Spring Classics Sportives 2013

[User169]

Anyone heading over for the spring classics sportives?

I've signed up for LBL, Tour of Flanders and Amstel Gold (although don't get to hear if I've got a place for Amstel until Jan). Need to get training!

 

[User169]

First sportive of the year completed last weekend - Tour of Flanders. My longest ride ever at 259km and the toughest day I've spent in the saddle. A really atmospheric event, but pretty gruelling. The first half is flat and quite speedy - everyone was bunched up in big groups, so you need to keep awake. The second half is the business end - the cobbled stretches were much harder than I had thought they would be - I could barely keep a grip on the bars - and the hills in the second half are pretty relentless. The last 15km are good fun though as you speed into Oudenaarde and pass through the pro finish.

It's well organized - plenty of feed/drink stations, good shuttles between start and finish and quite a few spectators, especially on the hills. Recommended if you fancy travelling over from the UK - there did seem to be quite a few Brits about.

Me, gurning my way up Oude Kwaremont (a bit of a strain after 230km) - blue and red sleeves..

 

[Angus444]

First sportive of the year completed last weekend - Tour of Flanders. My longest ride ever at 259km and the toughest day I've spent in the saddle. A really atmospheric event, but pretty gruelling. The first half is flat and quite speedy - everyone was bunched up in big groups, so you need to keep awake. The second half is the business end - the cobbled stretches were much harder than I had thought they would be - I could barely keep a grip on the bars - and the hills in the second half are pretty relentless. The last 15km are good fun though as you speed into Oudenaarde and pass through the pro finish.

It's well organized - plenty of feed/drink stations, good shuttles between start and finish and quite a few spectators, especially on the hills. Recommended if you fancy travelling over from the UK - there did seem to be quite a few Brits about.

Me, gurning my way up Oude Kwaremont (a bit of a strain after 230km) - blue and red sleeves..

View attachment 21292

Well done, mate....and good luck with the other two......

For the big 5-0 next year, I'm thinking of entering the LBL, but Il Lombardia also looks inviting.

Did you go with an organised tour company, or make your own way?

 

[Angus444]

Well done, mate....and good luck with the other two......

For the big 5-0 next year, I'm thinking of entering the LBL, but Il Lombardia also looks inviting.

Did you go with an organised tour company, or make your own way?

Sorry, just noticed your location.....a hop, skip, and a jump over the border for you....

 

[HLaB]

First sportive of the year completed last weekend - Tour of Flanders. My longest ride ever at 259km and the toughest day I've spent in the saddle. A really atmospheric event, but pretty gruelling. The first half is flat and quite speedy - everyone was bunched up in big groups, so you need to keep awake. The second half is the business end - the cobbled stretches were much harder than I had thought they would be - I could barely keep a grip on the bars - and the hills in the second half are pretty relentless. The last 15km are good fun though as you speed into Oudenaarde and pass through the pro finish.

It's well organized - plenty of feed/drink stations, good shuttles between start and finish and quite a few spectators, especially on the hills. Recommended if you fancy travelling over from the UK - there did seem to be quite a few Brits about.

Me, gurning my way up Oude Kwaremont (a bit of a strain after 230km) - blue and red sleeves..

View attachment 21292

If you passed a bloke on a blue Kinesis and most of the day I wore my Florescent Gilet on top of my blue Endura long sleeve jersey that was me.

PS Are photos up yet?

 

[Angus444]

If you passed a bloke on a blue Kinesis and most of the day I wore my Florescent Gilet on top of my blue Endura long sleeve jersey that was me.

PS Are photos up yet?

Good report, HLaB.....chapeau!!

 

[User169]

Well done, mate....and good luck with the other two......

For the big 5-0 next year, I'm thinking of entering the LBL, but Il Lombardia also looks inviting.

Did you go with an organised tour company, or make your own way?

Cheers, Angus. I drove over - its only a couple of hours from here.

I'll let you know what LBL is like, but Lombardia would be a good one to ride too!

 

[User169]

If you passed a bloke on a blue Kinesis and most of the day I wore my Florescent Gilet on top of my blue Endura long sleeve jersey that was me.

PS Are photos up yet?

Nice report HLaB. Fully agree on the tires - next year i'll be running on 25s and will go down to well below 100psi.

The photos went up on Tuesday, i think.

 

[HLaB]

Nice report HLaB. Fully agree on the tires - next year i'll be running on 25s and will go down to well below 100psi.

The photos went up on Tuesday, i think.

I'm awaiting their processing but this is me at the
start

end (Gilet off)

And after a van knocked me off

What the idiot thought he was trying to do squeezing past a few thousand cyclists is beyond me, he got a few choice words from my fellow riders and you didn't need a translator to get the jist

 

[User169]

And after a van knocked me off

What the idiot thought he was trying to do squeezing past a few thousand cyclists is beyond me, he got a few choice words from my fellow riders and you didn't need a translator to get the jist

Bloody hell! The event's tough enough without nutters knocking you off.

 

[Angus444]

Was the van a service vehicle for the event? I take it the roads are closed to general traffic on the day?

 

[HLaB]

Was the van a service vehicle for the event? I take it the roads are closed to general traffic on the day?

Nope (if it was it was unmarked), the roads were bizarrely open but there was a heavy police and marshal presence on junctions/turns. Apart from that minor inconvenience, I cant fault the organiser there. It was just an inconvenience a car managed to get through at load speed just and the van followed and skiffed my elbow it was enough to make me going slowly uphill have an almost clipless moment, fortunately I got the foot out in time but Id lost what little momentum I had.