle racing and far beyond,” said race director Wim Van Herreweghe of Flanders Classics “The return of this iconic climb is a win-win-situation for both parties: the Tour brings prestige to the city of Geraardsbergen; the Muur adds allure to ‘Flanders’ Finest’.” “The walk to the Muur is a pilgrimage; awaiting the riders an intense ritual,” said Mayor Guido De Padt of Geraardsbergen who somewhat bizarrely went on to describe the cobbled climb as “an ambassador for Flemish cycle racing.” which again centres on the Kwaremont and Paterberg Herreweghe explained: “These last six climbs on the modern day route are typical Tour of Flanders climbs – they are all inclines on cobblestones They produce an instantly recognisable and intense rhythm which has yielded memorable finals in recent years “The most recent highpoint was only last year forcing Fabian Cancellara to miss out on an absolute record We just want to keep the last 75 kilometres as a feature of the race Its instant recognisability should become a real race tradition.” please consider subscribing to the site to support us directly As a subscriber you can read road.cc ad-free The revenue from adverts helps to fund our site then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £1.99 Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined Despite the apparent evidence of this picture road.cc's audience Report an advert on road.cc Privacy policy Subscribe All material © Farrelly Atkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA11JB. Tel 01225 588855. © 2008–present unless otherwise stated. Terms and conditions of use +374 10 650015 Be one of the first to try our new activity feed There is no place in cycling more sacred than the Muur de Geraardsbergen Belgium (VN) — Sunday’s Ronde van Vlaanderen will no doubt be an exciting battle contested in front of hundreds of thousands of rabid Belgian fans which will most likely be won by the strongest man in the race nor will it include several iconic climbs that have shaped the race over the past century head of the Flanders Classics race organization the course has dramatically changed to now finish with three circuits point-to-point route from Bruges to Meerbeke The new route includes three trips over the cobblestone Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg climbs or Wall of Geraardsbergen (also known as the Kapelmuur perhaps the most iconic of all Tour of Flanders climbs in its former placement 15km from the finish line proved decisive in countless editions of the race a less iconic but important enough climb that two-time winner Edwig Van Hooydonck earned the nickname “Eddy Bosberg” for securing both wins with attacks on the short The reasons behind the route change are many a former sports journalist and TV talk show host who formed Flanders Classics in 2010 Scheldeprijs and Brabantse Pijl under one umbrella organization Vandenhaute has said that in order for the sport to progress He ‘s made it clear that he wants to make cycling more attractive to sponsors — primarily to sponsors that will populate the expansive VIP tents he’s erected along the Ronde course Vandenhaute believes it’s important to give sponsors something back “Keep the Muur and Bosberg.” An online poll on the Het Niewsblad website showed that the Belgian populace was against the change by a 3-to-1 margin The chorus of opposition quieted some over the last six months; however the most fanatical opponents have resurfaced typewritten letter threatening to sabotage the race by littering tacks on the course in protest of the course change Belgian national police are taking the threat seriously with 700 police officers and 1500 race marshals adding supplementary patrols from Saturday morning through Sunday evening while distancing himself from any acts of sabotage has called for his staff to boycott this year’s race whether in the form of signs or other acts of disobedience Vandenhaute was asked why he’d waited nearly five months to speak publicly about course change and I wanted to give time for emotions to settle.” He also admitted emotions were greater than he expected and in the beginning of 2010 we started asking ourselves ‘What do we think of the final and is there an alternative?’ And we went for the alternative.” The agreement with Oudenaarde as the new finishing city is valid for six years “But if this Oude Kwaremont to Paterberg to Oudenaarde finale works well at least for the next six years,” he added “And Oude Kwaremont may assume the role of the Muur.” winner of the Tour of Flanders in 2010 and third-place finisher last year particularly with three trips over the Kwaremont and Paterberg Two-time winner Tom Boonen has played it tactfully saying that until the new route has been raced “To me it makes little difference where I win,” Boonen told Het Nieuwsblad “I have no real preference and so I’m going to leave it alone and not interfere.” Retired three-time Ronde champion Johan Museeuw was initially skeptical of the course change but has since given the route change his blessing (It’s worth noting that Museeuw is a paid spokesperson for Flanders Classics.) who considers himself a passionate cycling fan has pleaded with the angry Belgian populace to be open to progress suggesting that the change was made to bring the race to a “higher sporting level.” However, his true agenda is far from hidden. The VIP tents erected this week on the Oude Kwarement are the size of arenas, with capacity for over 6,000 paying spectators — those given special access based on sponsorships, or through purchasing special VIP packages ranging from $200 for a spot in the VIP tent on the Kwaremont race director Wim Van Herreweghe told Het Nieuwsblad that money was not the deciding factor adding that Meerbeke had paid more for the right to host the race finish than Oudenaarde will pay moving forward we would have left the course as it was,” Van Herreweghe said We wanted a new tour through the heart of the Flemish Ardennes Van Herreweghe put the price tag of the race at over US$2 million adding that not all that money comes from municipalities and sponsors “I can only ask for a chance,” Van Herreweghe added One thorn in Vandenhaute’s side with the old course was Vieux Mont a private operator that erected its own VIP tents on its own property on the Kapelmuur for which the race organization received only 5,000 euros When Flanders Classics raised the permit fee substantially was to simply relocate the pinnacle of the action and then commercialize the viewing opportunity Think back to the two previous editions of the Tour of Flanders The most dramatic moment of both events came on the Muur — in 2010 Cancellara rode away from Boonen on the Muur and increased his advantage to the finish line; in 2011 a cramping Cancellara was reeled in by Boonen and Philippe Gilbert setting up one of the most dramatic finales in modern cycling Imagine their courses altered to appease VIPs a Roubaix finish other than in the velodrome The Muur van Geraardsbergen has been part of De Ronde since 1950 If there is no race more sacred to racing fans than De Ronde how much more sacred can you get than a chapel at the top of the race’s most decisive climb In a sport that has long been touted as the sport of the people Vandenhaute is effectively taking the race away from the fans removing one of its most hallowed features in the process Perhaps Cancellara best put it into perspective speaking with Cyclingnews.com “The traditions of the sport are counting for less and now they have changed something crucial So there is a big question: Is it just to make it harder Or is it just to see more spectacular things in the race the decision to change the historic Flanders route is nothing short of blasphemous while Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) moved into the overall lead after placing second on the stage Alex Zingle (Cofidis) took third ahead of Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) while Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) produced a late effort to seize fifth Wellens’ display was all the more remarkable given that he spent much of the final 30km riding with a slow puncture but the Belgian’s haul of bonus seconds was enough to put him into the race lead 17 seconds ahead of Yves Lampaert (Soudal-QuickStep) Wellens ignited the race with his aggression on the finishing circuit attacking on the last time up the Muur van Geraardsbergen at the end of the penultimate lap though his progress was stalled by that slow puncture with Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) bridging across on the Bosberg while Lampaert Florian Vermeersch (Lotto-Dstny) and Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck) joined shortly afterwards and after the first passage on the Muur I told a teammate that I had the legs to win I felt I had a flat tyre,” said Wellens who was saved by sealant on his tubeless tyre but I knew that I would not return to the first group In the end it was the right choice.” Wellens’ teammate Hirschi attacked fiercely on the climb of Denderoordstraat but the group reformed over the other side with 3km to go The final kilometres brought the race through Geraardsbergen the climb that serves as the anteroom to the Muur proper Teunissen knew that his prospects of overpowering Wellens et al on the climb were slim and so he launched a sharp attack with 1200m remaining immediately opening what proved the winning gap Hirschi set off in lone pursuit beneath the flamme rouge seemingly unconcerned by his soft front tyre but he had to settle for second place ahead of Zingle while De Lie surged from the chasing group to take fifth who marked his 31st birthday by claiming his first WorldTour victory since he won the opening stage of the 2019 Tour de France in Brussels The two laps of the 33km circuit around Geraardsbergen were always going to prove decisive but that didn’t stop Arne Marit (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) Olivier Le Gac (Groupama-FDJ) and Lukasz Wisniowski (EF Education-EasyPost) from forging clear in the opening kilometres and building a maximum lead of three minutes Teunissen was among the aggressors who bridged up to the leaders on the first lap of the finishing circuit though the high speed in the peloton meant the move was destined to peter out the combination of the intensity of the racing and the relentless of the terrain saw the peloton quickly whittled down with overnight leader Josh Tarling (Ineos) among those distanced with 38km to go Wellens emerged as the strongman on its slopes as he attacked with an eye to the bonus seconds in the Green Kilometre that followed and not even a flat tyre would deny him his bounty The Belgian has 17 seconds on Lampaert and 19 on Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek) and Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck) ahead of the weekend’s grand finale “I knew that the time trial yesterday was going to be very important for the general classification so I really worked hard on that,” Wellens said Now we should not underestimate the last stage in this race Results powered by FirstCycling The iconic cobbled climb will appear in the 2016 edition of the Three Days of De Panne for the first time The Muur van Geraardsbergen is set to be included in the route of the Three Days of De Panne for the first time this year which coincides with the 40th edition of the early season race will by climbed twice on the opening stage of the Three Days including a passge through the new Tour of Flanders finish city >>> The Koppenberg and the defining cobbles The finishing circuit will take in two ascents of the Muur van Geraardsbergen which will surely make the selections and influence who pulls on the first leader's jersey this time finishing in De Panne where the opening stage started The final day takes the traditional shape of a split stage between a morning road race and an afternoon individual time trial "For the first time in our existence, and on our 40th anniversary edition, we will do the mythical ascent of the Muur de Geraardsbergen," race director Jurgen Van de Walle told Het Nieuwsblad Jack Elton-Walters hails from the Isle of Wight and would be quick to tell anyone that it's his favourite place to ride He has covered a varied range of topics for Cycling Weekly He moved on to work for Cyclist Magazine in 2017 where he stayed for four years until going freelance He now returns to Cycling Weekly from time-to-time to cover racing review cycling gear and write longer features for print and online Despite the introduction of the new Flemish Animal Welfare Codex the good folk of Geraardsbergen are showing little enthusiasm for banning a centuries old tradition that is part and parcel of festivities recognised by UNESCO the United Nations culture end education organisation For hundreds of years live fish have been drunk in a cup of wine during festivities called the Krakelingenfeest or Pretzel Feast and the Tonnekensbrand or the Barrel Burning The consumption of live animals including fish is banned by new Flemish animal welfare legislation presented by animal welfare minister Ben Weyts (nationalist) this week The Geraardsbergen festivities have been recognised as UNESCO World Heritage since 2010 Locals are eager to retain their traditions and say that this drinking of live fish swimming in a cup of wine symbolises new life Under the new Flemish Animal Welfare Codex this is a custom that will no longer be allowed I think we should also be allowed to review certain traditions in function of animal welfare," Minister Weyts told newsmen "In future animals can only be killed out of necessity and no longer for the fun of it or because it is part of a tradition That is why we have to discuss matters with people who still organise such practices." they have not yet been contacted by the animal welfare department "We haven't seen any texts yet," says alderman for animal welfare Stephan De Prez (liberal/Open VLD) "So it is still too early to give a definitive answer." animal rights’ organisation Gaia filed a lawsuit against the drinking of live fish "Each time we were vindicated," says Stephan De Prez "We are going to revisit the ruling made at that time and see what arguments we can still use Peter Sagan climbs the Muur during the 2017 edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Final 60km of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will be identical to old Flanders route the finish line of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will be in the town of Ninove rather than in Ghent where it has been located for recent editions of the race This will mean that race organisers Flanders Classics - which also organises the Tour of Flanders - is able to use exactly the same route as the final 60km of the old Tour of Flanders route including climbing the Muur Van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg in  the final 15km "The last 60 km are identical to the last Tour of Flanders with the finish in Ninove," race organiser Wim van Herreweghe told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad with exactly the same succession of climbs is engrained in the memory many riders and cycling fans The fact that the finish line will be painted in exactly the same place as in the past coul hardly be more symbolic The Tour of Flanders finished in Ninove for the final time in 2011 moving the finish line to the outskirts of the much larger town of Oudenaarde for 2012 and including the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg climbs as the crucial moments at the end of the race who won the Tour of Flanders in 1997 and 2003 and is now the route director of Omloop Het Niieuwsblad the chance to return to the Muur/Bosberg finale is a chance to please fans and riders it is a happy reunion with the familiar final kilometres" "The final with the Muur and the Bosberg and the arrival in Ninove appeals to everyone." who have never ridden on the old course of the Tour of Flanders De Omloop has always had a great media appeal as an opener of the new season and that will not be less with this finale the traditional opener of the Classics season with Greg Van Avermaet being the defending champion Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling He's since moved his career in a new direction with a role at the Department for Environment The Muur van Geraardsbergen wlil not be in the 2012 tour of Flanders but will appear in the E3 Prijs Harelbeke The famous climb's exclusion had caused consternation throughout Belgium Belgians mourn "decapitated" Tour of Flanders The Muur may not play a decisive role in the E3 Prijs head of sports in the town of Geraardsbergen The E3 Prijs has never climbed the Muur before The passage will be shown on television because the broadcast begins as the riders ride towards Grammont When they ride on the wall it will be in the eye of the cameras,” he told Het Nieuwsblad One of the men behind the inclusion of the climb was Alain Corneille owner of the Oudeberg restaurant and facility atop the climb “The day it became known that the Muur is no longer in the Ronde I got in touch with E3 organizer Bart Ottevaere,” he said “I hammered the city to get the climb  into another top race The Muur is the only thing that gives Grammont an international image Frank Simons was killed just 82km after leaving the start in Geraardsbergen Ultra-endurance cycling has been struck by another tragedy after a rider was killed while competing in the Transcontinental Race from Belgium to Greece Frank Simons was hit by a vehicle at 3am on Saturday near Four à Verre in Belgium just 82km after leaving the start in Geraardsbergen with local press reporting that the driver did not stop at the scene and is now being sought by police The fifth edition of the Transcontinental Race which sees riders race between Geraardsbergen in Belgium and Meteora in Greece using any route between four checkpoints along the way the race organisers said they were shocked by Simons's death but that the event would continue as planned "Frank Simons’ death in the early hours of this race is a tragedy that has affected the cycling community deeply and will continue to affect everyone close to the Transcontinental for a long time to come," a statement read and had applied to race in TCRNo4 as well as this edition We understand from Frank’s wife that he would have wanted the race to continue and that everyone racing be able to continue their adventure on the TCRNo5 "In honour and respect of what we understand to be Frank’s wishes we currently feel it is appropriate that the TCRNo5 organisation continue to provide the race infrastructure as before allowing the riders discretion in deciding their own course of action the town celebrates the "Krakelingen" festival on the last Sunday in February apart from hurling bread rolls at each other is a ceremony in which locals drink down live but some years they're bigger and more difficult to drink down "Sometimes they are still trembling a little in your mouth," Guido de Padt told the International Herald Tribune in March "You don't taste them -- but the wine is good." The ceremony enrages animal rights campaigners who say the fish die an agonizing death Their protests have succeeded so far in whittling down the number of people permitted to drink fish to around two dozen They hope to eradicate the pageant one day or to have the fish replaced by fish-shaped marzipan The festival is named after the less controversial practice of throwing doughnut-shaped bread rolls -- the Krakelingen -- to the townsfolk to commemorate a medieval siege in which the besieged threw food over the walls to show they had limitless supplies located in northeastern Belgium in the Flemish-speaking part of the country Once the fish drinking is over you can wander over to the town's other main attraction -- Belgium's oldest "Mannekin Pis," a fountain sculpture showing a naked little boy urinating The more famous Mannekin Pis statue stands in Brussels