Leuvense Ardennen MEDIUM

The cols of Pellenberg, the Chartreuse Ardennes, the Wilselse mountain massif behind the Leuven Canal (with, of course, the slopes of the World Cycling Championship). 25 short, powerful climbs around Leuven. Gradient percentages between 5% and 12%, with a few outliers between 15% and 18%. 1100 meters of elevation, on average a climb every 3.5 kilometers. The ideal ride for interval training. Ride calmly between each climb and then completely explode on the inclines, sprinting upwards at the highest possible speed and pushing to the max. And then calm down again.

The route itself is also very beautiful. Miles of rural roads winding through a rolling landscape, wooded paths, and paved hollow roads. This ride is a keeper and an instant classic.

❗️ Be sure to ride this route with turn-by-turn guidance on your GPS device, arrows at each turn on the screen. Otherwise, it is too complex with the many loops.

(You can also ride 'Leuvense Ardennen LARGE', a ride of 165km and 1800 meters of elevation: Leuvense Ardennen LARGE - Racefietsroute | RouteYou)

The cols of Pellenberg
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1. TROLIEBERG: km 1, 300 meters
Immediately into the pedals. Short pumping, and then some landscape waves through beautiful fields just a few minutes behind Leuven. A small lane whizzing down through the fields to the foot of the...

2. HEIDEBERG: km 4, 1000 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/heideberg-platte-lo)
Bang straight ahead, of which 200 meters at 12%. Make a right turn via a small lane and rush down the Heideberg to climb it back up via another, much nicer flank through the...

3. BOVENLOWEG: km 8, 800 meters
Steep winding path between forest and open field.

4. VARENBERG/PELLENBERG: km 12, 2000 meters
Lovely little road with beautiful views to the left, a regular runner with one steeper section towards the end, a bit through field, into a small forest, back into the fields at the top, a left turn and dive down, descending for 400 meters, gaining speed to start immediately on the next climb, namely the Pellenberg (Pinoutstraat) which climbs steeply right away and continues for 500 meters.

Short passage about the ‘plug streets’ of this ride: 1000 meters unpaved, good thin gravel through the forest, and then turn left for the...

5. LASTBERG: km 16.5, 800 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/lastberg)
A little winding under the trees, gradually climbing, a right turn with another steep kink. Here you are at 103 meters altitude, the highest point of the route, and it feels a bit like a summit. The Lastberg is not really difficult all in all. Almost 3 kilometers of delightful descending, hands down on the handlebars and just go for it. Make a loop to catch the next incline, a cobblestone climb...

6. ZAVELSTRAAT: km 22.3, 2000 meters
First 300 meters gradually climbing on asphalt, once in the forest it becomes a nice hollow road over cobblestones, at the hollow road cobblestone intersection turn right to exit the forest into the fields via the Meistraat, once at the top by the sign of Pellenberg you are back at 100 meters altitude. Beautiful little climb. Mini-Ardennes feeling.

Then you come to a junction in the route: intersection to Herendaal, one of my favorite roads in this region, alongside the beautiful Herendaalhof farm, a shortcut from Pellenberg to the center of Lubbeek. Lovely descending, but somewhere you turn right for a climb loop, namely the...

7. DELLENHOFWEG: km 27.4, 300 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/tombestraat-lubbeek)
A short kink, then through 4 beautiful curves through the landscape back to Herendaal and further racing down to Lubbeek. There you fly through and keep descending, until you turn left and see a small wall appearing...

8. GROTENDRIES: km 32.2, 800 meters of which 100 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/grotendries-lubbeek)
Reasonably steep climbing up to the left turn and then grind it out to the top in the bend, where you drive through a tree gate into a beautiful open field. With a view of a solitary house on the hill and an expansive dandelion field.

Four kilometers winding down with two nature reserves along you and then a small kink that isn't worth mentioning as a climb, the Gellenberg. But then comes the...

9. DOLAAGWEG: km 38.4, 600 meters
A small straight path that becomes increasingly steeper towards the end. If you go full force here, you’ll still be out of breath at the top. Again lovely descending, until you turn left onto the...

10. PAASHOFWEG: km 41.5, 2000 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/driesweg-paashofweg-dunberg)
Gradual climbing, with a short descent somewhere in between.

11. HOUWAARTSEBAAN: km 46.6, 1500 meters straight ahead on a main road, with a steep section in the middle.

Loop made just to get this climb into the route, because when you're up here, you've conquered the first part 'cols of Pellenberg'. Now follows 20 kilometers 'Chartreuse Ardennes', starting with the chic wooded neighborhood of Linden. The first climb here follows immediately.

The Chartreuse Ardennes
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12. STEENVELDSTRAAT: km 52, 400 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/kratenberg-steenveldstraat-linden)
Up the Kratenberg, through a hardened hollow road that resembles a corridor where the trees with twisting roots tower high above you.

Make a loop to ride back down the Steenveldstraat. Together, the loop and the Steenveldstraat, a glorious descent. Racing down through that high corridor is even more impressive than riding up.

13. KASTEELDREEF: km 56, 500 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/kasteeldreef-vlierbeek)
Straight climbing through a tree gallery and a vineyard on the slopes. The road to the Chartreuzenberg has thus begun.

Reasonably sensational descent from the Martellekesweg to immediately ride back up on...

14. BOSKOUTER: km 58.6, 300 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/boskouter)
Short and powerful flaring up. Even faster back down, to drive at a fast pace over the Holsbeeksesteenweg, until you see a small lane on your left:

15. MEESBERGPAD: km 60.6, 500 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/meesberg)
Similar to the Steenveldstraat. A beautiful paved hollow road with high trees on either side, winding up with reasonably steep sections. At the end, you ride out of the hollow road, instantly having a wide view over the vineyards of the Chartreuzenberg.

Riding down the Chartreuzenberg along a swooping descent and riding back up the other side.

16. CHARTREUZENBERG: km 62.7, 800 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/chartreuzeberg-holsbeek)
Winding up through the trees. Starts with a short section over concrete to a Christ statue that sends you left up the perfectly rolling asphalt. The steepest section follows now, through the trees, in and around the bend: 12%. Push through to a less steep section along villas to the top where the fields appear again.

Again the same descent, but now turning towards the center of Holsbeek. There the next climb begins very quickly. The second cobblestone climb:

17. MEESBERG: km 64, 700 meters
The Meesberg lies just behind the Chartreuzenberg. The Meesbergpad climbs it on one side, the Meesberg cobblestone climb on the other. The steepest section of 11% is tackled over cobblestones. Afterwards, the incline slowly levels off and transitions into a descent through the forest. Here you fly into Kessel-Lo for the next mountain in the trio Chartreuzenberg-Meesberg-...

18. KESSELBERG: km 68, 300 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/kesselberg-kesseldal)
Again comparable to the typical hollow road hills Steenveldstraat and Meesbergpad. This is a shorter, but heavier incline. Perhaps the heaviest in the area. You can try to sprint to the top and fight against the burning in your legs. At the very top, you’ll definitely be gasping for breath.

At the top of the Kesselberg you have successfully completed part 2. You just have to ride this incline back down because there's only forest behind it. You come very close to the center of Leuven, where the finish is located. But resist the temptation, because now comes the finale: the ‘Wilsele mountain massif’. A lot of heavy traffic because you often have to go around the ring road of Leuven, but the passage of the World Cycling Championship in 2021 has put Wilsele on the cyclist's map. Not without reason. Here come 5 walls.

The Wilselse Mountain Massif
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19. LÜDENSCHEIDSINGEL: km 71.4, 600 meters
New bike path under the ring that is a bridge here. Climbs quite steeply from the Leuven Canal up to the Mechelsesteenweg.

20. WIJNPERS (World Cycling Championship): km 73.7, 400 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/wijnpers-leuven)
The descent after the Lüdenscheidsingel stops abruptly with a right turn. There appears a perfectly straight road of 400 meters long that climbs steeply at 10%. This is really a sprint up in one go and then dead at the top. Curious to see who will attack here during the World Championship. The Leopold Decouxlaan that the riders climb in September is the descent. A nice descent of one and a half kilometers.

21. WILSELE VILLAGE: km 75.4, 1000 meters
These are three streets that together form a winding slope with some seriously steep kinks: Spaarzaamheidstraat, Hoge Berglaan, Englebert Carleerlaan.

22. LEOPOLD DECOUXLAAN (World Cycling Championship): km 78, 1500 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/hoge-berglaan-wilsele)
This time you ride it up. Reasonably long, gradual incline.

Descent to the Canal.

23. SCHOONZICHTLAAN: km 77.8, 500 meters
At the Canal up again for another small climbing loop. Nice to sprint up short and powerfully and maintain speed in the turns.

Descent to the Canal and a pleasant passage through the terraces at the Canal square and arts center OPEK. But behind that hides the next climb burst...

24. KEIZERSBERG (World Cycling Championship): km 81, 250 meters (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/keizersberg-boulenberg-leuven)
Behind the Canal, the Keizersberg rises, with the Abbey of the Keizersberg at the top. At the statue of Mary, you have a beautiful view over Leuven. But first, sprint along the high abbey wall upwards via a few wide bends. The perfect asphalt helps to really power up here. Again, such a beautiful spot that could bring spectacle during the World Championship.

Descent via the Lüdenscheidsingel to the Canal and from there turn towards Leuven center.

25. SINT-ANTONIUSBERG: km 83.3, 150 meters. Before you ride up the Bondgenotenlaan like the Champs Elysées in the Tour, you must sprint up the Sint-Antoniusberg from the Pater Damiaan square. As a student, I did this countless times and never thought that this stretch of 150 meters would end up in a World Championship.

When you arrive at the beautiful baroque St. Michael's Church, you descend via the Naamsestraat onto the Great Market. If the historic Leuven Town Hall doesn't take your breath away, then the 27 slopes certainly will. You have conquered the Leuven Ardennes!

(Tip: Be sure to ride this route with turn-by-turn guidance on your GPS device, arrows at each turn on the screen. Otherwise, it is too complex with the many loops.)

Follow on Strava cyclist profile | Pieter Stockmans