Event report: Ronde van Vlaanderen

No season without de Ronde


The mild winter resulted in an early season's start for
wasps, even when they've already lost their sting...


NINOVE - For a Flemish rider, the Tour of Flanders is a must. Even with Rund um Köln only two days ahead, I had to ride the Ronde or my season wouldn't have been complete. There was no question at all, because even the weather forecast was brilliant! The latter led to the expected attendance records: overall between 18 000 and 20 000 people from 30 countries (depending on the source) participated in the cyclotour, with 2 800 riders even doing the whole 260 km distance starting from Bruges!

As usual, I opted for the 140 km distance starting in Ninove, which includes all but two of the 18 hellingen of the pro race. The night before I had removed the Krylions for Conti GP4000 tyres and at 8 a.m. I crossed the starting line. The earlier the better if you want to avoid 'traffic jams' on crucial climbs like the Paterberg and the Muur. The first 30 km towards the first climb, the Molenberg, are traditionally just a warm-up, sitting in a good group that matches your pace and ambitions. It was no different this year. The Molenberg is short, only 400 metres, but quite steep and the cobblestones are in bad shape. The way you go up there will tell you what to expect of the day. I felt good :-)

Then onto the 3km cobblestone stretch of Kerkgate in Mater (Oudenaarde). The first km is false flat, then it levels out, before climbing again and turning right sharply for cobbles in worse condition! Yes, this one is no nonsense, the closest Flanders comes to Paris-Roubaix. In 2005, nine colleagues at the ECB joined me on Flanders and I still remembered their long faces after their struggle on this stretch, including Morten's famous words "I will never ever do Roubaix" (last year, of course, he did).

I managed a solid rhythm on Kerkgate, saw many bidons on the cobbled road - which creates dangerous situations sometimes - and moved on to the first food & beverage stop in Oudenaarde, nicked the heart of the Ronde (the museum of the Ronde is located there and the women's world cup race starts there too). With Cologne just around the corner I had decided before the start I would take time to refill my bidons and eat a little extra. Just to be on the safe side. I would do the same at the second stop in Lierde (normally I just continue straight to the finish).

Sitting in the wheel of two Britons wearing the Flemish Lion, we passed by the Kluisberg and the Cote de Trieu and proceeded straight to the Oude Kwaremont. Last week in the E3 I had to push a little more (see report), but in Flanders the cobbled climb is so early in the course I never have any issue there. Luckily, all these narrow climbs were not yet overcrowded so it was possible in general to do your own pace. Even on the Paterberg with its 20% slope! In previous years I had to zigzag through people who were walking to the top, this time the path was wide open! I took advantage and powered to the top on the 23 - I don't think I've ever gone so fast on the Pater! Thinking about that, I was suddenly disappointed this year's Ronde skipped the legendary Koppenberg and instead turned right to do the Kortekeer. Curbing my enthusiasm, I opted to do the non-cobbled climbs en souplesse and push a little extra on the cobbled hills (Taaienberg, Steenbeekdries, Eikenberg...). The years when you have the luxury to make these kind of considerations, the Tour of Flanders is probably the event in which you have most fun.

Dark clouds appeared causing a temperature drop of about five degrees. Not the hills, but the cold became my biggest adversary. Even while riding I couldn't keep myself warm enough. In the mean time I was in the finale that traditionally starts with the Berendries. There was a brand new climb too. After Tenbosse and before the Muur - we no longer hit the main road to Geraardsbergen - the organisers found a nasty little stretch called the Eikenmolen. Not very long, not really steep but the 2km leading up to the climb are seriously false flat! Many people didn't like that one with the Muur already within sight...

On the Muur I enjoyed the same rush as on the Pater: I was flying like never before. Unfortunately, I got held up at the end of the steepest part but on the Kapelmuur I came around on the 21 and dashed to the Bosberg. Last year I was pretty knackered on the Muur already. After the Bosberg, energy conservation was my rule. I arrived in Meerbeke satisfied, with good legs and no hurting bones. Ready for the T-Mobile Tour :-)

FACT SHEET:

Name: Ronde van Vlaanderen
Date: 7 April 2007
Location: Ninove, Belgium
Type: Cyclotour
Distance: 140 km
Hm: Unknown (estimated 1200Hm): 16 hellingen: Molenberg, Wolvenberg, Oude Kwaremont, Paterberg, Kortekeer, Steenbeekdries, Taaienberg, Eikenberg, Boigneberg, Leberg, Berendries, Valkenberg, Tenbosse, Eikenmolen, Muur-Kapelmuur, Bosberg
Organisation rating: 4/5
Info: website

IMAGES:



The Kapelmuur in Geraardsbergen





Bosberg (above), Berendries (below)