Male Team 12 - 18 Aug
Renewi Tour
975 Kilometers 7 Stages
During the past few years, the BinckBank Tour has defined itself as the WorldTour stagerace where top classics riders -both specialists in the cobblestones and Ardennes puncheurs- can aim for an overall victory. That momentum is further accentuated in 2019, with a route clearly designed to keep the competition close until the very end.
There won’t be any ascents -‘just’ wind gusts, high speeds and plenty of stress- in the three opening stages, the individual time trial of the race brought back to the penultimate day this time (barely 8km in The Hague, almost a prologue’s distance) while hills are only featured into two stages.
Thursday 15th, a really short (96km) stage four in Houffalize will feature three climbs to Saint-Roch (1.1km at 11.5%) and as many to Rau de Cowan, Rue Bois des Moines and Achouffe. Sunday 18th will, in turn, again bring the decisive, Queen stage, with the traditional circuit around Geraardsbergen that includes the Kapelmuur, Bosberg and Denderoordberg cobbled ascents.