2025 Elmos Dwars door het Hageland - Course Preview

Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Category: UCI 1.1 Women Elite
Distance: 124.6 km
Start: Aarschot (11:45 neutralized, 11:53 official)
Finish: Diest (Citadel)
Course: Download

Previous Editions Analysis

• Small group finishes rather than mass sprints

• Course provides a natural selection

Course Analysis

The race follows a circuit format with multiple passages through key sectors:

• Neutralized Distance: 4.2 km (Grote Markt to Ossebrugstraat)

• Racing Distance: 124.6 km

• 2 intermediate passages at the finish line (km 73.4 and km 99.4)

• Circuit design with 3 passages of major obstacles

• Gravel sections total ~21km (17% of race distance)

Opening Section (km 0-22)

This section contains two gravel sections. One very short one at 10km and a longer section at 13km. The roads between are wide and straight forward.

9km of roads:

Wilgenputstraat Gravel (km 10)

First gravel section at 10km with a small hill to it.

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Turn right of the main road up the gravel section

Then main road to the next gravel section:

Grootbroekstraat Gravel Complex (km 13-19)

5.5km gravel section

<component-start> { "type": "segment", "title": "zandweg testelt-langdorp", "segmentNumber": "11508047", "segmentStatsText": "Distance: 5.18 km Average gradient: 0% Maximum gradient: 4.9% Elevation gain: 10 m QOM time: 00:08:14 QOM speed: 37.7 km/h Route Distance: 13.5km"} <component-end>

Feed Zone 1: km 19.0-19.7 (immediately after gravel exit) up the 500meter climb

Then main roads back towards the start

Circuit Lap 1 (km 22-54)

Sharp u-turn at 22km, then straight into narrow roads and a gravel section.

Demervallei Aarschot Gravel (km 22.0)

Gravel section.

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Then into narrow roads for the next 3.5km with a climb

<component-start> { "type": "segment", "title": "De Rommelaar", "segmentNumber": "2361996", "segmentStatsText": "Distance: 1.2 km Average gradient: 1.5% Maximum gradient: 5.2% Elevation gain: 23 m QOM time: 00:01:51 QOM speed: 39 km/h Route Distance: 26.1km"} <component-end>

Back onto main roads at 29km

Video of start of gravel section + narrow roads (22 to 29km)

Main Road towards start (km 29-34)

5km of main road back towards the start. Road leads into a short sharp climb

Kick then narrow section (km 34-36.5)

Left of the main road up the short, sharp kick.

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Then a brief descent on main road, before taking a left into a narrow section:

Then back on to main roads to where started.

Circuit Lap 2 (km 37-62)

Same circuit as the first lap, but not doing a complete lap. After the second gravel section, take a left instead of right.

Wilgenputstraat Gravel - 2nd passage (km 42.4)

Grootbroekstraat Complex - 2nd passage (km 46-51)

Feed Zone 2: km 51.4

Demervallei Aarschot Gravel (km 55.0)

U-turn of main road before the gravel section, then the gravel section, then ends on narrow roads

Main road to the finishing circuit (km 61-65)

Finishing Circuit (25.3km loop)

Completed 2 and a half times from joining the circuit.

Run to the Finish Line (km 65-78)

Run towards the finish will be complete a total of 3 times.

Wezelbaan Gravel Section (km 65.5-66.5)

Right into narrow road into gravel section

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Main road for the next 2.5 km

Then right of the main road into the next gravel section

Demerdijk Zichem Gravel (km 69.1)

<component-start> { "type": "segment", "title": "Demer Zichem - Diest", "segmentNumber": "13259680", "segmentStatsText": "Distance: 3.49 km Average gradient: 0% Maximum gradient: 0.7% Elevation gain: 4 m QOM time: 00:05:02 QOM speed: 41.7 km/h Route Distance: 69.5km"} <component-end>

Then back on to a narrow road straight into short sharp climb

Poggio Complex - 1st passage (km 73.2)

Then right over narrow bridge to start the poggio climb

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From Poggio to Finish (km 75-78.3)

Technical run into the a town with cobbled climb to the finish. The cobbled climb segment is:

<component-start> { "type": "segment", "title": "Allerheiligenberg", "segmentNumber": "14442756", "segmentStatsText": "Distance: 0.35 km Average gradient: 6% Maximum gradient: 9.1% Elevation gain: 21 m QOM time: 00:00:48 QOM speed: 26 km/h Route Distance: 77.7km"} <component-end>

Video shows the run from the top of the poggio through the technical run in to the finish and up the cobbled finishing climb.

Feed Zone: After finish line

2 Laps to go - 2nd Half the lap (km 79-90)

3.5km road section to next gravel section. On approach road goes from wide to narrow gradually before the right turn

4km Gravel section (km 82.5 - 86.5)

Main road back up to where joined the circuit

1 1/2 lap to go:

Wezelbaan Gravel Section (km 90-91.5)
Demerdijk Zichem Gravel (km 94.5-98.5)
Poggio Complex (km 98.5)
1 Lap to go (km 103.4
Gravel section (km 107-112)
Wezelbaan Gravel Section (km 116-117)
Demerdijk Zichem Gravel (km 119-123)
Poggio Complex (km 123.5)
Finish (km 129)

Key Selection Points:

1. Grootbroekstraat gravel (3x 5.5km) - positioning and technical skills crucial

2. Poggio complex - steepest gradients (13.1%) offer attack opportunities

3. Allerheiligenberg + cobbles - final selection point before finish

Summary

A true mixed-surface classic that rewards complete riders. The combination of gravel sectors, short punchy climbs, and cobblestones creates multiple selection points. The three-lap format with increasing fatigue makes the final circuit decisive. Recent editions show multiple groups with time gaps, with the most aggressive racing in the final 50km likely.