Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
 | |
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | Late February-Early March |
| Region | Flanders, Belgium |
| English name | Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne |
| Local name(s) | Kuurne–Brussel–Kuurne (Dutch) |
| Nickname(s) | KBK |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | UCI Europe Tour |
| Type | One-day race |
| History | |
| First edition | 1945 |
| Editions | 67 (as of 2015) |
| First winner |
.svg.png){kind=small} Valère Olivier (BEL) |
| Most wins |
Tom Boonen (BEL) (3 wins) |
| Most recent |
 Mark Cavendish (GBR) |
Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne is an annual single-day road bicycle race in Belgium. It is ridden on the last Sunday of February or on the first Sunday of March, one day after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. First held in 1945, since 2005 it has been a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.
History
Together with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this race forms the Belgian opening weekend of the road cycling season. The course is less selective (the last climb comes 53 km before the finish line) than the Omloop which gives sprinters a better chance for winning this race. As of 2015 no rider has completed a double in the Belgian opening weekend by winning both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne.
The name of the race however is somewhat misleading, as the race doesn't actually reach Brussels. After starting in Kuurne, the race heads out in the direction of Brussels but the turnaround point is near Galmaarden, some 25 km west of Brussels. On the way back, the race heads to the Flemish Ardennes where a number of hills (Edelareberg, La Houppe, Kanarieberg, Kruisberg, Oude Kwaremont, Knokteberg, Tiegemberg and Nokereberg) are climbed before finishing back in Kuurne.
Three times in history the race was cancelled due to bad weather, the last time in 2013. In 2010 the race was run in extreme weather coming from the Cyclone Xynthia. The race was shortened by 20 km because of a fallen tree and only 26 of the 195 started riders were able to finish in Kuurne.
List of winners
| Rider | Team | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | |
Ollivier, ValereValère Ollivier (BEL) | individual | |
| 1946 | |
Delmuylle, HenriHenri Delmuylle (BEL) | individual | |
| 1947 | |
Pieters, AndreAndré Pieters (BEL) | Celta-Erka | |
| 1948 | |
Buysse, AchielAchiel Buysse (BEL) | Thompson | |
| 1949 | |
Decin, AlbertAlbert Decin (BEL) | La Française-Dunlop | |
| 1950 | |
Ollivier, ValereValère Ollivier (BEL) | Bertin-Wolber | |
| 1951 | |
Declerck, AndreAndré Declerck (BEL) | Bertin-Wolber | |
| 1952 | |
Maelbrancke, AndreAndré Maelbrancke (BEL) | Devos Sport | |
| 1953 | |
Graeveleyn, Leopold DeLeopold De Graeveleyn (BEL) | Mercier-Hutchinson | |
| 1954 | |
Daele, Leon VanLeon Van Daele (BEL) | Bertin-d'Alessandro | |
| 1955 | |
Planckaert, JosephJoseph Planckaert (BEL) | Elvé-Peugeot | |
| 1956 | |
Denijs, HenriHenri Denijs (BEL) | Bertin-Huret | |
| 1957 | |
Verhelts, JosephJoseph Verhelts (BEL) | Faema-Guerra | |
| 1958 | |
Desmet, GilbertGilbert Desmet (BEL) | Faema-Guerra | |
| 1959 | |
Saelens, GentielGentiel Saelens (BEL) | Flandria-Dr. Mann | |
| 1960 | |
Planckaert, JosephJoseph Planckaert (BEL) | Wiel's–Flandria | |
| 1961 | |
Bruyne, Alfred DeAlfred De Bruyne (BEL) (victory shared with Daele, Leon VanLeon Van Daele) | Baratti-Milano | |
| 1961 | |
Daele, Leon VanLeon Van Daele (BEL) (victory shared with Bruyne, Alfred DeAlfred De Bruyne) | Wiel's-Flandria | |
| 1962 |  |
Rentmeester, PietPiet Rentmeester (NED) | Gitane-Leroux | |
| 1963 | |
Fore, NoelNoël Foré (BEL) | Faema-Flandria | |
| 1964 | |
Cabooter, Arthur DeArthur De Cabooter (BEL) | Solo-Superia | |
| 1965 | |
Reybrouck, GuidoGuido Reybrouck (BEL) | Flandria–Romeo | |
| 1966 | |
Desmet, GustaafGustaaf Desmet (BEL) | Wiel's-Groene Leeuw | |
| 1967 | |
Rijckeghem, Daniel VanDaniel Van Rijckeghem (BEL) | Mann-Grundig | |
| 1968 | |
Leman, EricEric Leman (BEL) | Flandria–De Clerck | |
| 1969 | |
Decloedt, FreddyFreddy Decloedt (BEL) | Pull Over Centrale-Tasmania | |
| 1970 | |
De Vlaeminck, RogerRoger De Vlaeminck (BEL) | Flandria–Mars | |
| 1971 | |
De Vlaeminck, RogerRoger De Vlaeminck (BEL) | Flandria–Mars | |
| 1972 | |
Van Roosbroeck, GustaafGustaaf Van Roosbroeck (BEL) | Watneys-Avia | |
| 1973 | |
Planckaert, WalterWalter Planckaert (BEL) | Watney-Maes | |
| 1974 | |
Wesemael, WilfriedWilfried Wesemael (BEL) | MIC-Ludo-De Gribaldy | |
| 1975 | |
Verhaegen, FransFrans Verhaegen (BEL) | IJsboerke-Colner | |
| 1976 | |
Verhaegen, FransFrans Verhaegen (BEL) | Flandria–Velda | |
| 1977 | |
Sercu, PatrickPatrick Sercu (BEL) | Fiat France | |
| 1978 | |
Lefevere, PatrickPatrick Lefevere (BEL) | Marc Zeepcentrale-Superia | |
| 1979 | |
Planckaert, WalterWalter Planckaert (BEL) | Mini Flat-V.D.B. | |
| 1980 | |
Raas, JanJan Raas (NED) | TI-Raleigh | |
| 1981 | |
Jacobs, JosJos Jacobs (BEL) | Capri Sonne | |
| 1982 |  |
Braun, GregorGregor Braun (GER) | Capri Sonne | |
| 1983 | |
Raas, JanJan Raas (NED) | TI-Raleigh | |
| 1984 | |
Lammertink, JosJos Lammertink (NED) | Panasonic | |
| 1985 | |
Tackaert, WilliamWilliam Tackaert (BEL) | Fangio-Ecoturbo | |
| 1986 | No race | |||
| 1987 | |
Peeters, LudoLudo Peeters (BEL) | Superconfex-Yoko | |
| 1988 | |
Redant, HendrikHendrik Redant (BEL) | Isoglass-Robland | |
| 1989 | |
Hooydonck, Edwig VanEdwig Van Hooydonck (BEL) | Superconfex-Yoko | |
| 1990 | |
Redant, HendrikHendrik Redant (BEL) | Lotto-Super Club | |
| 1991 | |
Dauwe, JohnnyJohnny Dauwe (BEL) | Tulip Computers | |
| 1992 | |
Ludwig, OlafOlaf Ludwig (GER) | Panasonic-Sportlife | |
| 1993 | No race | |||
| 1994 | |
Museeuw, JohanJohan Museeuw (BEL) | GB-MG Maglificio | |
| 1995 |  |
Moncassin, FredericFrédéric Moncassin (FRA) | Novell | |
| 1996 |  |
Sorensen, RolfRolf Sørensen (DEN) | Rabobank | |
| 1997 | |
Museeuw, JohanJohan Museeuw (BEL) | Mapei-GB | |
| 1998 | |
Tchmil, AndreiAndrei Tchmil (BEL) | Lotto-Mobistar | |
| 1999 | |
Planckaert, JoJo Planckaert (BEL) | Lotto-Mobistar | |
| 2000 | |
Tchmil, AndreiAndrei Tchmil (BEL) | Lotto-Adecco | |
| 2001 | |
Van Petegem, PeterPeter Van Petegem (BEL) | Mercury-Viatel | |
| 2002 |  |
Kirsipuu, JaanJaan Kirsipuu (EST) | AG2R Prévoyance | |
| 2003 | |
Sentjens, RoyRoy Sentjens (NED) | Rabobank | |
| 2004 | |
De Jongh, StevenSteven de Jongh (NED) | Rabobank | |
| 2005 |  |
Hincapie, GeorgeGeorge Hincapie (USA) | Discovery Channel | |
| 2006 | |
Nuyens, NickNick Nuyens (BEL) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | |
| 2007 | |
Boonen, TomTom Boonen (BEL) | Quick-Step–Innergetic | |
| 2008 | |
De Jongh, StevenSteven de Jongh (NED) | Quick-Step | |
| 2009 | |
Boonen, TomTom Boonen (BEL) | Quick-Step | |
| 2010 | |
Traksel, BobbieBobbie Traksel (NED) | Vacansoleil | |
| 2011 |  |
Sutton, ChristopherChristopher Sutton (AUS) | Team Sky | |
| 2012 | |
Cavendish, MarkMark Cavendish (GBR) | Team Sky | |
| 2013 | No race due to snow[1] | |||
| 2014 | |
Boonen, TomTom Boonen (BEL) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | |
| 2015 | |
Cavendish, MarkMark Cavendish (GBR) | Etixx–Quick-Step | |
Winners by nationality
| # of Victories | Country |
|---|---|
| 51 | Belgium |
| 8 | Netherlands |
| 2 | United Kingdom |
| 2 | Germany |
| 1 | Australia |
| 1 | Denmark |
| 1 | Estonia |
| 1 | France |
| 1 | United States |
References
- ↑ "Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne afgelast door de sneeuwval" (in Dutch). Sporza. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.