Belgium - The Belcanto Classic celebrated its 30th edition in Westouter, in the Heuvelland region. This one of a kind event brings together professionals, amateurs and cycling fans in a quirky blend of racing and folk festival. For this jubilee edition, riders hit the road in a special BC30 cycling jersey by Bioracer.
📸 Images: Hendrik Lefebure
The origin of Belcanto Classic
One day in 1995, Guido Belcanto was visiting his friend Frank Verdru in Westouter. Together, they headed to Café In de Zwaan, where a few locals challenged Guido to come back the next day and race a lap through the Heuvelland. He accepted.
The following day, nine riders were waiting for him. What had started as a bit of café banter suddenly became a real race. Guido lined up, took on the local roads and won that very first edition.
What started as a spontaneous café challenge soon became the Belcanto Classic, named after the singer at the heart of it all. Today, it has grown into a unique mix of racing, street theatre and cheering crowds, while still carrying the same playful spirit it began with.
The Belcanto Classic places great value on the playful nature of the race, which is why it doesn't matter who crosses the line first. Hence the motto "ride for the grin, not for the win". There are no winners in the traditional sense. Instead, the podium is reserved for riders who stand out in the event’s playful categories, from the sweatiest rider and the sexiest rider to the most combative woman, the biggest beer belly and plenty more.
Since 2015, the Belcanto Classic has always supported TE GEK!?, which is a Belgian mental-health awareness initiative. Together with this organisation, the Belcanto Classic works to break down and shine a light on the taboo around mental health.
Carnival on bikes
The 30th edition was dedicated to flowers. The flower project grew a total of 30,000 dahlias to be worked into floral artworks on and around the course. Along the route between Westouter and Reningelst stood artworks made from dahlias, and around 1,000 of these flowers were used in the start arch in Westouter, historically known as the flower village of Heuvelland. The well-known race jingle "Rodania" was even reworked into "Rodadahlia".
Guido Belcanto himself stood out in his yellow jersey, while many participants had gone all out to dress up creatively. Wigs and full themed costumes filled the peloton, turning the race into a true carnival on bikes.
A two-day festival
Every year at the end of August, the Belcanto Classic takes over Westouter. From Sunday into Monday, the village comes alive with cycling and the unmistakable Belcanto spirit. Across two days, the programme builds from the first festivities towards the Classic itself and the celebrations that follow.
Sunday
10:30 | Family Bike Ride
The day starts with a 15 km family bike ride. A chance for families to take part in the Belcanto weekend on two wheels.
14:30 | 2nd GP Stef Haerdeman
The GP Stef Haerdeman returns for its second edition. It is a road race specifically for junior riders.
20:00 | Guido Belcanto Live
Guido Belcanto & Het Broederschap take to the stage for an exclusive anniversary concert. The performance celebrates the milestone edition of the Belcanto Classic.
Monday
16:00 | Belpop Bonanza
Monday’s festivities begin on the festival grounds with a live show. Belpop Bonanza explores cycling and music in the Westhoek.
18:30 | Belcanto Classic
The iconic Belcanto Classic gets underway, together with the unveiling of the floral art project and entertainment alongside the race. Inclusion is an important part of the event, with De Fonkel and Het Ventiel, which work with buddies for people with young-onset dementia, as well as Special Olympics athletes taking part again.
21:00 | Playful Awards Ceremony
After the race, it is time for the awards for the event’s playful categories. These unconventional prizes are part of what makes the Belcanto Classic different from a traditional race.
Sunday
10:30 | Family Bike Ride
The day starts with a 15 km family bike ride. A chance for families to take part in the Belcanto weekend on two wheels.
14:30 | 2nd GP Stef Haerdeman
The GP Stef Haerdeman returns for its second edition. It is a road race specifically for junior riders.
20:00 | Guido Belcanto Live
Guido Belcanto & Het Broederschap take to the stage for an exclusive anniversary concert. The performance celebrates the milestone edition of the Belcanto Classic.
Monday
16:00 | Belpop Bonanza
Monday’s festivities begin on the festival grounds with a live show. Belpop Bonanza explores cycling and music in the Westhoek.
18:30 | Belcanto Classic
The iconic Belcanto Classic gets underway, together with the unveiling of the floral art project and entertainment alongside the race. Inclusion is an important part of the event, with De Fonkel and Het Ventiel, which work with buddies for people with young-onset dementia, as well as Special Olympics athletes taking part again.
21:00 | Playful Awards Ceremony
After the race, it is time for the awards for the event’s playful categories. These unconventional prizes are part of what makes the Belcanto Classic different from a traditional race.
Course
On 24 August, with temperatures around 22°C, the Belcanto Classic got underway at around 18:30 from Café De Vaderlander. The course consisted of 7 laps of 8.1 km, adding up to 56.7 km and 445 metres of elevation gain. The main challenge came from the 1.7 km Sulferberg, with gradients reaching up to 6%.
Participants were free to complete the race at their own pace, with the finishing stretch leading towards Café In de Zwaan, the place where the iconic bet behind the Belcanto Classic was first made. Every rider who reached the finish received a unique medal and a filled goodie bag.
Starting spots sell out in no time. The field is normally capped at 499 riders, but for this special edition that number rose to 676, making it the largest peloton in Belcanto Classic history. Tickets sold out in just two minutes, with another 1,200 people on the waiting list hoping for a place on the start line.
The main man
Guido Belcanto
Name: Guido Belcanto
Date of Birth: May 23, 1953
Place of Birth: Turnhout, Belgium
Nationality: Belgian
Professional: Singer-songwriter
What began in 1995 as a bet has since grown into one of the finest racing events. Guido Belcanto posed proudly beneath the arch. The singer-songwriter is now 73. "It's overwhelming," he said just before the start. "That this event has been able to grow into a race like this is fantastic. It's beyond my comprehension."
30th edition
Belcanto Classic Shirt
For the 30th edition of the Belcanto Classic, Bioracer created a special anniversary jersey that brings the character of the event onto the bike. The predominantly white design with orange accents is finished with a portrait of Guido Belcanto on the rear pocket, alongside the race motto: “Ride for the grin, not for the win.”