PREVIEW | Renewi Tour 2024 stage 5 - Can Mathieu van der Poel win queen cobbled stage against luxury competition?

From the 28th of August to the 1st of September, the Renewi Tour provides extra World Tour action. In Belgium and The Netherlands the peloton will tackle a five-day stage- race which will feature opportunities for the sprinters, time-trialists and classics specialists. We preview stage 5.

Finally, the riders reach the serious climbing. The final day of the Renewi Tour, as usual, takes place in and around the town of Geraardsbergen. It is over 200 kilometers long and features a final circuit which will see the riders climb the Muur de Geraardsbergen and Bosberg on three occasions.

The first 60 kilometers of the stage, starting in Menen, are completely flat. But then we enter a difficult section with lots of bergs and cobbled sectors... This will include the Kruisberg, the brutal Paterberg and a few ascents that are often used at the Tour of Flanders. The Paterberg will still come with 130 kilometers to go however so attacks are not too likely.

With 83 kilometers to go the riders enter the final circuit. After an initial ascent of the Denderoodberg the riders will then tackle on three occasions four climbs:

Muur de Geraarsdbergen: 1.2Km; 7.3% average gradient; 20% maximum; 76.5, 51 and 25Km to go

Bosberg: 1.4Km; 4.4% average gradient; 12% maximum; 71.5, 46 and 20Km to go

Onkerzeleberg: 1.8Km; 3.6%; 62.5, 37 and 11.5Km to go

Denderoodberg: 700 meters; 7%; 82.5, 56.5, 31 and 5.5Km to go

The third ascent is not cobbled, the other three are. The amount of times the riders will go up it will make it a very difficult stage worthy of a top classic. Besides all of these ascents the final sprint will also be in the town of Geraardsbergen uphill and on the cobbles. Everything is set for an exciting spectacle.

*** Mathieu van der Poel, Arnaud De Lie
** Tim Wellens, Matteo Trentin, Alberto Bettiol, Christophe Laporte
* Jasper Philipsen, Soren Kragh Andersen, Tiesj Benoot, Jasper Stuyven, Matej Mohoric, Magnus Sheffield, Ben Turner, Max Schachmann, Axel Zingle, Ivan Garcia Cortina

Pick: Mathieu van der Poel