Preview: Live via Hageland 2024 – Will Uno-X Mobility add another game?

In the shadow of the Critérium du Dauphiné, the Lotto Cycling Cup presents a spectacle in its own private area. Thanks to the unpaved strips and cobblestones, we always get an attractive course on Dwars voor het Hageland. Cycling Looking forward.

the date

Latest ten winners live via Hagland
2023: Rasmus Teller
2022: Oscar Riesbeck
2021: Rasmus Teller
2020: Jonas Ricart
2019: Kenneth VanBelsen
2018: Christus Nilands
2017: Matthew van der Poel
2016: Nikki Terpstra
2015: Tom Bosman – Flemish Brabant Tour (2.12)
2014: Dries de Bondt – Tour of Flemish Brabant (2.12)

last year

Het Hagland roundabout results 2023
1. Rasmus Teller (Uno-X)
2. Stan Van Tricht (Soudal Quick Step) in the seat
3. Florian Vermeersch (Lotto Destiny) in bt
4. Yves Lambert (Soudal Quick Step) at 10 seconds
5. Simon Clarke (Israel Premier Tech) in Sh

Effect

Aarschot-Diest has been the route of Dwars Door Het Hageland for many years, and this year was no different. There has been a trend in terms of distance in recent years. While the route always exceeded the 200km limit until 2019, riders now have to make do with just 177km. Exactly the same distance, on exactly the same route as last year and with 41.8 kilometers of unpaved lines.

From the city of Mayor Gwendolyn Wroten, the peloton begins a loop of approximately seventy kilometers through Hagland. Municipalities such as Scherpenhövel, Rilare, Aarschot, Langdorp, Zetsheim and Misselbrück are being reviewed. This also includes the first unpaved areas of the day, with Willow well (1000 meters) and Grootbroekstraat (3100 metres) after about thirty kilometers. And a little later Demir Valley (3300 metres) and Demirdike (4000 metres) on the cycling track.

After a 67-kilometre race, the riders end up in the city of Diest, which is a stone’s throw from Aarchut. Dest is the home town of Mario Aerts (winner of the Flèche Wallonne in 2002) and 94-time Belgian international footballer Timmy Simons. For the first time, riders will ride on the infamous Diest Castle, a cobblestone cliff more than 1,000 meters high.

The next 60 kilometers are almost identical to the first loop and include almost the same obstacles. The final, which is presented by the Golden Kilometer less than 45 kilometers from the finish, is mainly held in Diest and Scherpenhövel.

There is no time for a quick prayer in the church, because on the next 22 km loop, which is planned twice, unpaved sections also follow at a fast pace. He. She Princinbus (1800 metres) and again Demerdijk (4000 metres) executioners on duty. And don’t forget the grass forest, the pimple also called Poggio with its gradients of up to twenty percent. But at the end of each round, the treacherous Diest Castle awaits you once again.

This brings us to a total of 41 kilometers of ribbons and cobblestones. About this Diest Castle, also called Aller Heiligeberg… Riders come from the center of Diest along a gravel path and then turn sharply left onto the steepest part of the slope. In those final 700 metres, the proportions continue to increase dramatically, but once you pass under the castle bridge, they level off towards the short finish line.

It is located after the right turn, after which it is difficult to overtake. Although Matteo van der Poel did it anyway in 2017, by renovating Taco Van Der Hoorn. One thing is for sure: no pie on top of the castle will win.

Saturday 8 June 2024: Aarchut – Diest (178 km)
Begins: 1:05 pm
Ends: Between 5:05 PM and 5:45 PM

Favorite

The challenging nature of this one-day race, colored by unpaved and cobblestone sections. In recent years, races with unpaved sections also seem to have their own specialists. We’ll have to look for it largely in the Uno-X Mobility and Alpecin-Deceuninck camps, but in total we’re looking at five WorldTeams and seven ProTeams, which will be supplemented by three crossover teams and three continental lineups.

Will Uno-X – here with a beaming Abrahamsen – add another one? – Photo: Cor Vos

Uno-X Mobility is the team par excellence in form. While they were only able to score once in the first months of the year, they were suddenly able to do so in recent weeks. The Norwegian national team surprisingly won seven times, with veteran Alexander Kristof having the lion’s share of the victories. Also Magnus Kurt and Tord Gudmestad and the Revelation Jonas Abrahamsen It was successful. The latter two will also be there on Saturday at Dwars Door Het Hageland, where they will do everything in their power to continue their winning streak.

But the best racer on this course is the Uno-X Mobility Rasmus Teller. In 2021, you could still classify his win at Dwars Door Het Hageland as a fluke, but he did it ‘only’ again last year as Norwegian champion. Teller has a connection to this match and can already call himself a record holder. Can he take this record even further? Or will he help his colleague win? And also fast Søren Werenskjöld After all, we’re allowed to write them.

A strong bloc in terms of width, and one against which we see only Alpecin-Deceuninck offering real resistance. Christoph Rudhoft’s team has Quentin Hermans Another real gravel specialist in its ranks. As a former rider, he knows exactly how to drive on this kind of road, but… Gianni Vermeersch As a former world champion in this discipline, he is a stronger candidate if possible. However, he broke his elbow a few weeks ago. It remains to be seen how he recovers from that.

Groves continues to show his best form – Photo: Cor Vos

Alpecin-Deceuninck brings with Caden Groves There’s an interesting third name at the beginning. The Australian athlete may have the Tour of Italy in his legs, but that won’t stop him from continuing his high form at the moment. Groves appears to still be in excellent condition, but he must be careful not to race recklessly. In this way he has already lost an honorable place in the Franco-Belgium circuit. Groves has also been targeted heavily with his quick legs.

A surprise second number from the Tour of Flanders will also be present at Dwars Door het Hageland. Of course we’re talking about that Luca Mozzato, The Italian origins of Arkéa-B&B hotels. Mozzato has previously finished second in the Tro Bro Léon, so he knows what it means to race on unpaved roads. Although he will have enough competition for the leadership within his team. Also Amaury Cabello and Genthe Bermans After all, they can do very well in this field.

Interarché-Wanty can count on services Lorenz Rex. The heavier Rex usually performs well on cobblestones and unpaved areas, and can therefore be indulged in the Hageland. The German-speaking Rex also has good running skills. The same can be said for his teammate Madis Mikkels, who sneaked into the top 10 at Paris-Roubaix in the spring, and Dries de Potter.

Lorenz Rex loves cobblestones – Photo: Cor Vos

We have not yet mentioned two other Belgian teams. Lotto Destiny does it here without her big guns, but thanks Gino Berkmoz The team is far from desperate. Everywhere he starts, Berkmuz has been competing for awards in recent weeks. We’ve seen Alec Sieghart less in the results, but he still has the qualities to shine here. There are no big favorites in the Soudal Quick-Step either, but definitely write down Gullegem Koerse winner Martin Svrček, Warre Vangheluwe and Peijn Reinderink.

Cofidis relies on the flamboyant man Milan Fretinwhile Riley Sheehan He can try to replicate his number from Paris-Tours on behalf of Israel-Premier Tech. We’re also keeping tabs on Tom Van Asbroeck in this team. Moreover, the list of outsiders is very long, also including Lander Loockx and Jelle Johannink (TDT-Unibet), Emilien Guinier (TotalEnergies), Camille Bonneau (Flanders-Baloise), and transients such as Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-Maes), Joris Nieuwenhuis, Pim Rönnhaar (Baloise Trek Lions) and Elie Iserbyt (Pauls Sosin-Bingol).

Favorites according to WielerFlits
****Rasmus Teller
*** Gianni Vermeersch, Luca Mozzato
** Jonas Abrahamsen, Quentin Hermans, Lorenz Rix
* Milan Fretin, Riley Sheehan, Gino Berkmuz, Caden Groves

Site organization
List of participants

Weather and TV

according to Weatheronline Riders will enjoy pleasant weather conditions on Saturday. Temperatures will rise to 19 degrees Celsius. The wind is strong, blowing at a strength of three Beauforts, and comes from the west and southwest. Rain is not expected.

Sporza He will be present as usual live on VRT1, from 3:05 p.m. Eurosport Then he chooses the electronic channels Eurosport.nl/Discovery+ to broadcast the match live on screen. A full overview of all matches on TV can be found here.