woensdag 12 april 2023

2024 Event Details

Date: Saturday 20-APR-2024

Start/Finish: We will start at a new venue, Gustaaf Klimt, Kon. Elisabethlei 113 , B2300 Turnhout 
This former post sorting facility is now an indoor climbing and bouldering hall located in the north of town close to the prime gravel roads of the Kempen. Learn more about gustaafklimt.be 

Routes:
All our routes are very dirt road heavy, showing you the fens, forests, fields and heather plains of De Kempen. All routes will be made available as a GPS track (they will not be marked). Our routes are subject to continuous optimisation for more gnar and awesomeness, the 2024 routes have had a big overhaul compared to the previous years routes exploring new groads.

You can choose one of the following routes:

200km - This route takes you east to the Liereman and Ravels Forests before heading south towards the Belse Bossen close to Meerhout and the Nete river in Westerlo. From Westerlo we head north again all the way to the Dutch border near Wortel Kolonie. The return to Turnhout covers some of the most majestic gravel roads crossing the Turnhouts Vennengebied right before popping back into town. A showcase of our home turf offering a variety of off road riding.

160km - From the start we go east following the 200km route heading to the Postel abbey. After the Belse Bossen we take a short cut towards the Tongerlo abbey before heading north again to the Lilse Bergen and Vosselaar rolling back into Turnhout through the Stadsbos.

100km - This route is based on the 160km route with the most southern loop taken out. Instead of the Belse Bossen you will ride the sweet dirt roads between Mol and Geel.

65km - A short but sweet loop showcasing what the region has to offer; the perfect entry to Kempense gravel.

Start times:
200km: 7h00 to 8h00
160km: 7h00 to 9h00
100km, 65km: 7h00 to 11h00

Registration and costs:

Click here for EVENTBRITE registration: LINK - CLICK HERE

The entry fee covers our basic costs, there will be no refunds.

We offer two packages:
Strada Campina 'the ride': for €10 you get all GPS tracks, a free coffee at the start and a soda/lager beer at the finish, GPS tracks for all courses and feed zones along the routes (up to 3 on the longer distances).
Strada Campina 'the ride + food': for €25 you get 'the ride' package and an extra pasta meal (including a veggie option) after the ride at Gustaaf Klimt.

You will receive all GPS tracks and will be free to ride whatever track suits you on the day of the event.

The GPS tracks will be emailed to the registered riders in the week prior to the event through the eventbrite portal.

We have chosen to keep things simple. This is an event hosted by riders for riders. No fuss, no gimmicks.

Beware:

The routes will be GPS-based only, they will not be marked, you will need a GPS device or ride with someone who has one.

There are showers at the start/finish location as well as lockers (bring your own pad lock).
Bring a bike lock to secure your bike at the start/finish.
This is not a race, the course is on public roads, crossroads and intersections will not be secured. You need to follow the traffic code. 
Keep it safe. Be nice, say hi. Don't litter.
Participation is at your own risk, we do not provide additional insurance to cover any mishaps.
Come prepared! Make sure your bike is in good order and that you carry essential spares and tools.
Don't underestimate the Kempen. The area may be flat but it 'packs a punch', pace your self and enjoy the scenery.
A minimum tire width of 32mm is recommended. If it's dry and dusty a 38mm or wider tire is highly recommended.

Free Parking: Turnhout has 3 free parkings which are all within close proximity of the start location:
Boomgaardstraat (near Talentenschool)
Papenbruggestraat (near Stadspark)
Nieuwe Kaai (near Aldi/Dreamland)
See also: https://www.turnhout.be/parkeren-plan

Paid Parking: De Warande has an underground parking. Address: Wezenstraat 10
Turnova also has and underground parking. Address: PJ Brepolsplein 20
See also: https://be.parkindigo.com/nl/parkereninturnhout

Train: Turnhout can be reached by train, the start location is close to the train station.

What is the Strada Campina gravel ride?

The Strada Campina is a mixed surface (gravel) ride through the Noorderkempen (Turnhout) and Zuiderkempen (Westerlo) and Limburgse Kempen (Beringen) regions in the north of Belgium.

The routes will take you over the quiet backroads, the lonely sandroads and some nice singletracks of the area. Some asphalt roads will link the good stuff together.

The main waypoints along the routes are some of the many abbeys (each with their own special beer) of the region.

The Strada Campina is a GPS based social ride, not a race. .
The start and finish will be at cafe Barzoen in Turnhout. After the ride you can enjoy a post-ride coffee or beer, and stick around at cafe Barzoen for some more drinks and something to eat while you catch up with the other riders.

What bike to bring? Anything with a 30-32mm or wider tire will work. How many knobs you want on those tires will depend on the weather and your riding style. Gears or singlespeed, drop bar or flat bar, MTB or cross bike, gravel bike or road bike? It doesn't really matter, you can run what you brung and feel most comfortable with.

What terrain will we be riding? The Kempen is known for its sandy soil, fens and woodland. The region is mostly flat with some very short but punchy up and downs. The few singletracks we will be riding can be done on typical cross tires. In dry and dusty conditions a bigger low knob tire is better. Check out our Instagram-page to get an idea of what's coming -click link-

What more do I need? You will need to have a GPS-device so that you can follow the route. The course will not be marked.