While many cycling fans will be concentrating on the Vuelta a España during the first half of September, it's worth noting that several other races are also taking place around Europe - with the Grote Prijs Jef Scherens-Rondom Leuven one notable example.

This 183km trek around the Belgian city of Leuven is named after seven-time world champion Joseph "Jef" Scherens and includes 13 laps of an undulating 14.1km loop around the centre.

The race has been organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour calendar since 2005 and Team Sky will be using it to step up their preparations ahead of the Tour of Britain. Steve Cummings, Russell Downing, and Mathew Hayman should all be present and correct with Nicolas Portal and Ben Swift rounding off the five-man squad.

After a neutralised start outside the Town Hall, the action gets under way on the Mechelsestraat and the first of four climbs comes soon after on the Keizersberg. This winding ascent is the most famous in the city and maintains an average gradient of 6.5% along its 390m face.

The Lüdenscheidsingel is next up and although it never really rises above 3%, this broad 1.2km slope has taken its toll on several would-be contenders in the past, and has the potential to become harder still if the winds whip up.

The toughest ascent of the day undoubtedly comes on the Wijnpers though, with sections ramping up to 14% in the middle part of this short, sharp 350m burst. The race could well be won and lost here as it comes just 6km from the finish line and is followed by a steep descent which could splinter the field further.

The only remaining rise from thereon in comes on the Naamsevest. This 415m stretch is undoubtedly the mildest of the four climbs and wasn't even recognised on the profile map until Nico Eeckhout used it as a surprise springboard for his success in 2001.

Once that has been overcome for the final time any riders who are still in contention must then battle it out on the flat closing straight along the Bondgenotenlaan.