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Belgian Road Trip

0300 Saturday 29 August

What the hell is that!! Oh its the alarm. After much scurrying round to get ourselves ready Stu Chippy biker arrives and we load the bikes and kit into the car the road trip commences. Three men in a car myself, Stuart Hopkins and my son Mark are heading to Belguim to ride some of the most famous roads in cycling history. The “spring classics” are a series of one day races that traditionally act as a curtain raiser to the new season. Often run in horrendous conditions from rain to sleet and snow. These races are run over huge distances usually in excess of 220km and combine long flat sections with lots of short sharp hill climbs that combine to weaken the rider until its almost a case of last man standing wins. The speed on the flat is unrelenting and the steepness of the climbs unforgiving. The winners are regarded as among the toughest in a tough sport.

0700
The ferry pulls out of Dover headed for Calais. We head straight for the food hall and beat the rush to fuel up on a healthy breakfast – well ok not so healthy bacon, scrambled eggs and toast. Stu is a bit more organised than Mark and me and has a very healthy alternative, what a pro!

1000
Well on our way now to our final destination for the weekend – Zingem. The scene out the window is typical northern France, flat, pretty uninspiring but the town names on the signs are all pretty familiar. This whole area will forever be intrinsically linked with one of he most devastating episodes of human history. Man not so much as killing fellow man but slaughtering them. Its sunny and warm, Belgum is showing us her good side.

1200
Stu has lined up some B&B accommodation in the village on the recommendation of an ex team mate from his junior days and we roll up outside and knock the door to be greeted by a blond 20 yr old Scandinavia girl! Have we died and gone to heaven!! It quickly transpires that she is not the owner and we are directed to another house further down the street. The good news though is that she is staying in the same house. But any possible confusion is corrected by the owner who informs that not only is she a fellow cyclist – in training, but she also has a boyfriend with her as well.

1300
And we are rolling out towards the Schelde and into Oudenaarde. The Schelde is a road running alongside a river wide enough for large barges to ply up and down. The path is a mecca for cyclists and walkers, traffic free and running for several miles towards Gent and beyond north and equally as far running south. We will find out that this trail acts as an artery for the life blood of cycling in the area.

It’s as flat as a pancake and we are soon bowling along at a good pace into Oudenaarde to suss out the terrain and have a coffee. Stu makes contact with his ex team mate who has recently returned to the area to life and race. He has a race nearby and after a coffee we ride to the small village about 10km away.

Its a bit tricky finding where the race is because it’s not in the main drag but about 2km out. We trip over it and its clear that this event is well marshalled and organised. A race is already in progress for grand vet riders and we jump onto the circuit to ride round to the start/finish. After a few minutes riding there’s a shout and two riders go through going reasonably quickly followed a few metres later by a car with a green flag. Other riders are also riding the course and we pass junctions with marshalls and barriers to close the course at the appropriate time. Its well organised & practiced. We meet up with Steve who is planning to ride the equivalent of a Vets race. There are about 50 riders taking part, its a small race we’re informed. There’s no roll out its a standing start. The race runs at a frantic pace its similar to a Crit race, only faster. Steve gets taken out by a local and we commiserate with him for a while before riding back to the B&B.

0830 Sunday 30^th August

First main ride today. The idea is to link up with what sounds like a mad group ride down the Schelde, then split off to ride some of the well known climbs on the Tour of Flanders. Names like Kluisberg, Kruisberg, Oude Kwaremont, Paterberg & Koppenberg all steeped in cycling history and with stories etched in legend. But first its the Schelde.

We ride out and meet up with Steve who has briefed on what to expect. As we ride toward Gent its obvious other riders are there for the same purpose. They ride up and down like prostitutes plying for business! We are almost in Gent so we turn back and are on the point of giving up when the “main man” is seen riding the opposite way.

We wait and within 5 minutes a large swarming group of riders is heading our way. Its moving fast, very fast all with its own dynamic, we line ourselves up and get swept up as the group rushes past. It takes a few 100 metres to get properly up to speed and by this time the first 20 or 30 riders have swept past. From then on its a question of concentrating to make sure that firstly you hold a good position to save energy, as close as you dare to the rider in front and as there is a slight head/side wind a left echelon forms so some riders are in the left hand gutter. Now thats fine but bear in mind they drive and ride on the right in Belguim and there are riders coming in the opposite direction! Single riders don’t stand a chance against such a opposite force and are seen either literally jumping out of the way or in at least one instance forced out of the way!! No prisoners are taken!

After about 15km the main group turn off and we follow the Schelde and bike friendly routes through Oudenaarde the west and the famous climbs in the area.

The first The Klusiberg is reasonably steep at 14.5% but short at 1100metres and importantly not cobbled. There’s a cafe at the top so we stop to consider the Schelde and cycling life in Belguim.

The first of these is Oud Kwaremont. A maximum gradient of 11.6% and 2.5km long. Its horrible. The cobbles (or rather large oblong shaped granite stones) have big gaps between them into which your wheels drop and the bike (and thus you) is rattled and shaken inside out. There is no smooth gutter to “cheat” in so you have to just go for it as the faster you ride the smoother it is. Its hard but its fantastic. You have pictures in your head of the picture you have in your head of the crowds that line these sections every spring as the riders battle their weary way to the top of the climbs.

Soon you are over the top and plunging downhill fast into sharp narrow bends covered in dust and gravel with just ditches or houses as crash barriers. To win you have to be good on the down and flat as well as on the hills. We ride the Paterberg maximum gradient 20% but only 363metres long and then ride onto the iconic Koppenberg almost as steep at 19.4% but longer, narrower and with uneven cobbles and large spacings in between. In the house we are staying in is a picture of a rider struggling his way to the top, a rider walking with his bike on one side and a spectator on his other side screaming encouragement in his ear!! I imagine this scene as I strive upwards. It takes a big effort but soon its over and the road levels out running slightly downhill.

1430

After our morning exersions and with nearly 90km covered we lunch with Steve and then ride out to a local village where a race is being run for young riders from the age of 8-17. The base is a school, the hamburgers, frittes and beer is flowing and everyone is enjoying a great afternoon in the sun. Our landlady for the weekend has her daughter taking part and what seems like all of her family is there to support her. As in the previous days race side roads have marshalls on the them to stop traffic getting onto the road which is only released after the riders go through and then only if its going the same way as the race! Can you imagine that in England!! It’s all well organised and as safe as it can be but everyone is on board and there appear to be no problems at all.

After the race we ride back to Zingem via the Shalde for a total of 120km on the day. Dinner is taken in the local frittes diner and after a few beers we head off to bed tired but well satisfied with the days riding.

0830 Monday 31 August

The plan today is to ride the finishing and start sections of the Tour of Flanders route which takes to Brakel, up the Tenbosse, the Murr-Kapelmuur and finally the Bosberg before looping around Ninove and back out onto the start of the race route.

First we breakfast on pancakes, yoghurt, jam & bread plus lashings of coffee before driving the short distance to Elst. Here we unload the bikes and cruise into Brakel. The Tenbosse although fairly steep is tarmac so not as hard as yesterday but bear in mind this comes around 60km from the finish so there is a long way in the legs before getting here so its going to hurt. There’s a bit of an easy ride for a while before another unnamed climb before the iconic Muur-Kappelmuur. The road is wide as it rises up through the town but then turns right into a narrow lane and which point the road steepens considerably before going left and then up again before topping out at the top in front of the monument. The Bosberg follows shortly after but isn’t anything like as steep so we can almost enjoy this one! After riding through Ninove we pick up the start of the route heading back to Elst. Being gluttons for punishment we divert to take in the Valkenberg which we somehow managed to miss on the way through Brakel. 

We head back to the car, change and Stu drives us back to the ferry.

1700
We wait in the queue for the ferry on the dual carriageway to the port not sure why. But it is Bank Holiday back in the UK so maybe its just heavy demand. Suddenly a guy leaps over the barrier and proceeds to open the back of the lorry in front of us. Then 5 other guys leap into the back of the wagon! After which he closes the door again. Of course the lorry driver gets told whats happened and he gets on the phone to report it. No doubt there will be a reception committee at the port for the passengers in the back!

We are then treated to a bizarre picture of would be immigrants to Britain trying to “hitch a lift” in or under any lorry or trailer. It’s mad and the French authorities are not interested in the slightest. We speculate that the people trying to get into Britain must be illegal immigrants in France too so why aren’t they deporting them back to whence they came? Its a game. Sometimes they win sometimes they dont.

1800

Back in Britain. Eventually we arrive home just after 2030. Tired and vowing to go back again as soon as possible. Belgium impressed. Next time we go back the weather may be lousy but the riding will still be great and the challenges just as rewarding. Wet cobbles on an 18% gradient could be interesting!