Dwars door Vlaanderen organisers have opted to take away the Kanarieberg climb and the quick method to it from the 2025 race route as a result of security considerations.
The paved climb is positioned close to Ronse in Flanders and has additionally featured within the Tour of Flanders up to now. Nonetheless, it hit the headlines at this yr’s Dwars door Vlaanderen due to a mass crash on the method to the hill.
The crash within the peloton noticed Wout van Aert, Jasper Stuyven, Biniam Girmay and Mads Pedersen among the many riders who hit the deck arduous on the quick and sweeping stretch of the N48 highway on the method to the Kanarieberg. Van Aert and Stuyven have been pressured to overlook the rest of the spring Classics because of this, with each struggling a number of accidents together with damaged collarbones.
On the 2025 route presentation on Thursday, Dwars door Vlaanderen organisers revealed that the highway and the hill, which averaged 8% over 1km, is not going to be featured in subsequent yr’s race, which falls on April 2.
“After the heavy crash final yr, we made an analysis along with Flanders Classics,” race chairman Pavel Desmet instructed Het Nieuwsblad.
“Biking is altering and ‘preparation races’ not exist. In all races these days, riders race with a knife between their enamel. That’s why we determined to alter the course to enhance security much more.”
The Kanarieberg, its method and the Kortekeer have been additionally faraway from the Tour of Flanders again in March earlier than the mass high-speed crash at Dwars in 2024.
Van Aert lately revisited the climb – together with a number of different well-known Flandrian hills together with the Wolvenberg, Oude Kwaremont, and Paterberg – as a part of a 97km recon journey together with his Visma-Lease A Bike teammates.
He was joined by Olav Kooij, Christophe Laporte, Dylan van Baarle and several other younger members of the Dutch crew, together with a handful of neo-pros.
Van Aert can be among the many riders joyful to see a reminder of a ruined spring faraway from the route, although it’s not the one change the organisers have made for the 2025 race.
The cobblestones at Varent can be eliminated, as will the climbs of the Kortekeer and Laudeuze. Kortekeer can be changed by an extra ascent of Berg Ten Houte, whereas Ladeuze can be changed by the Eikenberg.