Nielson Powless on the Oude Kwaremont in the 2023 Tour of Flanders, with a background of beer adverts.
A hill has to be special to get a Belgian beer named after it, and the Oude Kwaremont is special. Wickedly cobbled, not too steep, it goes on, and on…and on. A real crunch point in any race.
Kwaremont is the name of the village at the top of the hill. It takes its name from a grassy mound about a kilometre away.
A Kwaremont climb has been part of the Tour of Flanders for a long time, but the Oude Kwaremont was only introduced in 1974. The Kwaremont climb was the main N36 from Berchem to Ronse, cobbled all the way up and down. Ten kilometres of cobbles in total, but there was a cinder path beside them.
The sprint to get on that path was worthy of a grand tour gallop. The path was two riders wide, with no overtaking. Anybody behind a split on there was toast. It was impossible to catch up by swapping onto the cobbles.
Then in 1968 the N36 cobbles were replaced with concrete, and the Kwaremont lost its sting. It had been pivotal, the second or third climb in the race for years, so the Tour of Flanders organisers looked for something to replace it.
They found the Oude Kwaremont, a 2.2 kilometre uphill cobbled back lane into the village. This is what double Tour of Flanders winner, and local boy, Peter Van Petegem says it’s like to race up the Oude Kwaremont.
“The Kwaremont, depending on where it comes in the race, can be very hard. The steep part is okay, but then it drags on for a while, sort of flattens out and gets very exposed near the top as you head back for the main road. That makes it really hard.
“It’s quite long and once you are over the steep bit you need to change up into a big gear and really go for it. It’s always lined out there. If you are 100 metres off the back of the lead group there is no way you will get back unless they sit up in front of you.”
Peter is featured in our latest book, Cycling Legends 04: Flandriens.
