Football club KFC Rapide Wezemaal, Walking Club Werchter, Zumba Wezemaal and Strong Nation are jointly organizing the fourteenth edition Wijngaardberg MTB Tour on Sunday, May 26, 2024, just like last year. Their organization is aiming for more than 1,000 participants this year. A novelty in their program is a nice musical addition to this sporty day, a free performance by a spirited cover band the 90’s Vandals.
About eight years ago, the current organization took over this mountain bike tour. About five years ago, the Werchter Walking Club came to watch, and Zumba Wezemaal has been present for the past three years. Two years ago, Strong Nation jumped on the boat, with no shortage of volunteers. The management team has also been expanded from eight to thirteen members and a rejuvenation has taken place.
This year, the sporty whole will get a musical addition, after all, local cover band the 90’s Vandals will be there between noon and two o’clock to make it a fun folk festival in the open air.
“Once the finish line is reached, the parking lot of the KFC Rapide Wezemaal football club on the Vleugtweg becomes one large terrace to catch up and enjoy the barbecue with tripe and BBQ sausages and especially to enjoy the good music,” it said. with Louis Van Geel from Rapide Wezemaal.
Singer Sandrien explains how the collaboration came about.
“I already come here every Wednesday to exercise with Strong Nation. It was discussed between the teacher and some of the football club’s board that I sang in a cover band. We recently had a performance in Hasselt with 400 spectators, which was fun. I thought it would be cool to do our thing in front of our own audience, we all come from the municipality of Rotselaar,” says singer of the 90’s Vandals, Sandrien. “We decided to give them a chance on stage with a free performance. Those nineties covers seemed like an interesting starting point to us, both “young” and “old” can sing along. After a physical effort, there is nothing better than listening to good music with a drink and a drink,” said Rapide.
The repertoire of the 90’s Vandals includes our more “Just a girl” by No Doubt, “Celebrity Skin” by Hole, “Sex on Fire” by the Kings of Leon, but also songs by AC DC, Guns ‘n Roses, Maneskin. the review. They perform covers of both male and female singing voices. Their audience covers approximately all ages, if you want to see them work near you you can certainly book them. Then they can see if there is still a place in their agenda.
Back to the mountain bike tour: in terms of circuit, you imagine yourself on long descents and beautiful views of the South Hageland hillsides in Tuscany. You can also drive more than six kilometers through an area that is normally not accessible to the public, only on Sunday, May 26.
The tour with start and finish at Rapide Wezemaal football club on the Vleugtweg has five different challenges over five different distances.
The shortest ride is 25 kilometers, followed by 35, 45 and 55 kilometers. The most hardy mountain bikers opt for the 67 kilometer ride. You will visit Wezemaal, Holsbeek, Kortrijk-Dutsel, Lubbeek and Gelrode, among others. They spared no expense for the fourteenth edition. The course is ninety percent unpaved, but they were still able to improve it. This year the participants will first climb the Middelberg, followed by the unique Wijngaardberg, the Eikel, Beninks, the Chartreuzenberg and finally the Meesberg.
“Year after year we succeed in offering a better, more beautiful and more challenging event. We are still the only tour that has continued annually during the corona years, and many mountain bikers are still grateful to us for that. They come from far away to participate, even from the coast or the Netherlands, just for our race. We are aiming for a thousand participants,” the organization said. “Electric bicycles and mountain bikes are also welcome. This year the organization will provide the well-known supplies to the pond and bakehouse of Hof Ter Winge between Holsbeek and Wezemaal after 25 kilometers. Supplies include cake, waffles and fruit. Toilets are provided at the supplies. We also have a technical service provided by Vitesse Fietsen. There you can have flat tires or defective chains repaired. Guests who come from further afield are welcome in advance, from Saturday afternoon, at our car park, where there is room for 500 cars, with their camper. There is also a guarded bicycle stand, separate showers and a hose-down area.”
On Sunday, May 26, you can start at Vleugtweg at the Rapide Wezemaal football canteen from 7.30 am, after which you can linger as long as you want and enjoy the live music.
