Speed 9000: Ghent - Miners' Path - Land of Hills - Scheldt 127 km

In the wake of the Etixx Classic, we leave De Roos to head straight through Heet and the Zwalm Valley towards Pays des Collines in Wallonia. This time, we literally leave the beautiful cobblestone streets of the legendary Paddestraat on our left. In Sint-Goriks-Oudenhove, the true gateway to the Flemish Ardennes, a climbing loop to the foothills of the Berendries is planned. Afterwards, the flat old railway bed of the Mijnwerkerspad carries us smoothly past Brakel and to the language border, but on the way, a detour at the Berendries is planned for the mountain goats. From Motte, we briefly follow the beautiful panoramic route of the Etixx Classic along Toepkapelstraat and Tenbossestraat, which leads us past Vloesberg. With the 1.6 km long climb of Les Plachettes (avg. 4.5%) and D'Hoppe located at around 150 meters above sea level, we arrive "almost home" in true Ardennes mood, the ideal spot for a small break before heading back to Flanders. In Brakel, the easily digestible Hellenhoek (520m, avg. 4.1%) is on the program. This cobbled route (also not Haaghoek, not Kerkgate, ...) takes us leisurely towards the banks of the Scheldt, if not for a short visit to the Molenberg planned for the true lovers of tricky mountain climbing. From Nederzwalm, the dike path along the Scheldt accompanies us for the last 20 km downstream towards a tasty beer at the Roos.