The grape race in Overijse is a prelude to the World Cup: ‘It’s a rehearsal for the jockeys’ | Cycling

World champion Julian Alaphilippe, Remko Evenpoel, Aimee de Gendt, Philip Gilbert, Caleb Ewan and Mark Hershey will attend in Overage on Thursday.

“With the World Cup taking place in our country this year and ending in Leuven, we wanted to rearrange the Druivenkoers circuit a little. That way the riders could rehearse before September 26. Now we are also with us several times,” says organizer Willy Van Roy.

“Some say the course is more difficult now, but I don’t dare say it. In the past we’ve also had some tough slopes on our course.”

“The collaboration with Flanders Classics has ensured that the Druivenkoers have received some touches from Brabantse Pijl and the World Cup, but without losing our personality.”

“With Deceuninck-Quick Step, Intermarché-Wanty Gobert, Lotto-Soudal, Cofidis and UAE Team Emirates, we have 5 world teams at the start. They introduce guys like world champion Julian Alaphilippe, Remco Evenpoel and Philip Gilbert.

“But ProTeam teams like Alpecin-Fenix ​​also come to Overijse with a strong delegation. I expect an exciting race of, among others, the Lanestraat, S-Bocht Overijse, Bekestraat, Smeysberg and Moskesstraat races as the 61st Grape Race implementers.”