Two-time Ronde van Vlaanderen winner professes to have no opinion on the possible changing of the race’s finish, but admits it would be strange
This April will see the Ronde van Vlaanderen finish at the top of the Halsesteenweg in Meerbeke for the 39th year in succession. Whether or not there will be a 40th though, has yet to be decided as the current deal with the town runs out this year. The town has, of course, applied to extend its current deal with race owner Flanders Classics, but it has competition in the shape of the towns of Oudenaarde and Ronse (Renaix).
Moving the finish to one of the other two applicants, both of whom are much further to the west and closer to the Flemish Ardennes area where most of the hills are located, would completely change the complexion of the race.
One rider who would find it strange to move the finish is two-time race winner Tom Boonen (Quick Step) although he professes to have no opinion on the subject.
“To me it makes little difference where I win,” Boonen told Het Nieuwsblad. “I have no real preference and so I’m going to leave it alone and not interfere.”
The Ronde van Vlaanderen, unlike other monuments Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix and Liège-Bastogne-Liège has no fixed points that it has to stick to; something it shares with the Giro di Lombardia. With the race having had its current finish since 1973 though, very few fans will remember it being different.
"As always, there are many people who will want to stick to tradition,” said Boonen, “but maybe for once that’s not so bad. After three years everyone will be back to normal again anyway.
“It would certainly feel strange in the beginning of course,” he added. “Not finishing in Meerbeke would be like removing the track from Paris-Roubaix.”
Since the finish moved to Meerbeke, the Muur-Kapelmuur and Bosberg in Geraardsbergen have played a part in virtually every finale. Were it to move to either Oudenaarde or Ronse both hills would lose their influence on the race, and may even be omitted form the route altogether.
Additionally, the decisive part of the race would happen in the Flemish Ardennes, where the hills are close together.
“The current finish suits me, that I’ve already shown,” said Boonen, who won in consecutive years in 2005 and 2006. “If the Oude Kwaremont was the last climb, then you’d get something very different. The final would also be played out within the hill zone itself, so the race would be run very differently.”
The decision is expected to be made, whether to stick with Meerbeke or to move to one of the others, in late June.