Muur van Geraardsbergen

Muur van Geraardsbergen
230px The Muur van Geraardsbergen.
Elevation	110 m (360 ft)
Location	Flanders, Belgium
Start	Geraardsbergen
Altitude	92 m (302 ft)
Length	1,075 m (3,527 ft)
Average gradient	9.3 %
Maximum gradient	19.8 %

The Muur van Geraardsbergen (English: Wall of Geraardsbergen/Grammont, French: Mur de Grammont) is a steep narrow road with cobblestones in Geraardsbergen, Belgium. It is also known as Kapelmuur, Muur-Kapelmuur or simply Muur. The hill starts near the river Dender at 18m and reaches the top of the Oudenberg at 110 m after 1,075m at 9.3 per cent. This climb is often part of the Tour of Flanders professional cycling race.

Tour of Flanders

The Muur van Geraardsbergen has often been a climb in the Tour of Flanders. It has been used since 1950, although not consistently until 1970. The 'Muur' was the final climb in 1973 and 1974, before the finish in Meerbeke. An extra stretch to the chapel (kapel in Dutch) at the summit was added in 1981 and climb became known as the 'Muur-Kapelmuur'. It was a regular feature from 1981 until 2011.

From 1988 until 2011 it was the penultimate, and often decisive, climb and always followed by the Bosberg before the finish in Meerbeke. The Muur was removed from the 2012 race. With the finish in Oudenaarde, instead of Meerbeke, it was no longer possible to include it.

Other cycling races

The Muur was climbed in the 1960 Gent–Wevelgem and in 49 editions of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The Tour de France visited the Muur in 2004 but did not climb the actual Muur of Geraardsbergen.

After omission of the Muur from the Tour of Flanders, it was announced that the climb would be in the 2012 E3 Prijs Vlaanderen, although not in the final.

The Muur was announced as the centerpiece of the final stage of the Eneco Tour for 2012, 2013, 2014. Geraardsbergen and possibly the Muur will be in a stage for the next five years.

External links

• Photos and profile on rvv.be
• Profile on climbbybike.com