Despite more spectators, less waste on the ground: “A positive trend” (Kluisbergen)

The Oude Kwaremont is completely cleaned on Monday morning. The scouts from Mortsel and Hove, among others, rolled up their sleeves. “We have seen a positive trend in recent years,” says Brecht Toelen of Flanders Classics. “People find their way to the garbage bags hanging everywhere.”

Kwaremont about nine o’clock on Monday morning. A day after the small village was overrun by a crowd of supporters for the Tour of Flanders, the clean-up is in full swing. According to the first counts via mobile phone signals, there were 50,000 supporters on the Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont. At least 40,000 of them were on the Oude Kwaremont. When we drive down at ten o’clock, in addition to cycling tourists, we mainly see trucks that come to collect the large amount of material that has been brought along. There are buttoned garbage bags everywhere. The roadsides have been cleaned. The fire brigade is busy washing away the mud on Kwaremontplein. The thousands of supporters in and around the wet fields and meadows ensured that thousands of dirty shoes went home on and over the cobblestones and asphalt.

Scouts

At the beginning of Kwaremont’s cobblestones, some scouts from Mortsel and Hove are busy filling bags. “We already started last night,” they say. “This morning shifts started at 8:30 and 9:30. A lot of waste has already been removed. I don’t know if there was more or other years, it’s our first time coming here.” (read more below the photo)

Brecht Toelen of Flanders Classics is responsible for the clean-up work. “In Oudenaarde and on the Koppenberg, four people each cleaned up on Sunday evening. There were five people at work on the Paterberg on Sunday evening, six on the Oude Kwaremont. The ‘real’ clean-up of the Oude Kwaremont took place on Monday morning, when 17 people were busy. We see a positive evolution. There were more spectators, but the trash on the ground was less. We see that people find their way to the garbage bags. So less is simply thrown on the ground.” At 11.30 am on Monday, the Oude Kwaremont was virtually litter-free.