The Route
The Dutch Warm-up
It all kicks off on the Market Square in Gouda, right next to the iconic City Hall. The first leg takes you straight through the Green Heart of the Netherlands. Keep your head up here! If your eyes aren't glued to your Wahoo, you can spot no less than 7 traditional windmills in the first 15 kilometers. Enjoy the flat asphalt while it lasts..
The Cruel Twist
As the flatlands fade, the hills of Limburg rise. You’ll tick off the famous Cauberg before hitting Checkpoint 1 at 215km.
Now, here is the cruel twist: CP1 is located just before the Keutenberg, the steepest climb in the Netherlands (22%).
This leaves you with a tactical dilemma: do you grab your stamp and rush up the beast while your legs are still firing, or do you take a long break and serve yourself the Keutenberg ice-cold for breakfast? Choose wisely.
The Border Hop
We aren't done with the Dutch hills yet. The route flows over the Camerig and hits the highest point of the Netherlands at the Vaalserberg. Then, finally, we cross into Belgium.
You’ll head towards Spa – the only logical place to refill your bidons before tackling the Col du Rosier. After soaking in the mist at the Waterfalls of Coo, you push on towards the Luxembourg border.
Halfway
At 343km, you hit Checkpoint 2 in Sassel. This is the defining moment: you’ve officially crossed the Luxembourg border and reached the furthest point of the race.
If you do the math, that is pretty much exactly halfway. It’s small, quiet, and scenic – enjoy the moment of calm and the satisfaction of touching the border, because the return journey is about to kick in.
The Real Test
Heading back north, we pass through Houffalize. We skipped the nastiest climb there (you’re welcome), but don't celebrate just yet.
Upon reaching La Roche-en-Ardenne, the menu features the local specialty: the Col de Haussire. It's arguably the hardest climb in Belgium.
Survived that? Good. Because as you push through Wallonia, one final boss awaits: the Mur de Huy. Conquer that wall, and you’ve earned your stamp at Checkpoint 3 at 518km.
The Final Stretch
After CP3, the character of the race shifts. You’ve done the big climbs. It’s time to get low on the aero bars, find your rhythm, and push the pace. But don’t zone out just yet.
We’ve included a few sectors of ‘historic heritage’ to break up the rhythm and test your focus one last time.
Once you’re back on smooth tarmac, you’ll skirt past Leuven and Antwerp, cross back into the Netherlands via Breda, and navigate towards Rotterdam.
The grand finale is classic Dutch riding: winding dikes guiding you straight home to the finish line in Gouda.