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dancing james
So I headed over to Flanders this weekend for a bit of fixed pavé action.
Caught the train down to Folkestone on the Thursday and stayed in a Holiday Inn before using the Eurotunnel bike service on the Friday - highly recommended and much better than the Newhaven/Dieppe ferry crossing which we've used a few times before. Nice man with a transit and bike trailer picks you up from the hotel and chaperones you through. Luxury.
Metro mudguard model's own.
Then it was 80 or so miles of mostly flat, smooth roads to Roubaix to pick up our numbers for the Sportif the next morning. Unfortunately our Garmin's borked after our lunch stop so no Strava. Also rode past (but not up) the Kemmelberg.
Early bed for a 3:50 local time alarm to get to the Velodrome for the bus to the start. Rolling 8 miles or so to get warmed up before the first secteur pavé. These first few cobbled sections were fairly chaotic as people adapted to riding them, especially as they were still wet from rain overnight. 35c tyres felt like cheating to be honest - I was just sitting on the watts and passing pretty much everyone. 27c Pave seemed to be the median tyre choice, but those on larger tyres definitely had an easier time. A lot of mountain bikers too, especially once we merged with the shorter route.
We soon settled into a rhythm of taking it 'fairly' easy on the road sections whilst being overtaken by Euro roadies, who we'd then demolish on the pavé, and repeat. The Arenberg was insane - how anyone can race a bike over there I do not know. I suppose it's easier when you're not dodging broken bodies and bikes left right and centre - it was comical how little control you have on there. It was a case of just pedaling and hoping no-one went down in front of you because you had largely no control over stopping or steering. Wouldn't wish a wet Roubaix on anyone having experienced a mildly damp one.
The final 10k got a bit rowdy as everyone found a second wind with the end in sight. Traffic was a bit heavy on the approach to the Velodrome so things got a bit alleycat before rolling onto the velodrome for our victory lap. Chilled on the grass watching people roll in with biere and pommes frites.
Despite the regular comments expressing disbelief at our bike choice, fixed wasn't at all an encumbrance IMO. 74" proved to be pretty much perfect and with about 250ft of climbing per 10 miles it's not like there were any climbs to be worried about. Other than 35c Compass Bon Jon Pass with latex tubes at about 45psi, the only real mod I made was some gel pads on the tops which probably helped a bit bit the vibration. Weirdly the only part of me that hurt on the Sunday was my middle finger on each hand.
https://www.strava.com/activities/540284449
Rode out to Secteur 8 on the Sunday to spectate, before sprinting back as a two-up TT to catch the final 15k.
All in all 11/10 one of the best rides I've done, firmly recommended and would do again.