2025 Tour of Flanders winners receive a new trophy
The successors to Mathieu van der Poel and Elisa Longo Borghini will not only earn a place in cycling history this coming Sunday, they will also receive a redesigned trophy. The artwork that will be presented to the winners of the Tour of Flanders has been crafted by Erik Sijmons, a course participant at the Royal Academy of Art in Oudenaarde. The trophy was created at the Artcasting art foundry.
After a call for submissions of a new design, Erik Sijmons’ work eventually emerged as the winner. Not only does Sijmons live in Oudenaarde, he also worked there for many years as a designer at Samsonite, where he received the prestigious Henry van de Velde Lifetime Achievement Award for his design work.
For this specific project, he employed a 3D printing technique. Sijmons gave the trophy a new look by opting for a circular design in the form of a bicycle wheel. He incorporated the official Flanders’ Finest logo into his artwork, along with several bicycle components. “The spokes symbolise the rays of the sun,” says Sijmons.
“Tour of Flanders is a vibrant event in Flanders and far beyond, eagerly awaited by every cycling enthusiast. The bottom of the trophy is curved, transitioning seamlessly into the rim of the wheel. It is a subtle reference to the rolling landscape of the Flemish Ardennes - to the crucial climbs that typify the races.” One constant is bronze, the material used. This is a deliberate choice made by Sijmons, rooted in the durability and workability of the material.
Alongside the sporting story, we are now also writing a creative tale in the heart of the Flemish Ardennes
John Adam, the mayor of Oudenaarde, is also very enthusiastic: “The circle of the Tour of Flanders story in Oudenaarde is now truly complete. As the starting point for the women’s race and the finishing point for both the men and women, this year we are also providing the designer of the Tour of Flanders trophy. It’s a trophy that epitomises the spirit of the race, and therefore also the spirit of Oudenaarde. It will be a great moment when we see the champions proudly display a trophy that was designed in our very own academy.”
“We are very pleased with the beautiful result,” says Tomas Van Den Spiegel, CEO of Flanders Classics. “The fact that the new trophy was designed by a resident of Oudenaarde and was also made in Oudenaarde completes the picture. Alongside the sporting story, we are now also writing a creative tale in the heart of the Flemish Ardennes. We are eagerly anticipating the moment when the two winners of Flanders’ Finest proudly display the trophy on the podium at the finish on Minderbroedersstraat this Sunday.”
