Info/advice for Tour of Flanders sportive

What’s the pace on these sort of things like (for the average rider)? I’m going to do the Liege-Bastogne-Liege sportive this month and a little concerned that its going to be me riding in at midnight, alone

There are plenty of groups/pelotons forming, disbanding and re-forming during the first 100kms, so I just latched onto the ones that were going at my pace. Where they were too slow I bridged across to a faster group, and when too fast pulled out and waited for a slower group.

I didn’t use a computer during the TdF so don’t know the actual avg speed during the flatter sections but it was definitely quicker than the 14.5mph avg speed I consistently rode at during my solo training rides leading up to the event.. which is to be expected as you’re in a group drafting.

I’d say if you have done a handful of 5-7hrs+ rides beforehand you’ll be fine.

We took it steady and rode the full distance in about 11 hours, including food stops. Managed to clean all the climbs, although we were lucky to get a clear trot at most of them.

It seems like some people overdid it on the flat section at the start, we saw quite a few people looking completely wrung out at the end of the day. I was gutted for the chap walking up one of the later climbs (I think it was the Eikenberg) with his GoPro on his helmet, all ready to document his moment of glory! And yes, the final 12k into the wind was purgatory.

There’s a great feature on the RVV website where you can see video of yourself coming over the tops of the famous climbs.

http://chronorace-web.cloudapp.net/rvv/Tracking.aspx?lng=EN

We “only” did the 140km (as I measured it) and must have been in better form than I thought. 3 of us rode together finishing after about 6.5 hours (inc stops) and felt fresh as the end – could easily have ridden a good chunk further (or faster?). The cobbles were properly painful with the pain changing location depending on your speed.

Only one of the cobbled climbs is steep for any distance (the last) and we were only forced to walk on one narrow section of one climb.

Well run, friendly, event – all abilities on the shorter distances including riders on mtbs and hybrids. The first section needed some facilities though – i think it was 50km before we got food (and then had to use a cafe toilet). Much further before we started seeing portaloos – if they don’t want people to piss on the side of the road they need to do a bit more.

Great event, I really enjoyed it. I can imagine it’s far more of a trial in the wet. Cobbled descents anyone?

We rolled at a social pace, averaged 20km/14mph including stopping at the top of every climb for a chat (having ruled all the climbs of course!) and thought it was definitely something I’d do again. It was then fun to watch the real race the next day and see the speed at which the men and women climbed through Kwaremont.

Simon – do you really need food and a wee before doing 30miles?

Simon – do you really need food and a wee before doing 30miles?

It’s not ‘length of ride’, more ‘time since breakfast’ – we’d driven from Ghent, parked, got to the start, registered etc. All 3 of us needed to go when we got to that stop and were a bit peckish. I’d seen a lot of other people pissing all over the place ahead of it.

It was then fun to watch the real race the next day

Where did you watch from? We went up to Brugges, had a look round and a bit of lunch and then struggled to find anywhere showing the event. Odd since that was where it had started from.

We parked in Kluisbergen and walked to the Oud Kwaremont. Watched the race(s) come up the cobbles once and then walked down the hill (we had a ferry to catch) to see them speed through town before the second time up the Kwaremont, then went 100 yards to a cafe and watched the Paterberg on TV before heading to Dunkirk. Departure towns never seem to have that much hype going, the climbs are where it’s at.

Didn’t expect masses of hype but wasn’t expecting it would be as hard as it was to find a bar showing it on TV (and when we did is was without sound). The beer was mighty fine though.

In Luchon for the Tour this year which should be fun – will definitely be watching from the climbs there.

We drove out from our hotel in Kruishoutem to one of the first cobbled sections, then stood in a field with a load of the locals and watched the break and the peloton go past, along with some totally lunatic team car drivers.

Then we headed over to Oudenaarde, negotiated our way round lots of road closures, and rode up the Kwaremont to the spectator area near the top. It wasn’t that easy to see the action (limpets and rocks have nothing on Belgian sports fans and railings) but they had a big screen and there was a stall giving out free beer. 🙂

There’s supposedly a plan to sell tickets for the Kwaremont and the Paterberg next year, which would make spontaneous spectating a bit harder.

Mr Agreeable, we were very close to you then!

Despite a crash and a long bill for new clothing and bike bits I had a great day and felt good all the way round. 8hrs10.

Four of us did the 140k ride. Me and one of my mates finished with a ride time of 5.5hrs and were well pleased with that.
After the first two cobbled sections I wasn’t sure if I fancied the rest of it but I managed to find some sort of rhythm that worked ok for me. Actually being able to see the top of the Koppenberg and Paterberg and the gradient from the bottom was a bit intimidating to say the least.
The other two guys we rode with took almost ten hours to get round and they were proper on empty by the time they got in. Huge respect to them for plugging away all that time.
Yesterday we watched from the Valkenberg, opposite the bar with a tv inside and out and I’m pretty sure we were stood next to one of the Green Edge riders family.
Absolutely brilliant weekend.

we were very close to you then!

Did you see Randy the rampant badger?

Great weekend. 4th time I’ve been and I think this was the best so far, though not having last year’s raging Leffe hangover probably helped! No badgers spotted 🙂

We were on Oude Kwaremont too, about 2/3 way up for the women’s race and the first 2 passes of the mens race, then we dashed up to Kwaremont square to watch the finale on the big screen before hightailing it for our various ferries and flights.

A few pictures on flickr

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Ballan, Boonen[/url] by Gary Hill[/url], on Flickr

Photos are now up online and has picked me up successfully (6526). Big smile all the way it seems.

Can’t find myself in the video though – anyone else having any luck?

^ you really did enjoy yourself!

Cobbled descents anyone?

No thanks. Had my share of them already around here and there’s no fun to be had on them. In the wet it’s a case of just praying and in the dry holding on for dear life once you get any sort of speed.

Jebus. http://drunkcyclist.tumblr.com/post/20479199699/headtube-tomas-vaitkus-rides-a-wheelie-up-the

For those that can’t get enough, there’s some Belgian Waffle here http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=195472

Awesome write-up.

I’m sure this

with the expression of a man who had secretly defecated in his shorts and was enjoying the warm glow more than strictly necessary

has been lifted from somewhere, but good effort, all the same.

I’m sure this

with the expression of a man who had secretly defecated in his shorts and was enjoying the warm glow more than strictly necessary
has been lifted from somewhere, but good effort, all the same.

fair cop, read it in the paper on the ferry home and thought “I must plagarise”.

I was Spartacus though.