Brussels really is a cycling Walhalla

Over 6,000 cycling enthusiasts clipped in in their start boxes in front of the Royal palace in Brussels on Sunday morning, and they were granted an audience by... the Cannibal: Belgium’s and possibly the world’s greatest cyclist ever, Baron Eddy Merckx, was the “godfather” of the BXL Tour, in which riders of all different levels could race through the closed-off streets of the capital for glory and of course fun. 

Young and old raced their hearts out over 40 kilometres, finishing at a stone’s throw from the Atomium. The amateurs made way for the professionals, as the Heysel marked the start and finish of the final stage of the Tour of Belgium. While the tour was not won by a Belgian, the final stage was an all-out battle between two of the country’s finest sprinters, Tim Merlier and Jasper “De vlam van Ham” Philipsen.  It was the former who spread his arms in victory and dominance as he crossed the finish line in the shadow of Brussels’ iconic monument. 

Well done to Merlier, Philipsen and all riders in the Tour of Belgium, as well as to the cycling enthusiasts who raced in the 8th edition of the BXL Tour. With one Focus on Belgium writer having infiltrated deep into the BXL Tour’s peloton, we can say for sure that the race was great fun and that everyone gave it their best shot. 

And so the wheels keep turning...