Club Superstage ends its season with the internationally highly regarded Ypres Historic Regularity. To celebrate the five-year anniversary a national “light” version will entertain competitors and fans on Friday and Saturday, which is in addition to the three-day international competition. But, “light” does not mean easy, because like every year, the course is challenging and littered with traps.
The start and finish of each stage is in the historic city center of Ypres, a city that is bathed in a cozy Christmas atmosphere. After the start on Friday, the participants will complete a local loop south of Ypres, with 9 stages, including 3 closed road stages. For national participants there are 8 stages, including 2 closed road stages. Spectator points along the course will be published on Wednesday, November 29.
Oudenaarde and a gravel stage
The second stage on Saturday is identical for all participants. The stage starts with a spectacular closed road stage in the picturesque centre of Mesen. After this flying start, 6 completely new stages will follow, with very short connecting routes in between. For lunch, the participants will stop in Oudenaarde, a nod to the Aarova Oudenaarde Rally, the second national rally from Club Superstage. In the afternoon, the participants are presented with a number of tests in Hainaut. The typical muddy concrete tracks that run along wind farms will provide a challenge, along with the beautiful pieces of road, familiar to those who witnessed previous Ypres Historic Regularities. The day ends with a first: a gravel stage that has never been held before. It will also be a ‘secret regularity stage‘.
After this tough Saturday stage, the participants are expected in the Winter Bar in the Museum Café for a pleasant evening, including the award ceremony of the national competition and casino games in aid of the Make-a-Wish foundation. Montres Momento will present their beautiful watches in this surrounding.
Longest Early Bird ever
The final day, the participants of the international Ypres Historic Regularity will have their traditional very earlystart. This time, the Early Bird RT, the longest version ever driven, will start barely 3 km after the starting podium. Nothing is guaranteed coming into the final day, as the final RT decided the event last year. Zillebeke bos can be the sting in the tail.
In short, the route of the 5th Ypres Historic Regularity represents a serious sporting challenge for the 73 registered participants who will start on Friday, December 1 with the action getting underway at 6:00 p.m.
