Casse-Pattes

The Druivenkoers, the Brabantse Pijl, and even the UCI World Championships ride these roads south-east of the Belgian capital. Hagaard, Moskestraat, Smeysberg: these names surely give you itchy legs.

You set off on the edge of the Sonian Forest, in Sint-Genesius-Rode. Hoeilaart, Overijse, and things get serious: the Hagaard and its 17% ramps, two kilometres of cobbles on the Mommaertstraat, the Moskestraat, cobbled too, then the Smeysberg, 18% at its steepest. The route then drops to the Dyle, at 27 m: the lowest point of the loop.

Grez-Doiceau, Chaumont-Gistoux, Wavre. The climbs get longer: the Rue de Pécrot, the Allée de Bercuit, the 4 Sapins. Then the Mur de Wavre, 500 m at 10% on average.

Rixensart and Lake Genval, the cobbled Vieux Chemin de l’Helpe, then Lasne: the Chemin des Pèlerins, an unpaved track, runs straight into the Pavés du Gros Vélo. The Rue Là-Haut (“Up There Street”) lives up to its name. Braine-l’Alleud is close, and the Lion’s Mound not far off.

On the other side, Ittre. Or rather: Giro di Ittro. Ittre is the hub of many punchy climbs along the Brussels-Charleroi canal. Far too rarely ridden, these hills deserve our full attention. We are not allowed to neglect them.

The Bois de Samme, the Bardé and its 20%, Fauquez on the canal bank, the Basse Hollande. The Mur du Tombois passes close to the Ronquières inclined plane, then the loop reaches its highest point, 164 m, at the top of the Avenue de la Hetraie. Then come Mon Idée, Charly des Bois, Mon Plaisir (“My Pleasure”): the names are gentle, the gradients far less so. The Rue du Masy, 17% at its steepest, closes the zone.

The Côte Mathias, 3.2 km, the longest of the route, then Halle and the Senne valley. The Dr. Spitael and the Warande, the Bruineput and its 16%, the Wouterstraat, a track, the Côte des 7 Fontaines, the Bronstraat.

The last one, the Avenue de la Libération, brings you back to Sint-Genesius-Rode. 200 km, 43 sectors, two Brabants. Legs well and truly broken.