Tour of Flanders finish line changed?

dave milne
dave milne Posts: 703
edited September 2011 in Pro race
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
«13

Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopi ... oudenaarde
    _
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    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? Heresy
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    It's a tougher finale, for sure.

    Shame.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    The vote at the bottom says it all:

    Is de keuze voor Oudenaarde als aankomst de goede beslissing?
    nee
    76,65%
    ja
    23,35%
    _
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    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:
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    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.
    _
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    the Oude Kwaremont is an excellent climb, that I felt was a little wasted so early on.
    Nooooo. The Oude Kwaremont is where it all starts - the start of the hill zone. The 10km leading up to it are a massive battle for positions. Key moment in the race. Luckily it seems they're keeping that.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    I wonder whether this hillier, tougher finale would benefit Gilbert...
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    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.
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    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!
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    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.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    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)
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    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...
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    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.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    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
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    BS_4225815_4225815-_730559b.jpg

    Where's our guy going to stand??!
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    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.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    edited September 2011
    OK, I am now offically "bovverred"!
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    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.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Tusher
    Tusher Posts: 2,762
    No Koppenburg??
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,104
    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.
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    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....
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    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.

    203328396.jpg
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,586
    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.

    203328396.jpg

    IT's as much of a mess of the last one:
    deronde_kaart2010_590.jpg

    But you're right about the sportive.
    _
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,388
    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
    - @ddraver
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    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.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,104
    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.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,812
    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.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    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.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,104
    It's clearly in anyway, so it's a moot point.

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