Tour of Flanders Sportive (Ronde Van Vlaanderen)
shipley
Posts: 549
It's a bit early for 2017 planning but if anyone wants a really fantastic experience I would strongly recommend the Tour of Flanders Sportive (Ronde Van Vlaanderen).
We booked up for the 129km medium (but actually 134km) route and booked a hotel in nearby Waregem. We arrived last Friday lunchtime and rode the 14km to Oudenaarde to register and soak up the atmosphere, returning to our hotel after a few hours. As it was the 100th Tour of Flanders there was a lot to soak up. 16,000 competitors made this the biggest event I have ever been involved in.
On Saturday we started the ride at 7.45am and paced ourselves as the ride is somewhat 'backended' with the climbs. It's well balanced as you are introduced to hills which were fine, cobbles on the flat which were much worse than advertised and then cobbled climbs....and my nemesis...cobbled descents.
The ride also presented us with fabulous descents (80kph
) and crossing the professionals' finish line was superb.
It's a tough day out but totally exhilarating, helped by the fact that it was dry for us.
It's a simple drive from Calais (which facilitates a trip to the wine superstore !!) so getting there and back is easy.
The only downside were the pointless security delays at Calais on the return trip (English checks at the Eurotunnel arrivals) and the death of the poor Irish rider who died on the Kwaremont from a heart attack. It was a horrible sight for us to see but far worse for his son who was there and his family. (RIP Pat Coyle).
If you want a real adventure, do this...it's fantastic !
We booked up for the 129km medium (but actually 134km) route and booked a hotel in nearby Waregem. We arrived last Friday lunchtime and rode the 14km to Oudenaarde to register and soak up the atmosphere, returning to our hotel after a few hours. As it was the 100th Tour of Flanders there was a lot to soak up. 16,000 competitors made this the biggest event I have ever been involved in.
On Saturday we started the ride at 7.45am and paced ourselves as the ride is somewhat 'backended' with the climbs. It's well balanced as you are introduced to hills which were fine, cobbles on the flat which were much worse than advertised and then cobbled climbs....and my nemesis...cobbled descents.
The ride also presented us with fabulous descents (80kph
) and crossing the professionals' finish line was superb.It's a tough day out but totally exhilarating, helped by the fact that it was dry for us.
It's a simple drive from Calais (which facilitates a trip to the wine superstore !!) so getting there and back is easy.
The only downside were the pointless security delays at Calais on the return trip (English checks at the Eurotunnel arrivals) and the death of the poor Irish rider who died on the Kwaremont from a heart attack. It was a horrible sight for us to see but far worse for his son who was there and his family. (RIP Pat Coyle).
If you want a real adventure, do this...it's fantastic !
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Comments
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Great stuff.
Heading to the French Alps in June, and the chap taking us just took a group to the Tour of Flanders sportive. Really tempted to head over next year.0 -
I've done it twice and it really is such a great weekend. We do tend to be a little over exuberant with the local beers on the Friday, and last year I woke up on the Monday missing an iPhone after getting into rounds with the locals on the Kwaremont watching the race. I will be back next year.0
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Yep, done it the last 3 years as it's an easy drive from here. I would recommend staying in Gent as its a lovely place to see in itself, but everything else in the OP is correct.
The only other thing I might suggest is starting at either 7 (NO!!) or waiting until 9 so that you re behind the crowds a bit and can get a shot at the climbs. Obviously sad incidents will happen and you can't blame anyone for that but this was the first year I ve had to queue to get ON to the Koppenberg. Usually you can get a half decent run at it
Then, yes, stay over Saturday and watch the pros do the real thing. Now the women's race is on too you can pretty much see a race go past every 45 mins and if you set up by a big screen you can follow along the rest of the time. Proper cycling is to be found at the roadside not on an illegal stream or twitter!
The only way to ride cobbles is to ride them HARD!
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Great event and good banter with the crowds watching a load of guys and girls trundling up the hills. Shame about the death of Pat Coyle, first death on the course for the 25 years of the sportive. enjoyed passing people for pretty much the first time up the steeper hills. I also enjoyed pulling a load of Belgians along in a fairly large Echelon at the end of the sportive for the last couple of KM... Fun!!!0
