The 40th running of the Tour of Flanders

cycling classic The classic cycle races are the most prestigious one-day professional road cycling races in the international calendar. Some of these events date back to the 19th century. They are normally held at roughly the same time each year. The five most ...

was held on

Easter Monday Easter Monday refers to the day after Easter Sunday in either the Eastern or Western Christian traditions. It is a public holiday in some countries. It is the second day of Eastertide. In Western Christianity, it marks the second day of the Octa ...

, 2 April 1956. French rider

Jean Forestier Jean Forestier (born 7 October 1930) is a French former cyclist. He was a professional from 1953 to 1965. Forestier won the points classification in the 1957 Tour de France, and wore the yellow jersey for two days. He also won the 1955 Paris–Ro ...

won the race after a late breakaway from a 30-strong group in Wetteren. Sprint specialist Stan Ockers won the sprint for second place;

Leon Van Daele Leon Vandaele (24 February 1933 in Ruddervoorde – 30 April 2000 in Oostkamp) was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. His biggest victory was the 1958 Paris–Roubaix. Palmarès ;1954 :Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne ;1956 :Kampioenschap ...

was third.Vanwalleghem, Rik (1991), De Ronde van Vlaanderen, Pinguin, Belgium, , p 112 37 of 122 riders finished.

Route

The race started in Ghent and finished in Wetteren – totaling 238 km. The course featured five categorized climbs: *

Kwaremont Kluisbergen () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders, along the Scheldt river. The municipality comprises the towns of , Kwaremont, and which fused in 1971. In 2021, Kluisbergen had a total population of 6,682. The ...

Kruisberg The Kruisberg, also known as Oude Kruisberg or Oude Kruisens, is a hill and road in the city of Ronse, in Flanders, Belgium. With its top at 122 m altitude, it is one of many hill formations in the Flemish Ardennes, in the south of East-Flande ...

* Statieberg *

Eikenberg The Eikenberg (English: ''Oak Hill'') is a hill and road in the municipality of Maarkedal, in the Belgian province of East Flanders. With an 82 m altitude top, it is one of many hill formations in the Flemish Ardennes, in the south of East ...

* Kattenberg

Results

References

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim ...

1956 in road cycling 1956 in Belgian sport 1956 Challenge Desgrange-Colombo April 1956 sports events in Europe {{TourofFlanders-race-stub