5★
Ronde Van Vlaanderen
The 2026 Tour of Flanders ran 271km from Antwerp to Oudenaarde, the longest version of Belgium's biggest race in recent years. The route featured six flat cobbled sections and 16 'hellingen' - the short, steep cobbled climbs that define the Ronde. The finale centered on the Kwaremont-Paterberg-Koppenberg triangle in the Flemish Ardennes: the Oude Kwaremont was climbed three times (final pass at 16.7km to go), the Paterberg twice (final at 13.3km to go), plus the brutal Koppenberg at 45.3km to go. The race is traditionally decided on the final Kwaremont-Paterberg combination, with a 13km run-in to the finish in Oudenaarde after the final Paterberg.
Where to watch
⚠️ Spoiler warning: live streams and broadcaster home pages may show current standings. Disable autoplay & avoid sidebar recommendations on YouTube.
Ronde Van Vlaanderen
Where the race is made
Who to watch
Narratives to watch
- Antwerp hosts the start for 2026 - returning the race to its historic start city with an extended 271km route
- The Kwaremont-Paterberg combination at 16.7km and 13.3km to go remains the traditional decider
- Team tactics in the long approach to the final 100km are critical - strong teams protect leaders through the early bergs
- Weather in early April in Flanders is notoriously variable - crosswinds, rain, and cold can transform the tactical picture
Form book & lore
First held in 1913, De Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) is Belgium's biggest one-day race and the second Monument of the cycling calendar. It has finished in Oudenaarde since 2012. Eddy Merckx, Johan Museeuw, Tom Boonen, and Fabian Cancellara share the record with three wins each (Tom Boonen also has three; Cancellara's three came in 2010, 2013, 2014). Mathieu van der Poel has recently joined the three-wins club with consecutive victories. The finish in Oudenaarde after the Kwaremont-Paterberg finale has produced some of cycling's most iconic duels and long-range solos.
When to tune in
Flanders is nearly seven hours - tune in from the first Kwaremont (136km to go, roughly 4h in) for tension, or skip to the Koppenberg (45km to go) for the iconic climb action. The critical TV window is the final 75 minutes from the second Kwaremont to the finish. The Kwaremont-Paterberg finale at 16.7km/13.3km to go is destination television. Spoiler caution: highlights and thumbnails often reveal the outcome - disable autoplay and avoid YouTube sidebar.