Anyone going? I’m down for the 144km Sportive on Saturday. The forecast is pish 😬

I’m signed up for the 177km, planning to drop down to the 144km as training didn’t go to plan (or go at all!)

Heading over in a mixed ability group of 13, staying near Oudenaarde.

Have plans for different temp weather, but my wet weather stuff is all rather warm…
But better warm and dryish than cold and wet (I’ve done that there before).

Read some advice that in reality we’ll be walking the Koppenburg as everyone else will be in the way, and actually if confident re fitness a later start may mean less congestion.

I’m a standard STW MAMIL, Will be on red Kinesis Pro6

Did the 179 last year. Doing the 75 this year (due to injury in the run up).

EDIT: I do like how last year was 179 and this year is 177. Means I still retain some bragging rights over my buddies that are doing 177 this year (they did 144 last year)

Doing the long one. 19th time. Going to retire to the shorter one in a couple of years. Weather according to ventusky seems to be improving a little, maybe a dry afternoon. Tail wind from Brugges will be welcome.
Let’s hope the French revolution doesn’t close down the ports, tunnel or motorways!

Read some advice that in reality we’ll be walking the Koppenburg as everyone else will be in the way

leave a lot of space between you and the person in front as you hit the bottom, then try and maintain that space as you go up.  There is often enough room as long as you give the person in front enough time to get out of the way when they stop.  you can even politely say that you are still riding and they get out of the way pretty fast (if they can)

Did the 75 last year, straight off the back of Covid, got an early start and loved it, nobody on the hills, so managed to clean them all even though I sounded like a steam train…

Did the 144 previous year and you will suffer from bottle necks, still a great event, I’ll miss it this year 🙁

leave a lot of space between you and the person in front as you hit the bottom, then try and maintain that space as you go up. There is often enough room as long as you give the person in front enough time to get out of the way when they stop. you can even politely say that you are still riding and they get out of the way pretty fast (if they can)

The last time I did it, there were cars trying to get up there at the same time as cyclists. It was completely clogged.

The last time I did it, there were cars trying to get up there at the same time as cyclists. It was completely clogged

That’s horrible :(, never seen that.

I thought there was one year they played with sending people up in groups to try and clear the track a bit.  Sounds like they gave up on that

I did the medium one (150 km) a few years ago. Did all the bergs and it was only the Koppenberg that was so conjested, I had to stop briefly. Typically, mid-pack pace/timings. Keep out the gutters and ride the crown shouting ‘Hup!’ and you might clear it! Good luck.

If you want to actually cycle the Koppenberg (and you should; it’s a Flanders icon) then do it the day before. If you’re over there that is. It gets horribly busy much of the Saturday.

Enjoy it regardless. It’s a fantastic event and a wonderful place to cycle.

PS quite often the pros end up walking it too, so you wouldn’t be missing out on the full Flanders experience.

I agree with riding the koppenberg the day before. However this week shows rain and gusts of 78kph on Friday!! I didn’t check if it was a taily though!

Going? Nope.  My trip that I’ve been looking forward to since Covid canned the 2020 trip ead cancelled by the organiser. 😭

If it happens again I’ll be back here early next year asking if anyone has a spare space.

Have plans for different temp weather, but my wet weather stuff is all rather warm…
But better warm and dryish than cold and wet (I’ve done that there before).

Yes, my last training ride was 100m around the Scottish borders last weekend and the weather was cold, wet and miserable. I will be doing all I can to keep warm and dry and sod looking fantastic at all times.

Rode it a couple of times in the 00’s when you could just rock up on the Friday, sign up for the Saturday. One year got in the fast group that left Bruges at 6am sharp – strong northerlies and showers on the way out to the coast at DePanne. Group steadily thinned out as we had crosswinds near the coast before turning south with a tailwind through Gistel and towards Oudenaard – there was a small split in the bunch and a kindly local in his Peugeot 106 kindly drew alongside and shouted the Flemish equivalent of “hop on” and drafted us back to front bunch at 50kph! We started hitting the bergs and then catching the back of the shorter rides, so by the time we got to the Koppenberg there was mud all over the road from all the walkers, then someone attempted to drive up in an S-Class Merc, stopped and started wheel-spinning on the wet stones. I didn’t see the front group again until the finish at Ninove – they took 8hrs for 270km, I finished in 9 – it was over a 300km day by the time I’d ridden to and from the start/finish.

That year I also rode Tilff-Bastogne-Tilff (L-B-L) and Paris-Roubaix – drove over on Saturday, ride Sunday then drive home for work on Monday.

Did folks make it up the hellingen yesterday then?  How was it?

Weather looking ok for those willing to sit in a field with a bunch of Flemish and drink beer 🙂

Well that was grim. Didn’t expect to finish as I got so cold. I dressed for the mild dry conditions at the start in Brugge, big mistake. Thankfully I had the foresight to pack a handwarmer in my luggage and managed to find it at the baggage stop in Zwalm. Stuck it to my wrist and what a difference! I could change gear and stayed warm for the rest of the day. It was a slow old ride. The slippery tarmac, mud, floods, not to mention the cobbles. But it was all worth it when I cleared the Koppenberg. I think the big warning sign at the oudenaarde feed stop put a few off and the climb was pretty clear when I got on it. I was so thankful for the tail wind up it. Same for the oudkwaremont and paterberg. A day I will never forget.

Unless you’re Filip Maciejuk, everyone’s Flanders was probably better, no?

I think the big warning sign at the oudenaarde feed stop

What was the warning sign?

It did look like a miserable day.  Glad I wasn’t riding 🙂

There was a big electronic sign warning of the dangerous slippery conditions and there was a split before the old rail track run in so you could avoid the koppenberg.