LBL 2019 +
dish_dash
Posts: 4,679
So I've signed up to ride the full length LBL this year... Any tips or guidance other than it's a bloody long way so save yourself.
Plan on staying in Liege a couple of days after, including to watch the pros race. Anyone done any other shorter rides out of Liege? Suggestions on routes or must do climbs that we won't do on the LBL sportive?
Plan on staying in Liege a couple of days after, including to watch the pros race. Anyone done any other shorter rides out of Liege? Suggestions on routes or must do climbs that we won't do on the LBL sportive?
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Don't try and make it sound as if it was such an epic ride for you in uncharted territory... you'll probably go round it in 8 hours and look fresh like a rose at the finish...
estimate for around 4500m of climbs backloaded. the front end is easy, nice rolling roads, the back is lots of zingy nasty climbs. save the legs and steady does indeed win the day. compact chainsets are a godsend.
I bet the OP will do it in 8:30 :shock:
that would be very very quick....
@Ugo - 8.30 sounds ambitious but I'll take it as a target...
@Phil - have you spent any time riding out of Liege pre/post LBL? Wondering if you have any recommendations for post ride loops for Sunday/Monday. And assume that best place to watch the race is to just go find a TV in Liege?
Was quite the day. Managed to get around in 10.22 (moving time of just under 10 hours). Was a tough old day with harsh weather conditions. Started off cold and damp, headwind out to Bastogne (which is a long slog), then heavy rain, some hail, and a bit of sunshine at the finish. Tried to get some groups going in the first 100km but there seemed to be a variety of views on how to run one. And was pretty much solo for the second half once the climbs really started.
Food stops were alright. A few waffles and some cheese rolls kept me going along with my own supplies. I did have to resort to a few gels once the big climbs kicked off. It's back loaded and relentless to the finish...
The Ardennes were lovely though, and Liege much better than I was anticipating. It definitely wasn't a "dump" as I've seen it described in previous LBL threads. It's clearly not as rich as Flanders but nothing as bad as around Roubaix for example. We had a couple of nice meals and were able to do a decent amount of sightseeing on Sunday (a long set of stairs up to the war memorial and a famous font in a church) before heading to the finish line to watch some pretty knackered looking riders while nursing a Jupiler. All very chill and had a good nosey around the buses/bikes.
Went for a good ride out to the three country border (Belgium/Netherlands/Germany) on the Monday and then a taster of some of the Amstel Gold climbs towards Maastricht. A nice mix of quiet roads, decent climbs, and some astonishing cycle lane infrastructure once in the Netherlands. The Cauberg was a bit underwhelming though.
Easy cycle lane along the river from Maastricht to Liege and I now slightly regret not going up the river to do the Mur de Huy. Another time...
May put Amstel Gold next on the list as I reckon you'd have a great sportive ride and then, given how much the route switches back and forth, a good chance of watching the pros from a few different spots on race day.