The 19th edition of the Brussels Airport Marathon & Half Marathon kicked off on Sunday morning under cloudy but dry skies. The athletes set off at 9:00 a.m. from Place De Brouckère, in the center of the capital.
The Brussels marathon and half marathon started this morning, respectively at 9:50 a.m. and 9 a.m. from Place de Brouckère. More than 18,000 runners were announced for this event, or 5,500 more participants than last year. Two short distance courses also started around 8:45 a.m. on Place des Palais.
After a loop in the city center for all the runners and athletes, the marathon runners rushed into the Annie Cordy tunnel before tackling the green lungs of Bruxelles and its surroundings – such as the Ganshoren Marshes and the various Jette parks. The two routes will then meet on the Heysel plateau.
The athletes will cross ten Brussels municipalities. The course closed at 7 a.m. this morning and will not reopen before 3 p.m.
Traffic is therefore not easy in the capital, especially as road tunnels are also closed:
- Le tunnel Reyers-Montgomery direction La Cambre
- The Botanique and Rogier tunnels towards Basilica
- The Annie Cordy tunnel in both directions
- The Reyers-Centre tunnel towards Center
- The Tervueren, Cinquantenaire and Loi tunnels towards the Centre.
Since 7 a.m., the A13 motorway has been closed towards Brussels, at the intersection with the Ring in Strombeek-Bever. Brussels Mobility therefore advises traffic coming from the A12 and the E40-A10 to take the Ring R0 and enter Brussels via exit 17 (Anderlecht-Industrie), and this throughout the morning. Traffic coming from the E40-A3 and the N3 (Avenue de Tervueren), is advised to take the Ring and the E411.
Brussels Mobility also explains that traffic on the Petite Ceinture (R20) towards Basilique is diverted towards De Trooz at Porte de Schaerbeek. It is also possible to take the Petite Ceinture towards Midi. On the Middle Belt (R21), the only options for crossing Boulevard Lambermont between Van Praet and Montgomery will be the bridges over the Chaussées de Haecht and Chaussée d’Helmet.
The ministry ends by advising, in general, to avoid taking the car and to favor public transport and other alternatives. Some bus and tram lines are adapted for the occasion.
The editorial staff – Photo: Belga Image/NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
Belgium
