[Closed] I'm going to Flanders!

Agree - it's the best cycling weekend I've done.

This year we upped the distance to the full edition - 265km of wind, rain, cobbles, bergs and dying a thousand deaths on the bike*.

As usual, we took up our preferred position on the Muur the following day, drank way too much cheap tuborg, fell down the slope, then ran down the hill into Geraardsbergen - stopping to cheer on Cav as he fought his way up the Muur - to see the finish on the big screen.

Child on the way imminently, so I can't see me returning next year. Enjoy it for me.

Oh, and make sure you go to the RvV musuem in Oudenaarde. every time I visit Belgium, I make a point of going - especially when Freddy Maertens is there...

😀

*Previously we've always done the "medium" distance (usually c160km). While not the real thing, it's better in that you still get to ride all the bergs and you don't have to get through 100 miles of headwind before.... Oh, and they may be steep (Koppenberg is 22% at its steepest point), but you are NOT allowed to ride a compact..! 😉

Don't disagree with drinking Tuborg, but be careful drinking Danish beer in Belgium - the locals might not approve 🙂

DrJ - you know, I've had brain fade.

I meant Jupiler..! (And it's cheap as chips in cans from the burger vans behind the chapel on the Muur.)

Stupid Flanders 🙂

Hididlyho, neighbourino!
(sweepy's nabbed the best line) 🙁

Coming to Flanders for drinking Tuborg or Jupiler?!?
Rather focus on one or more of our speciality beers. Or go for a local beer from the region where you are staying.

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Entirely agree, great weekend. Went this year. 19000 rode!
Swanning about in the Alps in the sunshine? For poofs.
They don't call it Vlander-haard-en for nothing.
Only 15 euros to enter, don't bother with the full 250k distance, the first 100k is on cycle paths and you spend all your time dodging street furniture. Go for the 160k which is circular and includes all the cobbles.

Get some big fit mates to hide behind for the first 100km.
Nice and flat, but can be proper windy.
Then you hit the cobbles and it is survival of the fittest.
Great weekend - enjoy.
J.

Coming to Flanders for drinking Tuborg or Jupiler?!?
Rather focus on one or more of our speciality beers. Or go for a local beer from the region where you are staying.

Jupiler is reserved solely for drunken cheering and shouting and silliness standing on the grass on the Kapelmuur (trying not to slip over and take out half a dozen people below *ahem*) while waiting for the race to come through.

The rest of the weekend is for drinking wonderful but insanely strong beer.

I love Belgium. 😀

I agree with everything above, but having ridden it twice a few years back I'm thinking that the narrow climbs must be a bit of a nightmare with the volumes of riders these days?

I'm thinking that the narrow climbs must be a bit of a nightmare with the volumes of riders these days

Not when you've started the full edition about an hour later than you should have, suffered two crashes at the hands of idiots, bonked and had to be towed along by your one remaining intact mate.

Yes, earlier in the day it gets very busy, but a bit of trackstanding and universally understood anglo saxon seems to help.

Have yet to master getting up the Kwaremont in the big ring, however....

it's not cobbles it's 'pavé' mental to ride on and best churning a big gear.
best cycling weekend ever despite the rain. having press passes/car passes and driving on the route ahead of the race to see it a few times and free team garmin musettes (unused and full) was the icing on the cake.

pass on the boys lager and go straight to the abbey style or trappist beers plus the odd geuze and kriek.

When you get to the pave, grind a huge gear and just float on the saddle.
Looks good for about a minute until you collapse.
Oh and you have to ride an old steel bike.
You can borrow my merckx if you are very good...

MrSmith - Member

best cycling weekend ever despite the rain.

Rain? I got sunburnt both times I went out. 😳

having press passes/car passes and driving on the route ahead of the race to see it a few times and free team garmin musettes (unused and full) was the icing on the cake.

We unwittingly booked into the same hotel as Rabobank on our first trip. Had a quick glimpse of masseurs at work, and checked out the team bikes etc in the garage.

mudguards not allowed, people will laugh and they will break as soon as you hit pavé. belgian mouthwash and HTFU.

the best bit of advice i can give is ease up a bit on the tarmac and go as fast as you can on the pavé in a big gear. i found the drops the most comfortable as the flex in the bars meant less buzz, i couldn't hold the tops even though they were double wrapped.

did the shorter distance as it cuts out the flat windy bit and means you start and finish in the same town and don't have to get up really early for a transfer or end up finishing miles from your hotel.

Home, sweet home!

They are doing a "day before" sportive of Paris Roubaix next year too I believe, a week later.

Jerome - Member

Get some big [s]fit[/s] mates to hide behind for the first 100km.
Nice and flat, but can be proper windy.

It's not pavé if we want to be fussy 🙂 It's kasseien...

Where are you guys planning on staying? Gent is a good choice considering your plans.

The 160km is indeed a good loop even if the first part from Ninove to Oudenaarde is crap (except for a brutal section on cobbles that isn't included in the 265). I've never seen so many fallen drink bottles in one place before.

I think I will go for the 265 next year though, just because I've never ridden it.