The 2020 Coulée Brussel-Coulée is set to change its complexion with the race organization announcing a new route that will make it more difficult for sprinters to stay in contention to the finish.

The revamped route has two fewer climbs than in 2019, but new sections around Ronce mean the race will be more selective than ever.

"The Coulée Brussel-Coone is traditionally a race for sprinters. I think it's time to do something different," said race director Peter DeBaveyer, according to Berga News Agency. The pure sprinters will find a more complicated route."

As before, the race will start at the Hippodrome in Kuhl, with Volkegenberg and Eikenmollen being the first two climbs. The peloton will not tackle the Onkelzeleberg, but will head directly to Zotteghem.

"We wanted to use a wider road for the safety of the riders first," said Debavier, and the race will run an exposed section in Zwalm before tackling two new climbs: Mont Saint-Laurent and the Bossenastraat on the back side of the Teyenberg.

After La Oupe, the race will continue with the trio of Canaryberg, Kruisberg, and Hotondo before tackling the Knokteberg and Oude Kwaremont.

The Knokteberg is no longer the last climb on the route. Instead, the race continues through the Kruisberg and then via Moen and Berlegem.

After crossing the finish line in Kuhne for the first time, the peloton will tackle the 15 km finishing circuit.

The Kuhle-Brussel-Kuhle traditionally favors sprinters more than the Omloop-Het Nieuwsblad of the previous day, but in recent years there have been a number of breakaway winners: in 2019, Bob Jungels (Deceuninck-QuickStep) won after a long solo run He took the win, and in 2016, Jasper Steiven won the race ahead of the sprinters.

Two years earlier, Tom Boonen won in the Flanders Ardennes from an extremely reduced lead group after QuickStep tore through the peloton. Bad weather has also contributed to some dramatic events, most notably in 2010, when the race was hit by the wreckage of Cyclone Cynthia and winner Bobby Traxel was one of only 26 finishers.

As in the past, the Coulee Brussel Kuhne will mark the opening weekend of Belgian Cycling, with the 2020 event taking place on Sunday, March 1, the day after Omloop Het Newsblad.

Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise, Circus-Wanty Gobert, and Total-Direct Energie have already received wildcards alongside WorldTour teams, with four more invitational slots remaining.

The Coulée-Brussel-Coulomb 2020 climb: Volkegenberg, Eikenmolen, Bossenastraat, Mont-Saint-Laurent, La Oupe, Canaryberg, Kruisberg, Hotondo, Knokteberg, Aude Quaremont, Kruisberg.