Tour of Flanders Cyclosportive

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We headed south across the river towards our first destiny with the cobbles on the Koppenberg climb. Riding narrow cycle paths that meandered around the river we headed through a village with a Gothic church and turned a corner to immediately ride into a bottleneck of riders as they tried to squeeze their way onto the first narrow climb; we tasted the Koppenberg and its brutally steep section of 22 percent slipping and sliding on foot…not an ideal start.

We didn’t have to wait long for more though, as we approached a long 2km section of Belgium cobbles. I clicked up a gear and accelerated up to speed in anticipation of floating gracefully over them. Instead the bike was bucking beneath me and every muscle, bone and tendon seemed like it was being shaken from my skeleton! So I aimed the bike for the central crown of the road which had a line of slightly smoother cobbles; but with little improvement I veered off to the muddy edges of the narrow road and riding in mud gave me some blessed relief, but it’s brief as I’m forced back on the cobbles. Its frenetic riding. So this is what its like for the pros in the races I’ve watched on TV so many times before…

Cobbles, you’ll be seeing plenty of these

Even at this early stage my hands were sore from the thousand buzzing vibrations, so I changed my grip from the brake hoods where they were simply slipping off, to the top of the bars and tried to relax my grip. It worked and I felt as if I at last had some grip and control of my bike. Actual stopping might have been impossible as I couldn’t reach or pull on the brakes with numbed fingers. All the time I was being passed by Belgium riders who I’m sure were smiling with enjoyment as they floated across the cobbles seemingly aiming for the roughest cobbles they could find.

By the time I approached the end of the 2km section of cobbles, my eyes were literally bobbing up and down in my skull, resulting in the horizon jumping up and down. Finally back smooth tarmac and it felt like riding over velvet. I checked my wheels and miraculously they were still in one piece. I turned to Monica, who has ridden the cobbles strongly, and simply say, “That’s crazy”. I’ve just survived my first experience with the Belgian cobbles of Flanders. Bring them on; this is fun.

The cobbles then come thick and fast. The Steenbeekdries Climb is next at 700m in length. Its a gentle 5 percent gradient, though not that you would know it as it has its steeper sections… Looking for grip and a smooth ride, I aimed for the gutters that run parallel to the road. Although they are narrow and it’s like balancing on a tight rope, they offer significant relief. When my path was blocked by two riders crashing into one another, I had to perform a gravity defying mid-climb track stand, whilst I waited to see which way they unclippled or toppled. Of course one rider managed to unclip and stab a foot down, whilst the other toppled over still clipped in and crashed down onto the cold hard cobbles. I pushed down on the pedals and shot up the climb again. Well what do you expect? It’s Flanders!

Vince at the finish, already thinking beer and frites…

The stretches of cobbles punctuate a picturesque Flandrian landscape of narrow farm roads, made of broken slabs of concrete, winding their way through medieval towns, woods and open fields. When a massed group of club cyclists whizzed past, I decided I had to jump on the back of the pace line and ended up comfortably doing 23mph, sweeping through corners and narrowly avoiding slower riders, the adrenaline pumping. Then we’d hit the cobbles again and I’d suddenly having to push hard to keep up with the locals; legs burning, filling with lactate and sweating heavily despite the cold. I needed to pace myself so after the cobbles I slowed and waited for Monica to catch up. A few times I’d catch back up with the group on the road and join in the chain gang. Then wait up again.

The route keeps the best to last, with the two final cobbled climbs of the legendary Oude Kwaremont and Paterburg to tackle. The Oude Kwaremont is the longest climb at 2200m, with a gentle average gradient of 4 percent and at its steepest 12 percent. The Paterburg is short at 360m long, but constantly tough, with an already steep 13 percent rising to a hard 20 percent.

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