The Muur Classic sends riders up one of Belgium's most storied climbs in a late-August test that rewards positioning, timing, and nerve.
Muur Classic Geraardsbergen is a men's one-day race held in late August in Belgium. The race is built around the Muur van Geraardsbergen, the cobbled climb that has shaped decades of Flemish racing, and attracts a mix of Classics specialists and riders sharpening form ahead of the World Championships.
The Muur has been a fixture in Flemish racing since the 1950s, though this race itself is a newer addition to the calendar.
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The Muur van Geraardsbergen is one of cycling's most recognizable climbs, a cobbled ramp through the center of Geraardsbergen that has decided Tour of Flanders editions and broken countless riders. This race puts that climb at the center of a late-summer route, offering a rare chance to see how riders handle its steep, uneven cobbles when the calendar has shifted from spring Classics to autumn preparation.
The race is designed around repeated passages of the Muur van Geraardsbergen, a short but punishing cobbled climb that peaks at gradients above 18 percent and rewards explosive accelerations more than sustained power. Positioning into the climb matters as much as the effort on it, and the narrow, twisting cobbles make it difficult to recover lost ground. Riders who can handle the technical descent and regroup quickly have an advantage, but the race is usually decided by whoever can time an attack on or just after the Muur in the final laps. Late August in Belgium can bring heat, rain, or both, and the cobbles respond accordingly. Expect the race to fracture on the climbs and finish with a small group or a solo winner.
The race is built around the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen, the cobbled chapel-topped wall that once decided the Tour of Flanders.
The Muur Classic celebrates the climb that defined decades of Flemish racing before the Ronde moved its decisive section elsewhere.
Most recent winner: Jonas Abrahamsen (2025)
The iconic cobbled wall with its chapel at the summit. 475m at 9.3% average with ramps touching 20%.
