Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2024: route, favorites, how to watch

The opening weekend of the Belgian classics wouldn't be the same without the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, a race that is often unpredictable and usually provides one of the few opportunities for those cyclists who are a step below the usual suspects to shine.

The Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2024 closes one of the most anticipated weekends of the cycling year

Following the previous day's Omloop Het Niewsblad 2024, the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is responsible for closing the so-called Opening Weekend with a race that, without the glamour of other classics, always offers very interesting races for the true fan, where the absence of many top riders gives another type of cyclist the opportunity to seek a major victory.

That's why in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne we usually see a real spectacle of attacks and counterattacks, especially because its route places the climbs quite far from the finish, which forces the battle to unfold when there are still many kilometers to go.

Route of Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2024

The race will start, as is tradition, in the town of Kortrijk, neighboring Kuurne, both in the area bordering northern France, just a few kilometers from Lille and Roubaix. In fact, throughout the classics season, most teams usually establish their headquarters near Kortrijk.

Ahead, the cyclists will have 195 kilometers that, as the name suggests, initially head north and east towards the Brussels region, although without reaching the city as historically done.

In this first part, perfect for seeking the breakaway of the day, the cyclists will only encounter 3 of the 13 climbs they will have to tackle throughout the day. It will be from kilometer 65 when the climbs start to chain together in a middle part of the race typical of the Flemish classics where concrete roads, climbs, cobbles, narrow and tricky sections, and the ever-present wind in the region mix...

Although the climbs chosen for this race are not the most common ones that are always talked about, they are not exempt from hardness, highlighting as probably the most decisive point the ascent to Kruisberg, the tenth of the thirteen to climb which is linked with Hotond, a tough, grinding asphalt ramp, with 77 km to go.

The final part, 60 km from the last climb, is a flat area with some gentle hills until returning to the Kortrijk-Kuurne area where the cyclists will have to complete a lap of the usual final circuit of this race after the first pass through the finish line.

Favorites for the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2024

As we mentioned at the beginning, this race is usually the opportunity to shine for other riders whose usual role is to work for their leaders since the top riders, after competing in Omloop Het Niewsblad, either tend to skip this race or if they race, they do so with a more relaxed attitude.

However, this year Visma-Lease a Bike once again presents all its firepower here and we know that the presence of Wout van Aert in a competition automatically makes him a favorite for victory. And if it's not him, it would be rare for one of his teammates like Tiesj Benoot, last year's winner, Dylan van Baarle, or Christophe Laporte not to be at the top of the podium.

Soudal-QuickStep will battle with Kasper Asgreen or Yves Lampaert. We also cannot forget the Lidl-Trek team with Jasper Stuyven or Edward Teuns. The list of cyclists who could be at the front in a race like this Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2024 is endless. Matej Mohoric, always versatile; Biniam Girmay who will try to replicate his performance from 2022 in the classics; a Tim Wellens who reads races like no one else in this early part of the season is in great shape.

We also cannot forget Movistar Team, who bring here a Oier Lazkano in excellent form after what he showed in the Clásica de Jaén and who could benefit from the route of this race.

In any case, this is a race where we have seen all kinds of cyclists win, even years ending in a mass sprint, and perhaps that uncertainty is what makes it such an attractive event for the spectator eager to see good cycling beyond the big names and races.

How to watch the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne 2024

Once again, Eurosport is the option for cycling enthusiasts to follow the spring classics live. In the case of the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, as with the previous day's Omloop Het Niewsblad, the calendar clash with O Gran Camiño and UAE Tour means that the broadcast is only available on the digital platform starting at 14:00.

It is scheduled in the channel's programming that after the end of the Galician race, from 15:30, the broadcast will continue on Eurosport 2.