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Sport Football and cycling are the national passions. Brussels' football clubs RWDM and Union St-Gilloise have only a handful of supporters but RSC Anderlecht has a faithful following who support the team at Stade Constant Vanden Stock, Avenue ThÉo Verbeeck 2 (tel: (02) 522 1539). Their passions were raised to fever pitch in the European Championships 2000, that was hosted jointly by Belgium and Holland in a renamed and reconstructed Heysel stadium - Stade Roi Baudouin (tel: (02) 479 3654). Belgium has an impressive record in cycling and Eddy Merckx did a fine PR job for the country by repeatedly winning the Tour de France in the 1960s and 1970s. His glory still lives on, celebrated annually in the Eddy Merckx Grand Prix (last Sunday of August). A more amateur affair follows the same 22km (13.6-mile) trip from the Gare du Nord to Heysel (tel: (02) 502 7355). The major athletics event is the annual Ivo van Damme Memorial IAHF Grand Prix in August held in the Stade Roi Baudouin. Amateurs take part in the Brussels 20km (12.4-mile) circular race held annually in May/June, which starts and finishes at the Esplanade du Cinquantenaire (tel: (02) 511 9000). Golf: The 18-hole Royal Amicale Anderlecht Golf Club, Rue Scholle 1 (tel: (02) 521 1687), is located within Brussels itself. The club charges BFr1200 for a day's golfing during the week and BFr1800 at weekends when prior reservation is recommended. Brabantse Golf, Steenwagenstraat 11, Melsbroek (tel: (02) 751 8205), is close to the airport. The FÉdÉration Royal Belge de Golf (tel: (067) 220 440), provides information on Belgium's golf courses. Gym and fitness: The vast Physical Golden Club, Place du Chatelain 33 (tel: (02) 539 3036), offers weights machines and fitness classes and has the added kudos of being the place where Jean-Claude van Damme started off his action movie career. Martial arts classes are predictably popular. Squash and tennis: The Centre Sportif de Woluwe St-Pierre, Avenue SalomÉ 2 (tel: (02) 773 1820), has squash and tennis courts. Swimming: There are plenty of pools in Brussels' sports centres (the one at the Centre Sportif de Woluwe St-Pierre is Olympic-sized). OcÉade Water Park is within splashing distance of Mini-Europe (see Further Distractions section). |