Flanders

De Ronde, much more than a race

Well supported

The Ronde van Vlaanderen, the Tour of Flanders, is a bike race held this Sunday. But it is so much more than a bike race, so much more than a sports event. It is a sociological phenomenon, a cultural and national event.

Many countries have days on the sporting calendar that take on a national significance. France obviously has the Tour de France, Italy has the Giro d’Italia. Australia has a horse race, the Melbourne Cup that is described as “the race that stops a nation” and that’s apt for De Ronde and Belgium. Britain has the Grand National horse race and the FA Cup final and there’s the Superbowl in the US. But I still don’t feel these events get the measure of what’s coming this Sunday in Flanders.

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The Koppenberg

Koppenberg

One of the most feared ramps of the Tour of Flanders, the Koppenberg is 600 metres of cobbles. It comes as the ninth climb, after 181km, so it is not usually a launchpad for the win. But it is highly strategic. The photo above is one of many from over the years, crashes are common the slippery cobbles and many have to complete the climb on foot. Lose momentum, lose the race.

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Weekend wrap

Two takes from the weekend’s racing: the Boonen-Cancellara duel and why the Critérium International needs reviewing.

Cancellara leads

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Forget the politics

Boonen wins G-W

I know I give the politics of the sport plenty of attention here. For me it would be good if the sport could be run better, everyone stands to gain and taking a look at the issues is often interesting. But probably like you, I find it’s much better watching actual racing rather than following the politics.

March isn’t finished but it’s been a superb start to the season. Whether it’s via a suspect pirate video stream or in glorious HDTV, watching some of the racing so far has been a joy. For all the infighting off the bike, the battles on the road are much more gripping. That said, there’s a start point and and an end to the racing, the issues facing the sport are obviously more nuanced and complicated. Whether it’s race radios or Alberto Contador, we simply don’t know what the future will bring. Plus there are rumours a rider has tested positive. Let’s hope it’s a false alarm.

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Cobbles and concrete

This weekend marks what was once the proper start of the year’s racing season, in years past any event before Het Volk was effectively a training race. Now known as Het Nieuwsblad (“the newspaper”), Saturday sees the Belgian season start and it’s followed by Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne on Sunday. Many races in Flanders feature cobbles, from residential … Read more

Cancellara’s team

Photo from Pez. Bedankt! I won’t add to the superlatives the media have been employing to describe Fabian Cancellara’s win on Sunday. Attacking so only Boonen could follow, then dropping the Belgian champion on steepest section of the Kapelmuur and then soloing into the finish: you don’t get better. Instead, just a quick word to … Read more

Top secret: Koppenberg and Arenberg

Amazing as it might seem, the hardest cobbled sections of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix were not “discovered” until the late 1960s/early 1970s. In other words, these crucial sections belong to the sport’s modern era and are not necessarily part of the glorious history of the sport. The KoppenbergMany would say the Koppenberg is … Read more

Slippery when wet

I hate lists… but here’s a top-10 of the most used bergs from the Ronde van Vlaanderen, since the race began in 1913. 1. Kruisberg (used 43 times)2. Oude Kwaremont (37)3. Bosberg (36)4. Taaienberg (35)5. Eikenberg (35)6. Geraardsbergen-Kapelmuur (30)7. Molenberg (27)8. Paterberg (25)9. Koppenberg (20)10. Volkgemberg (17)

Is Belgium splitting apart?

This blog covers pro cycling, but so do many websites. One aspect of this is going beyond the sport. Races travel across farm tracks, through towns. I want to help place the sport into the context of political, geographical and social forces that surround it. It might seem like it at times but bike races … Read more

Another side to Belgium

This blog covers pro cycling, but so do many websites. I started the blog to give a different insight into races, whether it’s personal opinions or picking up on small things that get overlooked, whether it’s Amaël Moinard’s SRM or analysing sponsorship deals. In short, the aim is to give a bit more detail. One … Read more

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