{
    "title": "Village cycling races in Flanders face sharp decline, with just 19 left",
    "modified_at": "2026-04-22 10:28:04",
    "published_at": "2026-04-22 09:55:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/village-cycling-races-in-flanders-face-sharp-decline-with-just-19-left",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/81Dd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "village-cycling-races-in-flanders-face-sharp-decline-with-just-19-left",
    "body": "<p><strong>Traditional Flemish fairground cycling races, known as kermiskoersen, are rapidly disappearing. Once held in almost every village, only 19 professional races remain today.</strong></p><p>Organisers have applied for recognition as intangible cultural heritage, hoping to protect the tradition and raise its profile, newspaper De Standaard writes.</p><p>These races are deeply tied to local festivals. In the West Flanders town of Kortemark, for instance, the annual event has taken place since 1937, turning the town into a hub of food, music and cycling for a day.</p><p>The tradition dates back to 1869, when a race linked to a local fair was first held in Brussels. It soon spread across Flanders, becoming a unique part of regional culture. But numbers have fallen due to fewer sponsors, a lack of volunteers and competition from bigger international races.</p><p>Organising a race is costly and complex. Former pro rider Thomas Joseph, who started a race in 2020, told De Standaard that around 20,000 euros is needed. Many events now double as business networking occasions to attract sponsors.</p><p>Supporters hope heritage status will boost visibility and encourage local backing. While it brings no direct funding, they say it could help keep the races alive.</p><p>They also stress the sporting value: these small races offer young riders vital experience and help keep cycling accessible at grassroots level<strong>.</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><sup>#FlandersNewsService | The Nokere Koerse cycling race &copy; BELGA PHOTO ELIAS ROM</sup></p><hr /><p><strong>Related news</strong></p><div id=\"bookmark-a1c27826-32c9-410a-a8b3-41de84ded1d6\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"http://prez.ly/vy7d\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2F8c6f7429-ff7a-4902-bc4a-486e09708b43%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=6cc6185f779554f61516bd62f42f7fda)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"http://prez.ly/vy7d\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"a1c27826-32c9-410a-a8b3-41de84ded1d6\"\n           >\n                &#039;Respect the race&#039; campaign calls on cycling fans to show support responsibly            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                Belgian Cycling has launched an awareness campaign to call on supporters to respect cyclists during road races.            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Frespect-the-race-campaign-calls-on-cycling-fans-to-show-support-responsibly&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n<div id=\"bookmark-59dd8cc5-0821-4da7-8d8e-0325fa60b683\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"http://prez.ly/hi4d\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2Fd0a847e6-7b93-41e0-9777-383fc2d47951%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=1f5f992aca134ad5e1602187074a4d12)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"http://prez.ly/hi4d\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"59dd8cc5-0821-4da7-8d8e-0325fa60b683\"\n           >\n                Cycling in Flanders hits record levels as investment and e-bikes drive growth            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                Cycling in Flanders has reached a new peak. 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    "links": [
        {
            "description": "'Respect the race' campaign calls on cycling fans to show support responsibly",
            "url": "http://prez.ly/vy7d"
        },
        {
            "description": "Cycling in Flanders hits record levels as investment and e-bikes drive growth",
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    "author": {
        "first_name": "Flanders",
        "last_name": "News Service"
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