Chasing wheels

The clatter of bikes on cobbles can mean only one thing: it's time for the Northern Classics, starting with the Tour of Flanders, this Sunday.

Last year I made the pilgrimage to Flanders fields (and hills) to ride the sportif and watch the race. There's a whole bunch of stuff archived in the Tour of Flanders archive on the site. The tag cloud doesn't seem to be working for some reason which I'll try and figure out.

There's also my reports on the BBC:

Twenty thousand Belgians can't be wrong - on the sportif

First over the Muur wins - on race day

Posted by Alex on 3 April 2008, 11:04 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks ()

Having finally sorted my home broadband out I have no uploaded my Flanders pictures to Flickr:

Posted by Alex on 17 April 2007, 15:04 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks ()

A couple of clips that I found on Youtube which should give you a flavour of the atmosphere:

Nicole Cooke on the Muur

Ballan leads Hoste over the Muur

And if they aren't enough for you:

A whole search's worth of clips

Posted by Alex on 11 April 2007, 09:04 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks ()

I've written something for the BBC Sport 606 section on doing the Tour of Flanders 140km. you can have a read here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A21603674

Posted by Alex on 10 April 2007, 14:04 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks ()

They start them young round here., originally uploaded by leguape.

Posted by Alex on 8 April 2007, 10:04 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks ()

DSC00201, originally uploaded by leguape.

Posted by Alex on 8 April 2007, 09:04 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks ()

I fucking finished it. Time for no alcoh, originally uploaded by leguape.

Posted by Alex on 7 April 2007, 13:04 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks ()

Muur utter carnage. Only rode half. One, originally uploaded by leguape.

Posted by Alex on 7 April 2007, 12:04 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks ()

Travelling out on the Thursday morning very early. It was the cheapest fare I could get and getting up early seems worth the 20 quid saving. It also means I'll be in Ghent by lunchtime, giving me two full days to explore, relax and get the bike set up for the Saturday.

I'm planning to do a bit of a Tom Simpson trail while I'm in Ghent so if anyone knows any addresses/contacts or locations I should check out then please get in touch.

Posted by Alex on 1 February 2007, 00:02 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks ()

Or rather my hostel in a former nunnery that dates from the 13th Century in Ghent. Less than £100 for four nights seems very reasonable to me. Staying in Ghent will also give me a chance to perhaps visit a few places of significance to Tom Simpson, for whom the city was one of his European bases, which I have read about in discovering his story.

Now I just need to book my Eurostar, register for the event and work out how to get from Ghent to Ninove on the morning by train or other means. Then there's just the small matter of getting fit enough in 3 months for a tough 140km ride. At least I've started earlier this year than last with at least two 120km rides under my belt already.

Posted by Alex on 8 January 2007, 22:01 Digg this | Add to del.icio.us | Reddit | Newsvine | Facebook | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks ()