2011-04-02 - Tour of Flanders 2011

Compared to Surrey, the tarred surfaces were amazing.

This^

At least with cobbles you know what to expect, not some random fucking bomb crater in the middle of an otherwise ok road.

Cobbles ftw! Belgium ftw!

Most Belgian roads aren't tarmaced though, they use cement with expansion joints so you roll along going thump, thump, thump, thump.

I know. I've ridden there. I still prefer the techno beat Belgian roads to the random kidney damage inflicted by Slurrey's.

@ Merak, we must have met on the train (friday) from Geraadsbergen, your team were heading to Gent, me to Oudenaarde i got off at Zottegem.. small world..

Sorry to hear about your spill, you weren't the chap with the Airborne, glasses and ruck sack per chance? If so, I spoke to you on the train!

that was me Merak! i was obviously too polite to ask if you were on this forum.. ha

I must admit I was a touch nervous about this years Flanders - Last year I was still having probs with me back and to be honest hadn't done the training I should have which involved me walking up all the climbs "what do you mean there are hills ya bastards!!"

Even though I'd done a fair bit of riding there was still the fear, the CapelMuur loomed like and angry black dog threatening to bite my arse if I hadn't done enough training. Morning comes and after a hurried breakfast and a generous helping of gooch cream we're off on t'bus. Build bikes, watch ved do some ninja bar tape wrapping and peg it to start, wait in queue of forruns who if they'd shown a the same level of aggression on the battlefield as they do in queues maybe wouldn't have lost 2 world wars, a 40 minute wait and we're off.

I love the classics and the first set of pave brings back great memories of past grupetto trips to flanders and roubaix, good times and a little memory nudge for the guys who couldn't make this trip, you were missed. Vedster splits to do the 70k route and it's just me and Ricky, just like the old times.

The first Berg appears, shit…

oooh bugger me I've got up it, how did that happen!! Get the feeling I might enjoy this, the miles get eaten up just riding alongside Ricky, the occasional glance, a nod of recognition at memories of previous flanders as we pass a town or a familiar farmhouse. It's what riding for me is all about, with your mates, the gentle hum of tyres puctuated by the rattling of chains as you hit the pave, that 30 second glide when you hit smooth tarmac after a long cobbled section.

Koppenberg - no chance. I kid myself it's because all the riders in front of me had gotten off but I know the truth is that the Koppenberg would have beaten me.

Loads more bergs - Battenberg, Iceberg, Chris De Berg - I climbed them all…

Then it was crunch time - the Muur was there, just challenging me.

Did I admit defeat or have a go, had the previous climbs taken it all out of me - Last year I'd walked up it in disbelief that my mates were riding up it. Ahhhh f*ck it, in the words of the ramones 'hey ho, let's go'.

With the strains of "ca plane pour moi" on my internal jukebox I stuck it in the spinny gear and just put my head down - at least see how far you can go eh fat lad…

Shit I've done the tarmac section, I'm on the cobbles! I can do this! Hit the corner, see the photographer and I'm out of the saddle - If Hippy's taught me one thing it's how to pose for the snappers. Crikey it's getting steep now, remember BMMF's advice about steady tempo and only watching the road directly in front of me and bugger me I've done it. Last year I'd walked all of them, this year I'd ridden all of them bar 3…

Of course Ricky, even feeling knackered and poorly has beaten me up the hill by a large margin but it's absolutely magic to see him waiting for me and to be able to give him a wobbly smile and say I've done it. A nice burn home and it's job done - a great day in the sun and dust of Flanders.

Great stuff, Wayne. Well done mate!

Chapeau mate!! My legs hurt, watching on the tellybox

Well done Wayno!

You owe me £84 for the EPO cycle

"gwaaaaaaarn waaaaaaaaaaaaaynnne!"

good lad wayne, good read

congrats Wayne, great effort..

when i return in 2012 i hope to blitz the lot
without compromise..

This'll be you next year BDW....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EoJ66sNkog

The Surrey Rumble, 77 miles so that will be adequate preparation for Flanders, together with a (reasonably) regular commute from Walton via Richmond and Chiswick Bridgeberg to work. Training done.

A trip to Tesco's and raid their extensive range of sports supplements. Nutrition done.

Hammer down the M20 and across to Belgium, arrive at Brugge at 11.00pm, a quick beer, bed at 12.00 and up at 6.00. Rest done.

Having had a rather busy few months moving house etc, I possibly didn't plan this event as effectively as I had hoped. Waking up on the day, I thought that I'd have a good 13 hours to complete the event if I left at 7.00. Arrived in the main square to find a huge queue to receive the relevant start number etc. Queued for over an hour, got cold and left at 8.30. Bearing in mind that the instructions said that the last checkpoint would close at 7.00pm and the finish at 8.00pm, this now left 11.5 hours.

Left Brugges and cycled with a couple at a comfortable pace, soon realised that although this was OK, once the distance and terrain took its toll I'd be lucky to make the cut-off point. Fortunately, a big group came through and I joined this until the first checkpoint. However, it was obvious that due to my late start, the number of cyclist on the road at this point had dwindled considerably - most people being up ahead. Continued up to the third checkpoint, but was getting tired by now. The girlfriend had said that she would be at the fourth and final checkpoint, so thought I'd climb off and make my way back to the hotel. Called her, she told me that she was there and it was 59km from the finish. Was it f**k! At 140 miles the checkpoint arrived, she'd gone to the finish and had no alternative but to continue. Must admit that if this hadn't happened I wouldn't have completed this. Was absolutely dead and by now was walking up parts of the steepest bergs.

Finish I did, and feel good for it - but training was totally inadequate.

Best moment - finishing

Priceless moment - an Italian cycling up behind me as we entered a cobbled section going 'peep, peep, peep, peep' to urge me to move over. Duly did, as he decided that cobbles were not for him. Watched as he moved on to the gravel section, then a slightly rutted grass surface before disappearing down a ditch with arms and legs flailing. He was OK, his ego battered...

read this with sadness, such an iconic climb now gone :(
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/530156/no-more-muur-as-tour-of-flanders-changes-course-for-2012.html

The climb is still there.

No it isn't. It's a carpark now.

yeah but doing paterberg three times.. ffs might as well stay in london that weekend and do laps of swains lane instead :(

Swains isn't cobbled.

i know.. i'll just have to put a bag of marbles in me shorts instead.. :(

News just in Flemish peoples, things change. Get over it.

He he. I have to say it was the most enjoyable climb of all for me though.

Get over it.

But why, if it's no longer in the race?

http://www.rondevanvlaanderen.be/en/elite-men/news/2011-09/64/oudenaarde-new-arrival-town

to be fair, oudenaarde is a great base for fans..
suspect i'll venture over again, but not sign up for the sportive..

the route of the mens elite race for 2012 if anyone is interested..

http://www.rondevanvlaanderen.be/system/files/467/original/FC12_RVV_PERSMAP.pdf?1316175294

http://www.rondevanvlaanderen.be/system/files/465/original/rvv2012-elite-men-roadmap.pdf?1316175284..

hmm, thought not..