The Tour of Flanders

Back for more after the trip in 2004, nine club members went to Belgium to take part in the Ronde van Vlaanderen randonnee and then watch the pros do it the next day. Naz Peralta tells all.


Six members took part in the 140km event, which replicates the final sections and includes all 17 climbs of the pro event held the next day. Nine of these are the famous cobbled climbs that characterise the event, including the Koppenberg, its steepest point being 22%, and the 20% Muur-Kapelmuur at Geraardsbergen which snakes up through the town and which so often decides the pro race. Just to add to the mixture there are eight further asphalt climbs, several sections of flat cobblestones (ouch!) and one cobbled descent (ouch-ouch!). The weather at the weekend was perfect with fine sunshine and temperatures in the mid- to high-teens Friday through to Sunday. This made the Ronde a much more appealing prospect that in 2004 when the weather was more, well, Belgian [Webmaster - you mean British], with drizzle, clouds and headwinds making the going tough.


All six Wheelers finished in around six hours give or take a few minutes, with group riding for around 60 miles followed by more fragmented riding to the finish. James "Mackers" McVey and Andrew "van Harvegem" Harvey would probably have finished quickest, had they not decided to follow two riders who were not taking part in the event at all. Club Press Secretary Narayan Peralta reacquainted himself with his favourite energy food, Belgian waffles and sticky buns, and managed not to reacquaint himself with the tarmac of the Eikenberg. Time Trial supremo Richard Williamson did virtually the whole ride without stopping, and rumour has it in the same HR zone. New member Will "Boris" Meers managed to keep his breakfast down after a few too many De Konincks the evening before whilst Dave Wylie proved a reliable wheel to follow as always.


Mark Briers and partner "Albert" took part in the mountain bike event whilst Mike Hughes, Jim Barrett and friends took part in one of the shorter road events, though even these were several hours in length.

On Sunday, most of the group watched the early stages of the pro race unfold in one of Geraardsbergen's many bars before watching the live action amongst the thousands of excited Belgians on the Muur-Kapelmuur. Needless to say, many Belgian beers and chips'n'mayonaise were consumed over the weekend. Look out for more details of the weekend and plans for next year's event in The Hub in June/July.

The photos here are from club member Narayan Peralta. They have been made smaller to suit this website page. If you like the photos and want to see the full size images from Naz, maybe even to save them as wallpaper for your PC, click on the links below:
Lance Armstrong
Flecha leading the race
Quick-Step and CSC