Ronde van Vlaanderen 2014

Finally I find some time to write about this year's Ronde van Vlaanderen. For the first time I did the full 250 km, starting in Bruges. What a bad idea (I thought after 150 km or so) but what a great experience (never again I though right after crossing the finish line). But I'm already looking forward to the 2015 edition. And the 250 km again. It was just too good to cross this damned line after the full tour.

The first 100-120 km or so are easy and lead more or less straight from Bruges to the "flemish Ardennes". And if for once Belgian Rail SNCB could be punctual we would not have missed the start at 7:00 am at Bruges main square. But the first train to leave Brussels for Bruges in the the morning was already heavily delayed (how is that possible?! the god damned first train!!) so we started around 7:45am in Bruges. Which means that the vast majority of the 4,000 odd starters of the full tour were already way ahead. No benefiting from large groups and all the effort against the wind more or less alone. Stupid Belgian railways!

Nevertheless easy first 120 km with average quite above 30 km/h. I guess that's the new wheels. The first challenge was the Molenberg, not because of the 30 meters climbing but of the worst cobblestones in the whole tour. Speaking cobblestones, what followed the Molenberg was the worst part of the tour for me: the flat cobblestone passages of several kilometre length. I really hate them and in the end it was there where I lost most of my motivation.

Stupid "Kerkgate" cobblestones

What followed then was all the classic "hellingen", nicely lined up and with little time to recover in between. Already No. 7 was the Koppenberg, the steepest one of all with a max. of 22 % gradient - and cobblestones. In the end I managed to make it uphill - unlike most of the other riders. Slowly but steadily climbing without getting off the bike. Not easy at 22 % cobblestone hills. Most other "hellingen" are also paved with cobblestones but the slow uphill speed doesn't make it too difficult - at least that's how I feel them. I don't remember much between km 160 and km 220 or so apart from the Koppenberg and that there were enough moments I thought "why not sit on the Cafe Belga terrace with a beer on such a lovely day?".

But with Paterberg and Oude Kwaremont done (again slowly but steadily climbing up) it was practically achieved and the last 20 km of flat terrain back to Oudenaarde was a piece of cake.
Overall the limit to 16,000 participants made it much easier on the "hellingen". No "traffic jams", no annoying riders getting off their bike just in front of you and couldn't bother to move to the side. The obligation to use the bloody cycling paths that ruin the wheels is ridiculous in a road biking country like Belgium. And police should have better things to do than following cyclists not riding on those terrible "fietspad".

Needless to say that on our way back from Oudenaarde to Brussels the SNCB train was late again and we missed our connection in Ghent. But, hey, I had all the time in the world after those 9 hours of "Vlaanderens Mooiste".

Ename Classic debrief

The Ename Classic is part of the Bank van de Post Cycling Tour. I also wrote about it here. It took place 23 March this year. Start is in Zottegem and the course winds through the "Flemish Ardennes", to a great extend in the region of the Ronde, but without going up the classics like Paterberg, Kwaremont or Kopenberg.

Bernd and myself decided to ride this "short" 150k tour in preparation for the 250k of the Ronde van Vlaanderen this year. The weather was not too bad and so we left Brussels around 8h30, in order to start around 10h00 in Zottegem. As always it was excellently organised and a real bargain for 15€ as compared to the Ronde. Even tough we started a bit late, there was still a good number of people on the course. It was easy to get into a larger group and do a 33 average with a strong headwind to the first feeding zone after 40k.

excellent organisation - as always on the Bank van de Post Cycling tour

After the first feeding zone the course split into 144 and 118 km with most of the riders going the shorter distance (sissies!) which left us more or less alone against the strong headwind. At least there was some reward: a nearly empty feeding zone in a beautiful setting in one of the small Flemish villages:

 

When joining the 118 km course again, things got easier as we headed back towards Zottegem but now with a good tailwind. However, there were some difficulties like 15min hail and rain, losing the course briefly after taking a wrong turn and 20% gradients - but without cobblestones at least.

Altogether a good warmup for the Ronde. Lesson learnt: take it easy in the beginning. The high pace in the first 50-60 km took their toll and my legs were overly acidified. But it was just a short 150k ride ;-) nothing to worry about.

New wheels

With the Mavic Ksyrium Elite broken after a bit more than 2 years it was time to decide for new wheels. It was really disappointing to see that the 500+ € Mavic wheels are not durable at all. Even on Belgian roads this

should not happen. Bad Mavic quality and what a waste of money for those expensive wheels.

So no more Mavic wheels for me. And with the absence of mountains in Belgium, lightweight is also not the most important issue. I decided to look for aerodynamic high profile carbon wheels. I did not want to spend 1000€ or more on wheels for the terrible Belgian roads. Luckily I found Planet X wheels from the UK: 500€ including shipment. Great deal I guess. And in addition they weigh even less than what the producer claims: 1750g. So more or less the same than the Mavic Cosmic Carbone wheels but for half the price. In you face Mavic!

It's mainly because of the looks and sound of the high profile carbon wheels that I bought them. A normal pair of wheels from DT Swiss or Easton would have been cheaper and lighter. But cycling is a lot about style!

So far I only did 150k (Ename Classic) on them. It felt and sounded great. However, I doubt they make me much faster. But they look great:

Hallerbos

With this great spring weather I couldn't resist but go cycling again. For a change not along the Canal, Dijle or any other waterway in the north, but rather to the south of Brussels, around Alsemberg and Halle:(link)
The way out is a bit long, via Sint-Job, Linkebeek and Beersel - and hilly. But as of Beersel the nice cycling starts, with gentle hills and not so traveled roads - especially Dikkemeerweg towards Alsemberg/Dworp. I once attended the Brabantse Pijl there which was excellent to watch from the church in Alsemberg.

Crossing Alsembergsesteenweg into Dworp finding the way up to the "Hallerbos"  is not too easy. And the roads are not that good. Especially Chemin Bois du Vicaire is hardly suitable for road bikes but it's the only way I found so far uphill to the Hallerbos. However, once up there, the view from Dreve de Colipain is amaying:

Dreve de Colipain, south of the Hallerbos

However, things get a bit worse again through the forest itsself. Again, the road is not the best for road bikes but it is managable. And the forest itsself is worth riding through:

Rollercoaster ride through the Hallerbos

Once out of the Forest it is a relatively long downhill ride to the Brussel-Charleroi canal. And from there straight back home to Brussels. This time with a strong tailwind. Great.

Lier

The spring-like weather last weekend was excellent to go for the first >100 km tour this year. A very much needed training for the 250 km Ronde van Vlaanderen in one month time. At the same time I was a little ill the week before so going a lot of up-and-down would not be the best idea. So, flat waterways again. When will I ever go to the rolling hills of the Pajottenland again?!


The link to the track.

Bernd joined me on this one. We left via Vilvoorde and on towards the Jagdpad starting in Hombeek. Until then not much new. I know the way there blindly by now I believe. Still it is one of the best routes for cycling. When arriving at the "Zennegat", instead of cycling along the Rupel we decided to go along the Nete towards Lier.

In Lier, we started to go back via the famous "fietsknooppunten", starting from punt no. 30. Again this took us along some waterway but I have no clue which little winding river that was:

The way back via knooppunten 30-28-72-49-35-36-37-01-74-73 until Boortmeerbeek was some of the best knooppunten route so far. All well paved with little freaky cycling path bits or suddenly unpaved roads. No changing direction all the time. Really excellent if it wasn't for the headwind that got strong, especially along the boring all-straight Haachtsesteenweg back to the airport and into Brussels.

All togehter certainly one of the best "boring" flat routes with a total of maybe 250 m "climb" (on 111 km in total). Could even be a rival to the so far favourite Zenne-Rupel-Schelde route.

Night

I decided to go for a long, but not very difficult ride after work, meaning no hills. So I cyled along the rail high speed line and the canal basically. With the right equipment when it is dark, this is not a problem. I have a quite strong headlight with which I can ride even if there is no street light. The 5€ decathlon one will not do. And even if there is street light in the countryside I'd recommend a really strong light. I got a B+M Ixon Pure with 30 Lux that lasts for about 5-6 hours.


Starting out towards the rail high speed line more or less the "usual way" with some variations. Already here the strong headlight pays off. It's completely dark. As soon as I am out of the city and on the bike path or the canal I usually wear headphones. It gets a bit boring otherwise in the darkness. "Fear of the dark" by Iron Maiden is definitely the right soundtrack.

In Veltem, I thought continuing all the way to Leuven and then along the canal was a bit too much and I'd rather make a shortcut along some "fietsknooppunten". However, when looking at the track now, I am not sure if this was a real shortcut. Anyway, the knooppunten are a fine thing.

at the Tildonk lock at the Canal

Arriving at the canal, I realised how awful this can be at night. With nothing around but darkness and a completely straight road ahead the lights at the distance seemed not to come nearer. Stupid. 

Back to Brussels via the good cyclingpath along Haachtsesteenweg. I passed the cycle passion store which looked like a decent bike shop. Got to pay them a visit one day.

Land van Asse

Profiting from this Sunday's spring weather, I decided to do a little variation of the "Land van Asse Route". There are some unpaved parts of this route that are not suitable for road bikes. So I made some adaptations.


Bernd joined me on this one. We left Brussel via Meise. On the Heirbaan the first short "Kasseienstrok" gives some Ronde van Vlaanderen feeling. And a really nasty one. The cobblestones are in bad shape. Even if it is just some 200m this one is quite tough.

For the rest this first part of the tour is good for rolling on relatively flat, well paved and hardly-any-traffic country roads. With the northern Brussels "skyline" (Atomium and Jette apartment blocks) will visible in the distance the feeling is already all countryside. For a good reason, Brussegem, Kobbegem and the following  kilometres are really rural, despite the fact that the ring is just a few kilometres away.

Panoramic view on Heirbaan in Meise

A bit further down the road, the Weyenberg in Merchtem

So with  Brussegem reached, the "Land van Asse Route" signposts will guide us trough back country roads and lots of up-and-down the small "Hellingen" - again a bit like on the Ronde but with less cobblestones. Fortunately. The only thing to pay attentioin to is not to always follow the signposts. E.g. in Kobbegem. The "official" route leads to an unpaved road, not suitable for roadbikes.

Anyway, the only not so great part to follow is a short part along the N9, the Gentsesteenweg into Asse. For the rest, I really enjoy this tour for the small roads, short but steep hills and even the short cobblestone parts. It's Flanders after all, so there has to be some "Kasseien", no?

relatively good "Kasseienstrok", the Strijdlandstraat in Merchtem

Spring cycling on Eeckhoutweg in Merchtem - while real Austrians should be skiing

Back in Brussegem, I decided to take another way back to Brussels and see if the new cycling path along Brusselsesteenweg is any good. Well, it is. Narrow but excelent new asphalt. But just until Wemmel where it's the usual concrete blocks again. Awful. But at least the way back into Brussels from Wemmel is a good new discoery. Looking forward to leave wintercycling behind.