The Ronde without the Muur van Geraardsbergen (Kappelmuur)

kerry-man
kerry-man Posts: 20
edited April 2012 in Pro race
For me Flanders was not the same this year without the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg in the last 20km,
they are iconic climbs and what everyone thinks of when they think about Flanders and all the previous epic battles.

Also making a finishing circuit sucks in my opinion, it should be a point to point race like the others.

All in all, the new organiser has got it wrong, can't believe it wss all done to accomodate rich vips in marquees and tents around the finishing circuit.

Bring back the old route!

Comments

  • Bakunin
    Bakunin Posts: 868
    I love the Muur.

    It was nice to see TB win, but I like the old route.
  • patchy
    patchy Posts: 779
    The race really missed the atmosphere of the Muur, but I wonder how much of that was a hesitant peloton (and absence of Cancellara, as he and Boonen were blatantly strongest in the race - plus ).

    I'd be curious to see the new route again next year, to see if familiarity breeds more attacking racing. If it's still a bit 'flat' then let's get the Muur back in quick sharp!
    point your handlebars towards the heavens and sweat like you're in hell
  • blim
    blim Posts: 333
    It wasn't a vintage Ronde, though I wanted Boonen to win and so am happy from that point of view. It was a very nervy race, which could have been for any number of reasons, but there have been underwhelming Rondes before (2007) so its a bit early to say the route change is a failure. If i'd been a roadside fan on the Kwaremont/Paterberg loop I'd probably have been very happy.

    But i too loved the Muur-Bosberg finale.
    kop van de wedstrijd
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Yeah we missed out more because Cancellara got K.O'd.

    It doesn't have the same rhythm to it.

    Then again, QS shut pretty much everything down too.

    I dunno.

    It seemed no-one was keen on forcing a selection on, say, the Koppenberg, for fear of paying for it in the difficult Kwaremont Paterberg double.

    The Bosberg is noticeable enough to matter, but not so tough it deters people from smashing it on the Muur.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    It didn't help that Boonen wasn't feeling particularly fresh either.
    _
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    The way I look at it, Boonen, Ballan and Pippo arrived together at the finish, no one else close. The route did what it was supposed to do

    It wasn't vintage, and it does lack something but it's not entirely sucky.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    iainf72 wrote:
    The way I look at it, Boonen, Ballan and Pippo arrived together at the finish, no one else close. The route did what it was supposed to do

    It wasn't vintage, and it does lack something but it's not entirely sucky.


    For sure.

    But the Muur is more fun - as is not going over the same climbs too often.

    I didn't feel the atmosphere (through the TV) was as good up the Muur.

    It did feel properly tense/crazy/extreme just as the Ronde should with all the wacky races stuff going on in the first 200km.
    _
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    Would the Muur finish have made any difference? I think we would still have ended with a very similar situation.
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    durhamwasp wrote:
    Would the Muur finish have made any difference? I think we would still have ended with a very similar situation.

    Yeah.

    What would have been nice is if they put the finish line at an angle which isn't directly pointing into a prevailing head-wind.
    _
  • smithy21
    smithy21 Posts: 2,204
    iainf72 wrote:
    The way I look at it, Boonen, Ballan and Pippo arrived together at the finish, no one else close. The route did what it was supposed to do

    It wasn't vintage, and it does lack something but it's not entirely sucky.

    Pretty much sums it up for me too. Just a feeling of being a bit underwhelmed at the end of it all. My own expectations might have been a bit OTT after last year.

    Anyway the good thing about cycling is there is always another big event just around the corner..bring on Roubaix.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    durhamwasp wrote:
    Would the Muur finish have made any difference? I think we would still have ended with a very similar situation.

    Tom would have been dropped on the Muur I suspect.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    calvjones wrote:
    durhamwasp wrote:
    Would the Muur finish have made any difference? I think we would still have ended with a very similar situation.

    Tom would have been dropped on the Muur I suspect.

    Agreed.
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    calvjones wrote:
    durhamwasp wrote:
    Would the Muur finish have made any difference? I think we would still have ended with a very similar situation.

    Tom would have been dropped on the Muur I suspect.

    Agreed.

    Don't agree. Boonen looked quite cool and in control following Pozatto's attack on the Kwaremont. Don't think he would have been dropped on the Bosberg either, it's not that tough a climb.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    For those wanting to start the "Bring back the Muur" campaign, I think you have found your poster boy!

    photopress13083_600.jpg
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    I thought Boonen started to struggle on the penultimate climb, possibly because he had an issue with his gears. It looked like if either Pipo or Ballan had pressed the issue a bit, they could have distanced him a bit.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Jez mon wrote:
    I thought Boonen started to struggle on the penultimate climb, possibly because he had an issue with his gears. It looked like if either Pipo or Ballan had pressed the issue a bit, they could have distanced him a bit.

    Pozzato said he tried but that he could only get 4-5 metres at best.

    It's easy for us to say "press on", but we're not feeling the burn!

    I think with hindsight we knew Pozzat was cooked when he didn't bother going over the top after Boonen reeled Ballan back in.
    _
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    God, we re a miseable bunch of barstwards are nt we.....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • le_patron
    le_patron Posts: 494
    I missed the Muur. Normally go over but didn't this year.
    I like the rythym and flow of the race over the traditional course, the build up to the crescendo and riders and fans alike knew where the threats and opportunities are.
    I also think a 'Ronde' needs to be point to point. Winding around the countryside with the route almost looping back on itself is one thing, but finishing circuits are something else and takes something away I think, it's also less attractive as a sportive now I think too.

    Still, a few leffes numbed the pain when watching on tv (although Eurosport's schedule caused a mad switch to Sporza to cacth the K'berg).

    Anyway, what happened to that chap who normally takes the same position on the muur each year , where did he go ?

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