Tour of Flanders

Michael H

Hi,

I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice on watching the Tour of Flanders.

My wife and I are going to see the race this year. We're staying in Bruges so will be able to watch the sign-in / start etc in the morning. Then we're going to drive out of Bruges to find a good vantage point (or points) to watch the race later in the day.

We think we will drive to Geraardsbergen so that we can watch the race at the Kapelmuur, a few kilometers from the end.

What I'm wondering is how easy or advisable it would be to try and see the race at other good points between Bruges and the Kapelmuur. What I definitely don't want to do is try to take in too much and end up making a mess of things - perhaps getting caught in traffic and never really getting to see the race, at least once, in a great location. I'd be happy to settle for the Bruges / Kapelmuur option if that was the best way to make a good day. On the other hand, if it's easy enough to stop off at other locations between Bruges and Geraardsbergen, then we may as well take them in too.

Any advice from anybody who's been out to see the race would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

Michael H

Greggyr

Hi Michael
there is a huge screen halfway up the Muur, with food & drink concessions there too. It is a great place to watch the race on the screen, as well as seeing the riders pass by live on a famous climb.
G

andyrr

We went a few years ago and our first point was the Kwaremont, nice bar, places doing hot dogs and beers etc then we sent on to Gerardsbergen where we stayed until the end. Got to Kwaremont in sufficient time from Bruges to be able to walk the hill to just see how steep it is for ourselves.

greasedscotsman

It's possible to see the race a few times between the start and the Muur, if you talk to the locals they will get to see the race up to 10 times! But depends on how much you want to gamble. You are right when you say that you could easily get caught in traffic, it's not as easy a race to get around as Paris Roubaix.

I think your plan to see the start and then head to the Muur sounds a good one. As had been previously mentioned, there is a large TV screen about halfway up the climb, so you can see the race approaching, watch it past and then see the finish. Also there is a women's race that preceeds the men's by a few hours which goes over the Muur.

Then maybe go again next year when you have a bit more confidence in what your doing and see the race several times!

andyp

Excellent advice from greasedscotman. I'd second it, go to the Muur, soak up the atmosphere (and a beer or two ) and watch the race unfold on the big screen. Then enjoy the atmosphere building as the race approaches, the increase in traffic, the first noise of the helicopters, then the anticipation as they come closer and closer. It's a great way to spend a day. 8)

AndyRubio

The Muur's the touristy version, like saying "Go to Disneyland if you want to enjoy America". If you want real Flanders find a smallish town on the route and join in their festivities. I was in Gavere a few years ago when the riders went through - all on a big screen, frites and beer stalls etc etc. Plus I was able to get a beer without queueing for an hour.

andyrr

Yup, by all means see the riders go past on the Muur but don't just limit your day to that, other places will let you see the earlier action, will be quieter and will also have plenty aatmosphere.

Michael H

Many thanks for all the advice guys - it's greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

Michael

greasedscotsman

Let us know how you get along and don't forget to post some photos

Michael H

Will do.

I'm trying to get some training in for the Nove Colli in May and am just worried what this weekend of Belgian beer and chocolate will do to my plans.

Cheers.

Michael

Monty Dog

Ride the sportive the day before and you can easily allow yourself the luxury of a few beers - in fact, when in Belgium, I tend to make it a neccessity to fuel up on beer and frites the night before a big event!

Le Commentateur

Alternatively, 4 hours live coverage on Eurosport this year.

wicked

Le Commentateur wrote:

Alternatively, 4 hours live coverage on Eurosport this year.

Not if the cross country skiing, moto gp , superbikes , tennis , tiddlywinks over runs it won't! :evil:

paul_bhoy

Guys

I take it the riders sign in and start from the Grot Markt

rick_chasey

paul_bhoy wrote:

Guys

I take it the riders sign in and start from the Grot Markt

Grote Markt

Yeah, think so.

greasedscotsman

So what are people's thoughts on who's gonna win? (Non PTP discussion...)

Is Boonen the hot favourite after 2nd's in Milan San Remo and E3 Prijs Vlaanderen? Think he'll be too heavily marked. Cancellara looks to be coming good at about the right time, as does Flecha and Pozzato! And what about an outsider like Boom?

Getting excited about it already!

Neil McC

I'm thinking Boonen, Cancellara or Gilbert. Like you say Flecha and Pozzato have also been riding well. I think it's quite an open race and I too am getting quite excited about it! 4 hours coverage on Europsort too?

Mar ge

Gilbert - no chance.
He couldn't even hold the wheel of Pozzato last weekend.....

Boonen or Cancellara will have to much coverage.

Flecha / Pozzato I think.

mididoctors

as long as his chain doesn't snap spartacus is going to blast everyone off his wheel

andyp

Mar ge wrote:

Gilbert - no chance.
He couldn't even hold the wheel of Pozzato last weekend.....

Eh? How can you hold someone's wheel when you're not in the same race? Pozzato only raced E3 last weekend, Gilbert only raced Gent-Wevelgem.

dave_1

I was surprised the E 3 was trailed as some big prelude to ToF when it is a chipper, was a chipper, always will be a chipper.

andyp

No-one remembers who has won the E3 at the end of the season, but they will remember who won Flanders. It has, however, always been a race that the big names use as a final test of their form 8 days before Flanders so is no chipper. You only need to look at a list of the previous winners to see that.

dave_1

Andyp,
There are quite a lot of good races gone to the wall. Paris Brussels, which was a cross border classic that was a perfect race. GP De Nations, GP Midi Libre, ...you followed the sport as long as me. I won't include Classique des Alpes, though it was a cracker of an idea. E3 is good pundit wise, but it is 3rd cats and juniors on your palmares for me and anyone from the 80s, 90s....you and I will only have heard of it in the past few years surely...buried deep in the results section prior to this years PTP. Still, times change...am maybe left behind?

Pross

I've always though of G-W as a bigger race and prep for Flanders. Didn't one of them used to be a mid week race? :?

redddraggon

Pross wrote:

I've always though of G-W as a bigger race and prep for Flanders. Didn't one of them used to be a mid week race? :?

In recent years G-W was the Wednesday between RvV and P-R

Pross

Thanks, thought I wasn't going mad. I seem to recall that led to it becoming less "important".

dave_1

Fleche and GW got hurt over the past decade, but Fleche was and is a big one, GW it's equal. Liege..no harder but a bigger win. Amstel...discuss

mididoctors

Dave_1 wrote:

Andyp,
There are quite a lot of good races gone to the wall. Paris Brussels, which was a cross border classic that was a perfect race. GP De Nations, GP Midi Libre, ...you followed the sport as long as me. I won't include Classique des Alpes, though it was a cracker of an idea. E3 is good pundit wise, but it is 3rd cats and juniors on your palmares for me and anyone from the 80s, 90s....you and I will only have heard of it in the past few years surely...buried deep in the results section prior to this years PTP. Still, times change...am maybe left behind?

I think this new calender of packing it into weekends is a step up

the end profile of E3 is a better analog to the ronde as prep..IMO and i suspect flecha's Boonen's and Cancellara's

dave_1

mididoctors wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

Andyp,
There are quite a lot of good races gone to the wall. Paris Brussels, which was a cross border classic that was a perfect race. GP De Nations, GP Midi Libre, ...you followed the sport as long as me. I won't include Classique des Alpes, though it was a cracker of an idea. E3 is good pundit wise, but it is 3rd cats and juniors on your palmares for me and anyone from the 80s, 90s....you and I will only have heard of it in the past few years surely...buried deep in the results section prior to this years PTP. Still, times change...am maybe left behind?

I think this new calender of packing it into weekends is a step up

the end profile of E3 is a better analog to the ronde as prep..IMO and i suspect flecha's Boonen's and Cancellara's

fair enough. I just wanted to flag up some races that died and mention I'd not hear anything much at all of the E 3 in my cycling following life. The World TT Champs is basically the GP de Nations rebranded...Hinault, Kelly , Mottet, Rominger all took the GP Nations very seriously...it was considered a TT classic and was killed off by the World Cup in its final years. The Super Prestige Pernod finished in 1988-a great benchmark it was. Even now I don't really know who is number one on points over the season exactly and am left to guess. At least in the 1980s and 90 you knew who was up there on a monthly basis. SK best for 4 years straight. Anyways, we don't really need a World TT champs when there are so many events on that week and most riders are burned out. GP Nations was perfect falling a week or two before Lombardy

LangerDan

Gilbert ( ok, Gilbert's bike) gets a new paint-job for Flanders - called "Balls and Glory" apparently!

greasedscotsman

What about Hincapie? Maybe it's "his" year? 4th at GW? And what about Hushovd, 6th at MSR?