Zulte also three editions long Dorp van de Ronde
The municipality of Zulte can now call itself Dorp van de Ronde for three editions of the race. The Tour of Flanders will pass through the municipality in 2023, 2025 and 2027 and provide for real festivities.
In the coming years, Flanders’ Finest will be starting alternately in Bruges and Antwerp. The start in Bruges in 2023, 2025 and 2027 means an approach to the Flemish Ardennes along West and East Flanders. In each of these years the municipality of Zulte will serve as Dorp van de Ronde. Furthermore, the race will pass through a number of sub-municipalities, where fringe activities are going to be organised.
The municipal council is delighted with this. Mayor Simon Lagrange and Alderman for Sport Francky De Coster: “This is a very good thing for our vibrant municipality of Zulte that loves cycling. The passage of the Tour of Flanders will be a new highlight in our festival and cycling tradition. In recent times, there has only been a short one-off passage of the Tour through Olsene, in 2016. Now we have three opportunities to make it a real cycling festival, involving all of our sub-municipalities. For the fringe activities, we want to work together with our local associations. The Tour is for everyone. It is more important than ever to bring our residents together and to organise events that they can look forward to and enjoy.”
“Making the Tour of Flanders one big cycling festival is not something we can do alone,” says Nicolas Denys, Head of Road at Flanders Classics. “The riders and fans play a key role, but so do our Dorpen van de Ronde. Thus we are extremely happy to welcome Zulte as Dorp van de Ronde and we are already looking forward to the enthusiasm and the warm welcome that awaits the peloton in Zulte on Sunday 2 April.”
Frans De Mulder
The passage of Flanders’ Finest through Zulte is also a tribute to former rider Frans De Mulder from Machelen-aan-de-Leie. He won the Tour of Spain in 1960 at the age of 22. There is a memorial to him in the village centre of Machelen.
