Being cycling mad, one of John’s dreams was to make the pilgrimage to Belgium to view one of the sporting world’s biggest occasions, the Spring Classics. This comprises of three one day races spread over 8 days. The first is De Ronde Van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders), the second is Gent-Wevelgem and the third is the Queen of the Classics, the Hell of the North, the one and only, Paris-Roubaix. Just to get fully submersed we decided to ride parts of the courses ourselves.
Belgium, April 2007
Market day in Brugge. Fowl anyone?
Brugge is the Venice of the North.
Reconnoitering the course at the hill where the Ronde is usually decided - the Muur.
Becky outside one of the well placed bars on top of the Muur.
Paolo Bettini takes center stage at the start of the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
Followed closely behind by Begium’s heartthrob and Oscar Freire.
The Brugge Markt.
Picnic on the Paterberg.
Brute force is the only way up the Paterberg. At over 20% gradient, style goes out the window.
Me under the 1km to go banner
Alessandro Ballan takes it.
John at the finish line.
The voice of cycling “Phil Liggett” gets down to business. He stayed in our hotel with Paul Sherwen.
Chilling in the beautiful sunshine back in Brugge.
The beautiful flower market outside of “In Flanders Fields” museum. Iepers.
The moving Tyne Cot cemetry in Passendale.
View from the Menin gate where the Last Post is played every day of the year at 8pm.
You want beer? You want ‘t Brugs Beertje! Could this really be the best pub in the world?
We moved onto Gent for the start of Gent Wevelgem. Which actually starts in Deinze (East Flanders)
Another awesome pub - Waterhuis aan de Bierkant.
Tom Boonen rolls out for the start of Gent-Wevelgem.
One of the great things about Belgium is that good bear is never hard to find.
John on the base of the Kemmelberg. The riders go over this beast twice!
I hope the bathroom isn’t too far away.
Boonen struggles up the Kemmelberg for the first time.
Oscar’s in the bunch.
Robbie does not like hills. Robbie does not like cobbles.
Eventual winner Marcus Burghardt (T-Mobile Team) powers up.
Disco boys Matty White (front) and Tony Cruz on the Kemmel.
Setting up for our mini Ronde.
Climb 3 - Kluisberg. 925m. Max 14.5%
Climb 4 - Knokteberg. 1260m. Max 13.3%
First flat on Climb 5 - Oude Kwaremont. 2200m. Max 11.6%
Me on the Kruisberg (not in this years Ronde). 1875m. Max 9%
The Ronde is is well sign-posted. I had another flat here at Hotond. 900m. Max 8%
John enters the base of Climb 6 - Paterberg. 360m. Max. 20.3%
Catching a mid ride snack. Coke and peanuts.
The Kassein of the Koppenberg. Not in this years race as it was considrered too dangerous!
John made me ride the Koppenberg anyway. 600m. Max 22%
Puff. Rant. Puff. Rant. Puff. Rant. And why am I here?
Made it to the Top of the Kop!
John in Oudenaarde outside the Ronde van Vlaanderen museum.
Catching some rays outside the hotel in Kortrijk (West Flanders).
We arrived in Haveluy in Northen France to ride a little bit of the Pave of Paris-Roubaix.
Secteur 19 - Haveluy à Wallers 2.5km. Rating ****
Tongue out and only on our first cobbles, baby.
Secteur 18 - Le Tranchée d'Arenberg 2.4km. Rating *****. This is what Paris-Roubaix is al about.
A flat in the forest. Now I know why the race is called L’Enfer Du Norde!
Secteur 17 - Wallers à Hélesmes 1.6km. Rating **** Le Pont Gibus.
A blister after 3 secteurs - what a wimp!
Secteur 16 - Hornaing à Wandignies - Hamage 3.7km. Rating ***
Another of the course's landmarks, the enormous twin water towers.
Secteur 15 - Warlaing à Brillon 2.4km. Rating ***
Snackette French style. Waiting in Troisvilles with vin and baguette. Lots of butter please!
Tete de la course hits the first cobbles at Secteur 28 - Troisvilles à Inchy
Some rider taking the smooth(!) route though the Forest of Arenberg.
Tommeke and Stuey tough it out in the Forest. Stuey had already fallen off earlier in the forest.
Juan Antonio Flecha puts the pedal down.
The historic Roubaix velodrome.
Me catching up on last minute form. Now if only I’d tried harder in French class.
The bunch crawls in a few minutes back.
Stuey accepting his piece of Pave.
Phew! What a day. But it was all worth it.
