We Ride Flanders: routes, cobbles and how to prepare
- Distance
- 114 km
- Climbing
- 1,448 m
- Highest point
- 148 m
- Categorised climbs
- 17 · up to 17 %
- Shape
- Loop
Measured on the Discover route you ride free. The organiser's own figures are below.
Elevation profile
11–148 m · 17 categorised climbsThe 6 biggest of 17 categorised climbs, in the order you ride them.
We Ride Flanders is the amateur ride of the Tour of Flanders, held the day before the professional race, over the same cobbled climbs: the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg and the Koppenberg. The next edition is on Saturday 3 April 2027, with four routes from 80 to 240 km.
We Ride Flanders at a glance
- Where
- Oudenaarde, Belgium
- Official website
- werideflanders.com ↗
- Next edition
- 3 April 2027
- Routes
- 240 km (Bruges – Oudenaarde): 240 km, 2,100 m climbing · 160 km: 160 km, 1,800 m climbing · 130 km: 130 km, 1,500 m climbing · 80 km: 80 km, 1,025 m climbing
- Terrain
- Hilly — repeated climbs
- Facts checked
- 4 November 2026, against the sources below
Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Free to ride. This course is one of Discover's Iconic events. Ride it free
The routes
We Ride Flanders offers 4 routes.
| Route | Distance | Climbing |
|---|---|---|
| 240 km (Bruges – Oudenaarde) | 240 km | 2,100 m |
| 160 km | 160 km | 1,800 m |
| 130 km | 130 km | 1,500 m |
| 80 km | 80 km | 1,025 m |
What the course asks of you
The Flemish Ardennes are short, steep hills, many of them cobbled, linked by narrow roads and flat cobbled sectors. The Koppenberg is a few hundred metres at gradients above 20 %; the Oude Kwaremont is longer and gentler, but on rough cobbles; the Paterberg is short and brutal.
On cobbles, power has to be steady and seated: a surge in the wrong place stalls the bike. The 240 km from Bruges adds a long, flat approach where riding in a group decides how fresh you reach the hills.
How to prepare
The general shape of a good preparation, which Event Coach turns into a plan for your fitness, time and date:
- Train repeated climbs: several efforts of 8 to 15 minutes close to your threshold, with short recoveries, copy the rhythm of We Ride Flanders.
- Build the long ride towards 240 km, so the final climbs are not the first time your legs have been out that long.
- Add a few short efforts at low cadence on steep gradients, for the ramps that come late in the day.
Pacing mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost riders the most on a day like this:
- Answering every climb of We Ride Flanders with a surge: repeated climbs reward an even effort, not a burst on each ramp.
- Spending the most on the famous climb when the hardest part of the day is still to come.
- Letting the pace of the group on the flat decide how tired you arrive at the climbs.
Prepare We Ride Flanders with Cycloscape
Tell Event Coach you are doing We Ride Flanders, your route and what you want from the day, and it builds your preparation towards 3 April 2027: structured workouts held by your trainer in ERG, Race Pacing for how to spend your effort, and Performance Lab to see whether the work is landing. Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Frequently asked
When is We Ride Flanders 2027?
On Saturday, 3 April 2027, according to the organiser.
How long are the routes of We Ride Flanders?
240 km (Bruges – Oudenaarde): 240 km with 2,100 m of climbing; 160 km: 160 km with 1,800 m of climbing; 130 km: 130 km with 1,500 m of climbing; 80 km: 80 km with 1,025 m of climbing. The 2027 routes as the organiser lists them, approximate until all four are confirmed. All finish in Oudenaarde; only the 240 km starts in Bruges.
How many riders take part?
About 15,000 riders took part in 2025, according to the Belga news agency.
Can I ride the course of We Ride Flanders in Cycloscape?
Yes, free: it is one of Discover's Iconic events. Event Coach adds the preparation around it.