Brussels Cycling Classic

The Brussels Cycling Classic (known until June 2013 as Paris–Brussels) is a semi classic European bicycle race, one of the oldest races on the international calendar.

Brussels Cycling Classic
Race details
DateMid-September
RegionBelgium
English nameBrussels Cycling Classic
DisciplineRoad
CompetitionUCI ProSeries
TypeSingle-day
Web sitebrusselscyclingclassic.be
History
First edition1893 (1893)
Editions103 (as of 2023)
First winner André Henri (BEL)
Most wins Robbie McEwen (AUS) (5 wins)
Most recent Arnaud Démare (FRA)

History

Paris–Brussels was first run on 12 August 1893 as an amateur event over a distance of 397 km, Belgian Andre Henry took the inaugural victory from compatriot Charles Delbecque with France's Fernand Augenault coming in third. The race did not return to the racing calendar until 1906 when it was run as a two-day event on 3 and 4 June. The first stage of this 1906 event was run from the Paris suburb of Villiers-sur-Marne to Reims over 152 km and was won by France's Maurice Bardonneau. Albert Dupont took the more challenging second stage on the following day from Reims to Brussels over 239 km to take the overall race victory from compatriots Jules Patou and Guillaume Coeckelberg. The following year the race reverted to being a one-day race and quickly established itself as one of the Spring Classics with a date towards the end of April, between Paris–Roubaix and Gent–Wevelgem. The event lost its prestige during the 1960s when the race was beset by traffic problems between the two capitals and the Dutch-promoted Amstel Gold Race took its place on the classics calendar. The race was not run between 1967 and 1972.

When the race returned in 1973 it was staged on a midweek date towards the end of September, just before Paris-Tours. The 1973 race was won by Eddy Merckx. In 1996 the race was switched from its midweek date back to being run on a Saturday. The most individual wins stood for a long time at three, by Octave Lapize (France) and Félix Sellier (Belgium). Lapize won in 1911, 1912 and 1913 and Sellier in 1922, 1923 and 1924. Lapize could have been a four-time winner but was disqualified after crossing the line first in the 1910 race when he and two other riders did not observe a mid race neutralised section, Maurice Brocco who crossed the line in fourth place was declared the eventual winner. In 2007, Robbie McEwen broke the record by winning his fourth race, and bettered this again with a fifth win in 2008.[1]

In 2005 the race was set to change its name to the Grand Prix Eddy Merckx when an agreement was reached by the race organisers to amalgamate the two events. However, the deal fell through at the last minute and Paris–Brussels retained its name and the Grand Prix Eddy Merckx, a two rider time trial event, disappeared from the racing calendar.[2]

Robbie McEwen holds the record for most victories in Paris-Brussels with five wins.

In 2013 the race became the Brussels Cycling Classic and took place entirely in Belgium.

Memorable races and victories

Octave Lapize's second victory in 1912 had an element of good fortune about it, Lucien Petit-Breton and Cyrille van Hauwaert had broken away and the race looked certain to be decided between them when both riders were knocked off their bikes by a police horse allowing Lapize to overtake and claim victory. The 1921 race won by Frenchman Robert Reboul was made controversial by the fact that a group of riders chasing a 15-man breakaway (including Reboul) was sent down the wrong route by the race director. One of the riders sent the wrong way in that 1921 race was Felix Sellier who made up for that disappointment by triumphing in the next three editions of the race. His three victories were not without difficulties however, in 1922 he survived a fierce attack from a cloud of insects, in 1923 he had to catch a break that had gained a fifteen-minute advantage and in 1924 he suffered two punctures in the latter part of the race just as the vital break was forming.

The victory by Belgian Ernest Mottard in 1930 featured one of the great escapes in the history of the race, Mottard broke away from the peloton with 130 miles (210 km) remaining and stayed away until the finish. Ireland's Shay Elliott was particularly unfortunate in 1958, he had a lead of over a minute with only three miles remaining when he smashed the frame of this bike with no team car near at hand, he was offered a touring bicycle by a spectator but was quickly caught by the chasing bunch and finished well down the field with Belgium's Rik Van Looy taking final victory. The 1963 edition of the race was made memorable by a small breakaway forming well before the border into Belgium, which was a rare event in itself. The break established a 13-minute lead and included Britain's Tom Simpson who was expected to win, being the best sprinter in the break, however his gears slipped in the final sprint and he lost out to France's Jean Stablinski.[3]

The 1966 edition of Paris–Brussels was to be the last for seven years, as the race was beset by traffic problems to the route and a loss of prestige as the Amstel Gold Race took its place on the Spring Classics calendar. However, the 1966 race was made memorable by Italian Felice Gimondi who had won the 1965 Tour de France and seven days earlier had triumphed at Paris–Roubaix. Gimondi was the favourite for the race and a marked man, he lived up to his billing by breaking away with the help of teammate Dino Zandegu and winning the race in what was then a record time.[4] Marc Demeyer claimed a close victory from Roger De Vlaeminck and Roger Rosiers in 1974 in the town of Alsemberg which hosted the finish of the race between 1973 and 1980. Gimondi's record time lasted until 1975 when Freddy Maertens won the race in what was then a record average speed for a professional race and being awarded the Ruban Jaune for averaging 46.11 km per hour throughout the 285.5 km course. Felice Gimondi won again in 1976, ten years after his first victory, once more breaking away while the sprinters watched each other.

The 1983 race saw Sweden's Tommy Prim become the first Scandinavian rider to win a classic race. The 1994 race saw a breakaway by Sean Yates, Rolf Sørensen and Franco Ballerini, animosity existed between Yates and Sørensen after a shirt pulling incident in the Tour de France of that year, however, Sørensen dropped his breakaway companions and triumphed. The 1983 victory by Prim saw the start of the trend of the Paris–Brussels winner coming from more diverse nationalities from non traditional cycling nations with victories going to riders from Germany, Holland, Denmark, Latvia, Australia and Luxembourg in the ensuing years. 2010 saw the first victory in the race by a Spaniard when Francisco Ventoso took victory as the race finished in the Uccle municipality of Brussels for the first time.[1][5]


Race length

Before 1926, the race was always over 400 km, with the longest versions being 440 km in 1913 and 1914. When the race returned after a break for the First World War in 1919 the race length was 417 km but this has reduced over the years with the 2010 edition being over a distance of 218 km, although as recently as 1987 the distance was 309 km when Wim Arras triumphed. The fastest edition of the race was 1975 when a tailwind helped Freddy Maertens finish with an average speed of 46.11 km/h.

Route

The race started at Soissons, in Picardy, 85 km north-east of Paris, although prior to 1996 the race started in Noyon and during the 1980s in Senlis. The race is level for much of its route and quite often there is a headwind against the riders. The last 25 km of the race are characterised by a series of cobbled climbs such as the Alsemberg, Mont Saint Roch and the Keperenberg and it is on these climbs that the winning break is often made. The race ended for many years in the Anderlecht district of Brussels outside the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium in the Place de Linde. However the 2005 edition saw a new finishing line at the Atomium north of the centre of Brussels.

The quality of field has suffered since the Vuelta a España moved to September in 1995, many sprinter-roadmen preferring the Spanish Tour.

Change to Brussels Classic

In June 2013 it was announced that the race would be renamed the Brussels classic and would take place entirely within Belgium. Starting at Cinquantenaire, the race now takes in 92 km within Walloon Brabant, 86 km in Flemish Brabant, and 23 km in the Brussels-Capital Region, for a total distance of 201 km. The race included eleven climbs including the double ascent of Vossemberg (twice), Smeysberg (twice) and the Langestraat (three times).[6]

Results

Year Country Rider Team
1893  Belgium André Henry
1894
1905
No race
1906  France Albert Dupont
1907  France Gustave Garrigou Peugeot–Wolber
1908  France Lucien Petit-Breton Peugeot–Wolber
1909  Luxembourg François Faber Alcyon–Dunlop
1910  France Maurice Brocco Legnano
1911  France Octave Lapize La Française–Diamant
1912  France Octave Lapize La Française–Diamant
1913  France Octave Lapize La Française–Diamant
1914  Belgium Louis Mottiat Alcyon-Soly
1915
1918
No race
1919  Belgium Alexis Michiels La Sportive
1920  France Henri Pélissier La Sportive
1921  France Robert Reboul individual
1922  Belgium Félix Sellier Alcyon–Dunlop
1923  Belgium Félix Sellier Alcyon–Dunlop
1924  Belgium Félix Sellier Alcyon–Dunlop
1925  Belgium Gerard Debaets individual
1926  Belgium Denis Verschueren Ravat–Wonder–Dunlop
1927  Luxembourg Nicolas Frantz Alcyon–Dunlop
1928  Belgium Georges Ronsse Automoto
1929  Belgium Pé Verhaegen J.B. Louvet–Hutchinson
1930  Belgium Ernest Mottard Cycles Bovy
1931  Belgium Jean Aerts Alcyon–Dunlop
1932  Belgium Julien Vervaecke Labor
1933  France Albert Barthélémy F. Pélissier–Mercier–Hutchinson
1934  Belgium Frans Bonduel Dilecta–Wolber
1935  Belgium Edgard De Caluwé Dilecta–Wolber
1936  Belgium Éloi Meulenberg Alcyon–Dunlop
1937  Belgium Albert Beckaert Alcyon–Dunlop
1938  Belgium Marcel Kint Mercier–Hutchinson
1939  Belgium Frans Bonduel Dilecta–Wolber
1940
1945
No race
1946  Belgium Briek Schotte Alcyon–Dunlop
1947  Belgium Ernest Sterckx Alcyon–Dunlop
1948  Belgium Lode Poels Garin–Wolber
1949  France Maurice Diot Mercier–A. Magne
1950  Belgium Rik Van Steenbergen Mercier–Hutchinson
1951  France Jean Guéguen Mercier–Hutchinson
1952  Belgium Briek Schotte Alcyon–Dunlop
1953  Italy Loretto Petrucci Bianchi–Pirelli
1954  Belgium Marcel Hendrickx Peugeot–Dunlop
1955  Belgium Marcel Hendrickx Elvé–Peugeot
1956  Belgium Rik Van Looy Faema–Van Hauwaert
1957  Belgium Leon Vandaele Faema–Guerra
1958  Belgium Rik Van Looy Faema–Guerra
1959  Belgium Frans Schoubben Peugeot–BP–Dunlop
1960  France Pierre Everaert Rapha–Gitane–Dunlop
1961  Belgium Pino Cerami Peugeot–BP–Dunlop
1962  Belgium Jozef Wouters Solo–Van Steenbergen
1963  France Jean Stablinski Saint-Raphaël–Gitane
1964  Belgium Georges Van Coningsloo Peugeot-BP-Englebert
1965  Belgium Edward Sels Solo–Superia
1966  Italy Felice Gimondi Salvarani
1967
1972
No race
1973  Belgium Eddy Merckx Molteni
1974  Belgium Marc Demeyer Carpenter–Flandria
1975  Belgium Freddy Maertens Carpenter–Flandria
1976  Italy Felice Gimondi Bianchi–Campagnolo
1977  Belgium Ludo Peeters IJsboerke–Colnago
1978  Netherlands Jan Raas TI–Raleigh–McGregor
1979  Belgium Ludo Peeters IJsboerke–Warncke Eis
1980  Italy Pierino Gavazzi Magniflex–Olmo
1981  Belgium Roger De Vlaeminck Daf Trucks–Côte d'Or
1982  Netherlands Jacques Hanegraaf TI–Raleigh–Campagnolo
1983  Sweden Tommy Prim Bianchi–Piaggio
1984  Belgium Eric Vanderaerden Panasonic
1985  Netherlands Adri van der Poel Kwantum–Decosol–Yoko
1986  Italy Guido Bontempi Carrera Jeans–Vagabond
1987  Belgium Wim Arras PDM–Ultima–Concorde
1988  West Germany Rolf Gölz Superconfex–Yoko–Opel–Colnago
1989  Netherlands Jelle Nijdam Superconfex–Yoko–Opel–Colnago
1990  Italy Franco Ballerini Del Tongo–Rex
1991  Denmark Brian Holm Histor–Sigma
1992  Denmark Rolf Sørensen Ariostea
1993  France Francis Moreau GAN
1994  Denmark Rolf Sørensen GB–MG Maglificio
1995  Belgium Frank Vandenbroucke Mapei–GB–Latexco
1996  Italy Andrea Tafi Mapei–GB
1997  Italy Alessandro Bertolini MG Maglificio–Technogym
1998  Italy Stefano Zanini Mapei–Bricobi
1999  Latvia Romāns Vainšteins Vini Caldirola
2000  Netherlands Max van Heeswijk Mapei–Quick-Step
2001  France Emmanuel Magnien Française des Jeux
2002  Australia Robbie McEwen Lotto–Adecco
2003  Luxembourg Kim Kirchen Fassa Bortolo
2004  Belgium Nick Nuyens Quick-Step–Davitamon
2005  Australia Robbie McEwen Davitamon–Lotto
2006  Australia Robbie McEwen Davitamon–Lotto
2007  Australia Robbie McEwen Predictor–Lotto
2008  Australia Robbie McEwen Silence–Lotto
2009  Australia Matthew Goss Team Saxo Bank
2010  Spain Francisco Ventoso Carmiooro NGC
2011  Russia Denis Galimzyanov Team Katusha
2012  Belgium Tom Boonen Omega Pharma–Quick-Step
2013  Germany André Greipel Lotto–Belisol
2014  Germany André Greipel Lotto–Belisol
2015  Netherlands Dylan Groenewegen Team Roompot
2016  Belgium Tom Boonen Etixx–Quick-Step
2017  France Arnaud Démare FDJ
2018  Germany Pascal Ackermann Bora–Hansgrohe
2019  Australia Caleb Ewan Lotto–Soudal
2020  Belgium Tim Merlier Alpecin–Fenix
2021  Belgium Remco Evenepoel Deceuninck–Quick-Step
2022  Netherlands Taco van der Hoorn Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux
2023  France Arnaud Démare Groupama–FDJ

Wins per country

Wins Country
48  Belgium
18  France
9  Italy
7  Australia
 Netherlands
4  Germany (including  West Germany)
3  Denmark
 Luxembourg
1  Latvia
 Russia
 Spain
 Sweden

References

  1. "European Cycling: The 20 Greatest Races", Noel Henderson, ISBN 0-941950-20-4, Pages 104 to 107, Gives history of race and details of memorable races.
  2. Cyclingnews.com. Paris-Brussels maintains name.
  3. "Mr. Tom – The True Story Of Tom Simpson", Chris Sidwell, ISBN 1-874739-14-5, Page 139, Gives details of 1963 race.
  4. "Watching The Wheels Go Round", John Wilcockson, ISBN 0-09-145370-4, Page 96, Gives details of 1966 race.
  5. Cyclingarchives.com. Gives some history of race and yearly winners.
  6. "DPG Media Privacy Gate".
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