Prep for RvV

[pedaling squares]

Sucks about the PR change.
Good luck to all of you who ride these events!
Most of all have fun.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Archibald, when will you be in Belgium ?

 

[Archibald]

Archibald, when will you be in Belgium ?

friday night through to thursday - will take in Scheldeprijs(sp?) on the wednesday

 

[Chuffy]

In St Pancras waiting for Eurostar and looking out for cobble thieves...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/flanders-route-changed-after-cobbles-theft

 

[Choocher]

My wife and I walked out to the Koppenberg from Oudenaarde the day before the RVV last year, which was the day of the cyclosportive ride. It was raining mildly, and the Koppenberg was so slick that we slipped walking down it, wearing good hiking boots. I didn't see one person ride all the way up, and we saw hundreds attempt it during the hour, or so, we were out there.

The next day, during the RVV, the pros made it look easy, though it was also pretty much dry. I doubt most of them could've ridden it the day before. Even still, many walked on the day of the race.

I've never seen such a difficult hill to get up when wet. The stones just get so slippery. The only other road I have seen that is this difficult is Waipio Valley on Big Island, Hawaii, which is actually steeper (@25% grade) but paved and not cobbled.

Thanks for the extra info (I think....). I'm not too worried about the moss and lichen - there will be about 17,999 riders ahead of me to scrub it off.

 

[Archibald]

Good luck guys in any case - let us know how you got on.

nailed every climb except the big 3...
Paterberg and Koppenberg - made good headway, but just got bogged in the traffic part way up. Tried to get through, but couldn't so walked a bit, then attempted to get back on and ride. succeeded in getting to the top.
Muur - getting up it just fine then some guy takes out the three bikes in front of me. Had to walk past and then remounted to finish it off. Naturally, the only time I noticed a course photographer, was while walking around the mess on the ground...
Quite surprised overall, as I expected to be completely wiped out by the end and wasn't.

otherwise, a great day out - sunny 23C (could have done with out the wind). Remembered why I like riding the cobblestones.
Bring on tomorrow's race!!

 

[L'arriviste]

Well done, Archibald!

 

[Anonymous]

260kms with a ride time of 8:13. That's 1:26 faster than last year.

The ride started for me on a fortunate note as I made it in a group with a team of Italians that put the hammer down all day long. I'm not kidding... they had a big SOB that sat on the front and just hammered.

I thought last year was the most spectacular thing I'd ever done on a bike... this year was better X10. My head is still spinning...

As for the climbs, I crushed the Paterberg. When I made it to the Koppenberg there was a wait of areound 10 minutes to even begin the climb. There were several hundred cyclists on that hill when I attempted to ride up but there was no way. No matter, the way I was riding today it would not have been a problem. I was able to zoom up the Muur dodging the fallen cyclists without too much trouble.

All in all, a day that I'll never be able to duplicate. A really great day on a bike. Still smiling from ear to ear.

 

[oldborn]

Scott SoCal that big Italian really put you in hurt locker I mean it is almost 30km/h average Dude, congrats

Congrats Archibald too

 

[Anonymous]

Scott SoCal that big Italian really put you in hurt locker I mean it is almost 30km/h average Dude, congrats

Congrats Archibald too

He was an animal and never once asked me to take a turn at the front. So, I didn't

Yeah, If we'd have had closed roads and about 19,000 fewer cyclists I would imagine 7 1/2 hour would be possible

 

[usedtobefast]

260kms with a ride time of 8:13. That's 1:26 faster than last year.

The ride started for me on a fortunate note as I made it in a group with a team of Italians that put the hammer down all day long. I'm not kidding... they had a big SOB that sat on the front and just hammered.

I thought last year was the most spectacular thing I'd ever done on a bike... this year was better X10. My head is still spinning...

As for the climbs, I crushed the Paterberg. When I made it to the Koppenberg there was a wait of areound 10 minutes to even begin the climb. There were several hundred cyclists on that hill when I attempted to ride up but there was no way. No matter, the way I was riding today it would not have been a problem. I was able to zoom up the Muur dodging the fallen cyclists without too much trouble.

All in all, a day that I'll never be able to duplicate. A really great day on a bike. Still smiling from ear to ear.

nice way to represent SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BIKE RIDERS!!!
i congratulate you, and enjoy the spoils!
and i must say Archibald too!

 

[Granville57]

He was an animal and never once asked me to take a turn at the front. So, I didn't

Most excellent!

Great thread everyone. It's been really fun to read this.

So, all you guys who rode the course today, where are you watching the race from?

And Scott, I gotta ask two things:
How bad was the jet lag for you?
And what were you running for wheels and tires?

Congrats to everyone for taking the plunge!

 

[craig1985]

Well done Scott. So how many Belgian beers did you drink afterwards?

 

[Race Radio]

He was an animal and never once asked me to take a turn at the front. So, I didn't

Yeah, If we'd have had closed roads and about 19,000 fewer cyclists I would imagine 7 1/2 hour would be possible

Right on Scott, excellent work.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the kind words from everyone. And a big "well done" to Archibald. It's not an easy ride.

Jet Lag: Not too bad coming from LA to Belgium. I usually get screwed up going back home.

Tire/wheel combo: Hed Ardennes with Vittoria Pave Open CX. Air pressure was 90psi and it was about right... although there was one horrible sector of cobbles that made me think a slightly lower pressure might have been a good idea.

Craig: Yes, the beer was flowing. No surprise there Sorry you were not able to be here. You simple must do this at some point.

 

[Archibald]

So, all you guys who rode the course today, where are you watching the race from?

And what were you running for wheels and tires?

was at the Oude-Kwaremont and Knokteberg, then headed straight to the Muur. Was just at the base of the "grassy knoll" under the church - right by the beer tent with South Aussie flag flying. Then back to the big screen to watch it play out.
Great weather and a top day out with the Belgies

Tires; I ran 28c Conti Gatorskin Ultras at about 95psi. Wheels were 32spoke CXP33s. No blisters like at Roubaix last year, and just ripped up the cobbles. Can't believe how many slowed up when they were on them...


Top work Scott!! I can't think how much harder that would have been with the additional 120kms...

and commiserations to GreaseyMonkey who had a mechanical and couldn't finish!!

Cheers Folks!

 

[Race Radio]

Thanks for the kind words from everyone. And a big "well done" to Archibald. It's not an easy ride.

Jet Lag: Not too bad coming from LA to Belgium. I usually get screwed up going back home.

Tire/wheel combo: Hed Ardennes with Vittoria Pave Open CX. Air pressure was 90psi and it was about right... although there was one horrible sector of cobbles that made me think a slightly lower pressure might have been a good idea.

Craig: Yes, the beer was flowing. No surprise there Sorry you were not able to be here. You simple must do this at some point.

2013 I will be there, can't wait.

More questions for you guys. I have heard that the start in Ninove for the shorter rides is chaos, is there any real reason to go there? I assume there is a timing chip but as it is not a race does it matter if you just join the ride a few KM's down the road and avoid the chaos?

Also, does starting the 150km ride early, say 7:00, help avoid some of the crowds on the climbs or are you screwed no matter what?

 

[rghysens]

2013 I will be there, can't wait.

More questions for you guys. I have heard that the start in Ninove for the shorter rides is chaos, is there any real reason to go there? I assume there is a timing chip but as it is not a race does it matter if you just join the ride a few KM's down the road and avoid the chaos?

Also, does starting the 150km ride early, say 7:00, help avoid some of the crowds on the climbs or are you screwed no matter what?

If you start the 150km early, you will be in the thick of the pack at the muur (those riding the 70km), but you will avoid the crowds on the paterberg and koppenberg

 

[Archibald]

I did the 150km and started around 8.20am.
Rocked up and just rolled through the start zone - no marshalling whatsoever.
Crowds on the paterberg and koppenberg were thick, but that may have just been my bad timing as rider numbers seemed to eb and flow all day...
I had no problem with numbers of people on the Muur, just bad luck with the few in front of me.

I did, catch up to a mate and his girlfriend who were doing the 75km just before the bosberg. Despite a large number of riders coming past while we stopped briefly, there was no crowd issue on the bosberg for us...

 

[Granville57]

Thanks for that equipment feedback.
I thought it would fun to ride Battenkill this year, but I'll have to live vicariously through you guys until I can get over to Belgium myself one day.

btw,
What exactly befell GreaseMonkey?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

it was awesome did 117 km's started from my home in Kortrijk went to oude kwaremont and from there one all the way to Meerbeke...
It was unbelievable how many people were on the road and how slow they all climbed :s had to choose to get off the bike on the koppenberg or ride right into someone.. Did start again, thanks to someone who held my bike

 

[Chuffy]

Scott - you forgot the real highlight. The short, fat English guy who looked at you at the bottom of the Koppenberg and asked 'are you Scott from the CN forum?' Mr Unforgettable, that's me...

Ouf, that was a hard ride! The cobbles were worse than I'd imagined and the climbs easier, although with the crowds it was pretty much impossible to ride up the Muur or Koppenberg unless you were a human steamroller. There were a few guys steaming up the middle and shouting but a fair few of them got taken out on the way.

Did you 140k chaps do the Kwaremont? I was riding with a guy who had done the ride many times before and knew the route well, but it looked as if it either skipped the Kwaremont or we somehow missed a turn, which seems almost impossible.

It was a most excellent day out, I've never seen so many hairy MAMILs in one place at the same time!

Spent Sunday morning being beasted over 40 miles of Paris-Roubaix cobbles and the afternoon watching the pro-race on the Kwaremont and the Muur - right at the bend. If you heard someone screaming 'GO ON GERAINT!!!' it was me.

Full report of the weekend will be up on www.road.cc later this week...

 

[Anonymous]

Scott - you forgot the real highlight. The short, fat English guy who looked at you at the bottom of the Koppenberg and asked 'are you Scott from the CN forum?' Mr Unforgettable, that's me...

Ouf, that was a hard ride! The cobbles were worse than I'd imagined and the climbs easier, although with the crowds it was pretty much impossible to ride up the Muur or Koppenberg unless you were a human steamroller. There were a few guys steaming up the middle and shouting but a fair few of them got taken out on the way.

Did you 140k chaps do the Kwaremont? I was riding with a guy who had done the ride many times before and knew the route well, but it looked as if it either skipped the Kwaremont or we somehow missed a turn, which seems almost impossible.

It was a most excellent day out, I've never seen so many hairy MAMILs in one place at the same time!

Spent Sunday morning being beasted over 40 miles of Paris-Roubaix cobbles and the afternoon watching the pro-race on the Kwaremont and the Muur - right at the bend. If you heard someone screaming 'GO ON GERAINT!!!' it was me.



Full report of the weekend will be up on www.road.cc later this week...

That was very cool. One of the few english speakers I ran in to all day and you ask me straight away if I'm Scott SoCal... I must wear it on my face

It was very cool to meet a fellow forumite at the bottom of the Koppenburg. Same time next year?

 

[Race Radio]

That was very cool. One of the few english speakers I ran in to all day and you ask me straight away if I'm Scott SoCal... I must wear it on my face

It was very cool to meet a fellow forumite at the bottom of the Koppenburg. Same time next year?

He likely thought it must have been Scott as you were the only guy with bottles of Leffe in his bottle cages

 

[Chuffy]

He likely thought it must have been Scott as you were the only guy with bottles of Leffe in his bottle cages

No, it was the way he was biting the neck off the bottle and spitting it out that gave it away. He's a big fella!
Nice to meet you, always good to put a face to a name.

RR - there are no timing chips. I imagine that issuing 23,000 of them could be tricky (at least, that was the highest ride number that we saw).