Early Season races in Belgium.

rovers69

I am thinking of heading over to Belgium in March or April for a break and to, hopfully, take in a race. Any suggestions. i know there are some biggish races around Northern France and Belgium around that time. Which race would be best to watch and where?
I won't be going on an organised package.
Cheers.

iainf72

Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix are the obvious big ones.

I've never been to see Flanders but everyone says it's a fantastic experience.

afx237vi

Never been, but Flanders would be my choice too. You can watch the race go by more than once and the atmosphere looks amazing.

andyp

The Tour of Flanders is definitely worth doing but it is a massive day out for the Flemish so all the main vantage points are very busy. Don't even think about getting onto the Muur in Geraardsbergen unless you are there at the crack of dawn for example.

I quite often go over for weekend double of Het Volk and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne at the end of February/beginning of March. Het Volk is a good race as riders aiming to do well in the cobbled classics use it to test their form so you always see the big names giving it full gas. The race usually goes over the Muur just before half distance so you can see the start of the race in Gent, jump in the car and drive to Geraardsbergen, have a coffee then saunter up the Muur and get a good vantage point to see the race.

For K-B-K the next day you can see the start of the race, drive to the village of Kwaremont then see the race go over the Old Kwaremont. In my experience of Flanders both of these climbs are heaving so you don't see anywhere near as much but the atmosphere is very different.

If you do try and chase a race then try and buy the best map you can, i.e. the larger the scale the better. Flanders is full of little lanes and local knowledge counts for a lot. I've never tried to chase the Tour of Flanders as a lot of people are trying to do the same thing and the route is constantly covering the same area so you can get caught up in the race traffic at any moment.

Most of the races in the spring are televised so you can always see the start, catch the race in 2 or 3 locations then find a good bar and watch the last hour of the race on TV. Belgian beer always enlivens the debate about who is going to win.

Monty Dog

As others have said, Flanders offers a unique cycling experience with their history and heritage in bike races. It feels like half of Flanders take to the streets so unless you're confident in route finding and navigation it's probably best to choose your spot find a local cafe to watch the live TV coverage, see the race pass-by and then join the locals in the cafe for the finish rather than sitting in a tailback on the road trying to listen to the finish in Flemish! For the full-on Flandrian experience ride the Tour of Flanders sportive on the Saturday and watch the race on the Sunday. I've not done the HV / K-B-K weekend but may be tempted in the spring. Paris-Roubaix is considered a 'Flemish' race even though it's in France and has a similar atmosphere. Other spring races worth considering are Ghent-Wevelgem (crash-fest on the Kemmelberg). There's also Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege both further south in the Ardennes or Amstel Gold in Holland.

Burghley

Hi

Agree with all the comments before.

Last year, I did the Flanders Sportive and race watch - it was a brilliant weekend.

Have done Paris-Roubaix many times in the past - again, a fantastic atmosphere.

For both races, it is no longer possible to nip between points of interest as easily as a few years ago. The increase in motorised supporters has been dramatic, and the roads are very dangerous on race day.

Can I also suggest the E3 Prije Herelbeke - the traditional "warm-up" for Flanders. Great atmosphere in the town square where you can chat to the riders, less travelling spectators, and usually won by Tom Boonen!

Whilst not Flemish, I would also recommend the Amstel Gold in Valkenburg, Netherlands. Another great Sportive event on the day before, and you can see the race a few times without travelling more than three or four miles.

Rgds

Pete

Graham Webb

Tour of Flanders, the greatest one day race on Earth. Don't forget to pay Tom a visit in the Tour of Flanders museum, Oudenaarde. There is a large screen TV at the finish too, and you can get beer there.

Cheeky

Tour of Flanders definitely, and the double whammy for me is that it is invariably my birthday weekend. Head for the Oude Kwaremont; big screen, chip wagon, long climb, pub and beer tent, lots of local fans. I even bumped into Ludo Diercksens last year and got a great photo!

Graham Webb

An interesting forum and a poll among the Belgians (they should know!) as to where the best place is to watch the Tour of Flanders. You can use English on this forum. http://www.wielerarchieven.be/forum/sho ... .php?t=856 Cheers, Graham.

In all the Flemish answers to this poll as to where is best, most say "at home in front of the telly"!

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deejay

Graham Webb wrote:

An interesting forum and a poll among the Belgians (they should know!) as to where the best place is to watch the Tour of Flanders. You can use English on this forum. http://www.wielerarchieven.be/forum/sho ... .php?t=856 Cheers, Graham.

In all the Flemish answers to this poll as to where is best, most say "at home in front of the telly"!

---

I agree with the telly bit as I find you cannot move around much at Flanders or Roubaix because "now" there are far too many people out. (same for the TDF mountains).
You can see what morons get out and this ruins it for the full time enthusiast.
So if you only need a couple of "sightings" and can get to a Bar/TV then you will be OK to experience the Great atmosphere. Do not get caught on the Kwarmont leg, but part way where you can walk thro to the Koppenberg and then attempt (cart roads) to get to GERAARDSBERGEN for the "Muir and bars/TV.
My last Flanders was about 7 years ago and I started going to "Het Volk" every year since 95 (yes I was in the cafe when the Blizzard started at 9:15).

I was flexi time employed (now retired after RTA) and if weather is OK then will shoot over for mid week races, so I know a lot of back roads.!!!!!!

Hi Graham........My first visit was in a mini in the Simpson-Van Looy era and started again in the 90's when I made an enquiry in a Fellowship (fcot) about any info on Belgian Races.
I think you are just the man to give me an answer........PLEASE.....and oh about the Site above.. it seems to be Flandrians only.

I get my Het Laaste Nieuws booklet every year.

Graham Webb

Deejay,

On that Flemish forum there are a lot of posts in English, there is even a thread for foreigners.
http://www.wielerarchieven.be/forum/for ... y.php?f=24

I didn't quite understand what information that you seek on Belgium, is it info on veteran racing? At the bottom of this TLI page http://www.theleagueinternational.com/icfnews.htm I have included links to racing in Belgium, if you need more info then post me. Always pleased to help.

Graham.

deejay

Thanks Graham.....I think I've really sorted my problem by getting the booklet in February every year. Thats the main reason for getting to HV as it's my little bible.

I was looking for something (at the time) like a BCF handbook for Belgian Crits/Races and went in Plums and they took me next door to buy a Velo magazine. It was helpfull but not Quite what I wanted.

A little story:-
I like the Mater pave section (and when the Ronde used to) then the farm tracks to the Molenberg and get a Hot Dog (or whatever you call it) coffee from Alan Piper.!!!!!!.... I know where he is now and so he should be.

The fellowship I mentioned has a lot of elite league winners plus a majority of ctc and some of us ncu and one topic is Ray Booty's fixed or close ratio sturmey, record breaking.

I hope to be watching the Ronde at home on TV, that is if Eurosport is showing and they might as it's a Pro tour event but as they are French they may opt for the TDF and Continental Races.........you heard anything on that subject.!!!!!!!

Thanks Again...........Health ! !....have I missed something ???

Graham Webb

deejay wrote:

The fellowship I mentioned has a lot of elite league winners plus a majority of ctc and some of us ncu and one topic is Ray Booty's fixed or close ratio sturmey, record breaking.

I hope to be watching the Ronde at home on TV, that is if Eurosport is showing and they might as it's a Pro tour event but as they are French they may opt for the TDF and Continental Races.........you heard anything on that subject.!!!!!!!

Thanks Again...........Health ! !....have I missed something ???

A few years ago I was at Dave Marsh's house and he showed me Ray Booty's old bike!

I know nothing about the plans for TV, we are spoilt rotten here as the Belgian TV has a live show on all day for the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

Health.....do you mean mine? I've had some problems, yes.

Graham.

deejay

Thanks Graham and I have remembered another question.

I was told a few years ago by Belgian cyclists that in a collision (accident) with a Vehicle then the onus was on the driver to prove the cyclist at fault. Is that so in Belgian Law. ???

and another question as I have not browsed yet....the H. V. is back to gent-gent this year I heard somewhere. So if it is then the finish at the watersportsbaan where Ballerini won the last time there. ?????

You showed a link to theleagueinternational and that probably means Dave Orford who bangs on about the "BLRC" (you know dave) in the quarterly fellowship mag and he knows all the league boy's.

deejay

deejay wrote:

and another question as I have not browsed yet....the H. V. is back to gent-gent this year I heard somewhere. So if it is then the finish at the watersportsbaan where Ballerini won the last time there. ?????

Got it ..... Gent start then out to Lokeren and some Pave to Wetteren and on to Zottegen, with the last climb the Molenberg as usual. Calvary, don't know that one as such but they have to get over that ridge so got a rough idea.
The finish as above perhaps.

Graham Webb

deejay,

After 12 years H.V. is once again Gent-Gent, and starts at the S.M.A.K. museum, next to the indoor track. The finish is the same as this years 3rd stage of the T de F in Ghent.

http://www.routeyou.com/route/view/13343.nl & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omloop_Het_Volk

Graham.

deejay

deejay wrote:

Thanks Graham and I have remembered another question.

I was told a few years ago by Belgian cyclists that in a collision (accident) with a Vehicle then the onus was on the driver to prove the cyclist at fault. Is that so in Belgian Law. ???
.

Graham would you answer that one please?????

The Het Volk on 1st March seems to have lost out this year with no Muur/Geraadsbergen and I cannot believe it but they are not doing the Oude Kwaremont either.
I've got a print now of the new course, for my friday recke.

Graham Webb

deejay wrote:

Thanks Graham and I have remembered another question.

I was told a few years ago by Belgian cyclists that in a collision (accident) with a Vehicle then the onus was on the driver to prove the cyclist at fault. Is that so in Belgian Law. ???

deejay,

http://www.wegcode.be/wet.php?wet=1&node=art40ter

There is so much to translate, but it seems that they were telling the truth.

Some extracts of the above;

Artikel 40; Behaviour towards cyclists and two wheeled mopeds.
The driver of a car or motorbike is forbidden to endanger cyclists on the open road (that just about covers the lot).

He/She must take double care towards cycling children or elderly cyclists.

He/She must allow 1 metre distance when overtaking a cyclist.

He/She must approach cycle crossings with moderate speed so as not to endanger those using them, if nessessary he/she must stop to let them (cylists) cross safely.

He/She must not stop on a cycle crossing if there are cars stopped in front of them, he/she must leave the crossing free.

deejay, this just goes on and on and not enough room here, but you can get the idea from this that cyclists, especially the young and oud, are well protected by law.