CROSSING THE CYCLING MECCA OFF ROAD The Flanders Divide We decided it was our duty to come up with a bikepacking route that shows what our stomping grounds have to offer with as much off-road as possible. A route taking you from Genk in the east all the way to Oostende at the seaside. The route spans from the historic mining areas with feisty offroad switchback climbing the terhills via the gravel lanes of Limburg to the hills of Hageland. Once you leave Leuven, home to one of the oldest Universities in Europe, it is nature galore with the triple Meerdaalwoud, Zoniën Forest, and Hallerbos. Literally hours of fun in the forests. With lungs filled with fresh oxygen, it’s time for Pajottenland, known for its typical rolling hills through Flemish farmland and backroads. Don’t be fooled by the much-deserved rest peddling along the Dender though. Your calves are about to get burning again when it’s time for some of those famous Flemish cobbles. Starting with the infamous ‘muur van Geraardsbergen.’ From here, it is straight into the Flemish Ardennes, over to Oudenaarde, which is the centre of the Tour of Flanders. Then it’s time to channel your inner Flandrien and conquer the steep cobbled bergs and offroad stretches, already well over 350kms into the route. With most of the 3500 meters of climbing done, it’s time for the final push towards the seaside. More backroads, single tracks, and gravel lanes follow with another highlight in the historic town of Bruges before arriving at the beach and dipping your wheel in the waves of Ostend, concluding this epic 560km trip from east to west.