Huy: a passion for cycling

The love affair between Huy and cycling is a long one. The first bike race took place there on 15 August 1869 on the occasion of the annual fair. It was held on the Promenade de l'Île, which was where the fourth stage of the 2006 Tour de France started. Huy quickly became a significant place in Belgian cycling. In 1919, a velodrome was built there and it subsequently held events like the Belgian championships. Flèche Wallonne passed through Huy for the first time in 1936. Later, when he was looking to adapt the route, Theo van Griethuizen found a hill well worthy of the event's reputation in the town. Flèche Wallonne tackled the Mur de Huy for the first time in 1982, and since 1984 its finish has been located atop it. Since its first foray into Belgium in 1947, the Tour de France has passed through Huy on six occasions. But it wasn't until 8 July 1995 that Huy finally enjoyed the privilege of hosting a Tour stage for the first time. On that day, under a blazing sun, the riders set out on a legendary time trial that ran from the centre of the town to Seraing. Six years later, the town hosted the start of the stage to Verdun, while in 2006 the riders rode from Huy to Saint-Quentin. Thanks to this rich history, Huy can proudly claim to be one of the great centres of international cycling. The year that status will increase a little more as just 76 days will separate the finish of Flèche Wallonne on 22 April from the conclusion of third stage of the 2015 Tour de France at the top of the same Mur de Huy on 6 July.