Tour of Flanders finish line changed?
dave milne
Posts: 703
http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/det...MF20110916_037
Meerbeke will no longer host the finish of the RVV ... Oudenaarde will take over that role in 2012 ... so the De Muur/Bosberg combination will no longer figure as the decider for the Ronde
the Koppenberg will now be around 50k from the finish & the final will be the Oude Kwaremont
As taken from cyclingnews forum
not sure I like the sound of this
Meerbeke will no longer host the finish of the RVV ... Oudenaarde will take over that role in 2012 ... so the De Muur/Bosberg combination will no longer figure as the decider for the Ronde
the Koppenberg will now be around 50k from the finish & the final will be the Oude Kwaremont
As taken from cyclingnews forum
not sure I like the sound of this
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So they're really changing it.... rubbish decision.
The route was perfect as it is - and the Muur - Bosberg - Meerbeke finale almost as classic as the Milan-San Remo finale.
No need for more climbs close to the finish, De Ronde never has a poor winner.
Sounds like the new route plans are even more rubbish than just a re-location: http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail ... 110916_037
a final loop with 3 x the Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont? A finishing circuit? At De Ronde? Heresy0 -
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The vote at the bottom says it all:
Is de keuze voor Oudenaarde als aankomst de goede beslissing?
nee
76,65%
ja
23,35%0 -
Getting rid of the finale with De Muur and Bosberg.
It's like taking the Poggio out of Milan-San Remo. Or Paris-Roubaix no longer finishing on the velodrome.
:evil:0 -
The Paterberg is a toughie, especially with 12km to go and the Oude Kwaremont is an excellent climb, that I felt was a little wasted so early on.
Then again, it acted a bit like the Arenberg does in Roubaix - getting ride of the chaff.0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:the Oude Kwaremont is an excellent climb, that I felt was a little wasted so early on.0
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I wonder whether this hillier, tougher finale would benefit Gilbert...0
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Yeah you'd think so.
Not so good for Boonen, who I think now can only win from a small group.
You wonder how selective it'll be.
It sounds like there are less climbs overall, but it's hard to know for sure.
I finally learned the route off by heart last year.
The Flandrians do largely know what they're doing though. I'm quick to judge, but if I was going to trust a lot to design a one day race, it'd be them.0 -
FJS wrote:a final loop with 3 x the Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont? A finishing circuit? At De Ronde? Heresy
A finsihing loop will be great for spectating!0 -
greasedscotsman wrote:FJS wrote:a final loop with 3 x the Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont? A finishing circuit? At De Ronde? Heresy
A finsihing loop will be great for spectating!
So is a crit in Philadelphia or some nameless concrete velodrome. It's just that a finishing circuit is what every namelss new let's-globalize-cycling-and-appeal-to-new-audiences-and-markets 'Classic this' or 'Grand Prix that' has. De Ronde doesn't need it. The Ronde has history, and that is partly grounded in its particular parcours.
Sorry, I'm a bit grumpy. I'm sure it will be an exciting route making for a good race to watch.0 -
Most of the big classics have route changes every so often for various reasons, we all moan then after a year we've all forgotten that it ever went a different way before."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0
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inkyfingers wrote:Most of the big classics have route changes every so often for various reasons, we all moan then after a year we've all forgotten that it ever went a different way before.
*strokes chin* we'll see...0 -
FJS wrote:So is a crit in Philadelphia or some nameless concrete velodrome. It's just that a finishing circuit is what every namelss new let's-globalize-cycling-and-appeal-to-new-audiences-and-markets 'Classic this' or 'Grand Prix that' has. De Ronde doesn't need it. The Ronde has history, and that is partly grounded in its particular parcours.
Sorry, I'm a bit grumpy. I'm sure it will be an exciting route making for a good race to watch.
Of course it doesn't need to change, but I don't see why it shouldn't. The route has changed from time to time throughout the history of the event, it's not something that's cast in stone. For the first 30 years, it started and finished in Ghent!
And from a spectator point of view, it would be great. It's not the best of races to get around for lots of sightings, not as easy as Paris Roubaix, there are accidents at Flanders every year. Maybe that's part of the reason for a circuit finish in the hope that people will just head for it instead of racing around the Belgian countryside.0 -
This is getting worse and worse - De Muur won't be relocated to earlier on in the route, but will not be done at all: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... Oudenaarde0
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http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/new-rou ... s-unveiled
So looking at the details here...The 2012 edition of "Vlaanderen's Mooiste" will start with a typically flat 90 kilometers, followed by the Nokereberg, Taaienberg, Eikenberg, Molenberg, Rekelberg, Berendries and Valkenberg climbs before the threre finial circuits. The finish will be located on Minderbroederstraat close to the city centre of Oudenarde.
there's no Koppenberg either.0 -
OK, I am now offically "bovverred"!"I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0
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complete sacrelige. The equivalent (for Americans) of spitting on the stars and stripes. Was it a parcours that was so broke that it needed fixing? the crowds ever present on the Muur and Koppenberg tell me not.
The good thing is that if it turns out to be a disaster they can always go back to the old parcours as long as they are man enough to recognise a mistake.0 -
No Koppenburg??0
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The Koppenberg was first incorporated in the 1970s, and didn't feature between 1988 and 2002. Are we saying that those editions were somehow lacking?
I'll reserve judgement for now, it's an interesting change but we don't yet know if it's going to have a positive or negative effect on the race.0 -
According to the Route map on Sporza, the Koppenberg will be climb number 10, before it starts the circuit job.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....0
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What a mess of a route, especially towards the end. For me a route that goes from place to place, or which runs around a circuit logically defined by the terrain, as the old one did, makes for a better race.
This change will also screw up the Flanders sportive, as there is no way all those who ride it could fit on those finishing circuits when they come together.
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BikingBernie wrote:What a mess of a route, especially towards the end. For me a route that goes from place to place, or which runs around a circuit logically defined by the terrain, as the old one did, makes for a better race.
This change will also screw up the Flanders sportive, as there is no way all those who ride it could fit on those finishing circuits when they come together.
IT's as much of a mess of the last one:
But you're right about the sportive.0 -
I ve officially droped my interest in the sportive if it's not got the Mur in it - what's the point? It'd be like doing the P-R one without the Arlberg/Arnberg? (What is it again?) Shame my Belgian Collegue has just left, this would have been interesting!We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
FJS wrote:This is getting worse and worse - De Muur won't be relocated to earlier on in the route, but will not be done at all: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... Oudenaarde
:shock: :shock: :shock:
I'm so glad I went to see & ride it last year.
Bolux___________________
Strava is not Zen.0 -
Personally I'm glad they didn't appear to consider the impact the route change would have on the sportive version of the event when making these changes.0
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Rumour has it (OK CN forum) that the Paterberg/Oude Kwaremont loop will become pay to view, too."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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andyp wrote:The Koppenberg was first incorporated in the 1970s, and didn't feature between 1988 and 2002. Are we saying that those editions were somehow lacking?
I'll reserve judgement for now, it's an interesting change but we don't yet know if it's going to have a positive or negative effect on the race.
Not in so many words but I think it is fair to say that an iconic race was enhanced by the inclusion of the Koppenberg which has, in itself, become an iconic part of the race. But you are right we should reserve judgment, let's see.0 -
It's clearly in anyway, so it's a moot point.0