Until I watched that video I had no clue how large those stones and gaps between them were (I've never seen pave' outside the internet let alone ridden on it).
I have ridden shorter pavé sections in my home country (Denmark), the few available, this incl. a recreational race containing a single pavé section in combo with subsequent hilly climb - and a highlight of the race, where you enter the section slightly rising but at speed.
It was always a section I looked forward to with joy, as I could just use my 'moshing technique' in heavy gear exchange on my way across the cobblestones and, hence, get rid of the "wallpaper paste"/freebies in my group.
The first time I rode real cobblestone sections was in relation to a week's stay near Oudenaarde. The very first section I faced (after a beautiful 20 flat bike path kilometers along the Schelde) was Oude Kwaremont. Climb-wise, it was at most on-par with my nearest local hills, but the cobblestones at Kwaremont were a completely different caliber, heavier and more cruel.
I guess the best way to ride those would be as fast as possible? Following other riders you'd be almost guaranteed to crash. But I think you need to have super concentration and lightning reflexes - like a race car driver. Yes, that is definitely bike handling.
In general, it's easier to ride fast through the cobblestones, unless they really are like they were dropped from a helicopter.
After passing Oude Kwaremont first time, I couldn't resist to immediately go down the main road (just like the pro field in RvV) and take it at a slightly higher pace this time, semi-attack mode.
But THIS was where the troubles really got brewing for me! My rhythm was constantly broken and I had to constantly to re-initiate. Like no flow/inertia at all.
Just until Roger de Vlaeminck and his mythical photo-free visionary look for the cobblestones came to my mind. When I started to "X-ray" the very irregular passages and constantly correct my path, I was able to keep up the speed. However, I will say that Pogi's last climb of this climb last year seemed like he had a cushion of air under his wheels, and out of this world when I compared to the same passage where I really struggled to avoid breaking the rhythm and speed.
Quite different a little later on my Paterberg climb, here the cobblestones were much friendlier to me and the faster I climbed the easier it became.
And then Koppenberg. Now I've been there twice, I don't consider myself anything special, besides I'm a little dissapointed that both times I've been in dry, sunny weather, which helps a lot on how to get up.
The second time years later, I even had the audacity to film my ascent with one hand in the meantime - with the expectation that I would crash it probably just made me even sharper - I got all the way up without severe difficulty (you cannot say Koppenberg isn't tough of which is the starting point) - with last Sunday's nature here, I think it would'nt have been enough for me with two hands on the handlebars and a balanced sitting position. That of last sunday looked to the extreme side.
With my Oude Kwaremont experience I have always had the deepest respect for riders who pass the most difficult cobblestone sections in P-R at high speed.
This is where a Roger de Vlaeminck 'X-ray vision' skill will undoubtedly come in handy.
Even more so in wet, muddy conditions.
So my conclusion regarding speeds at cobblestone sections:
For easy-to-medium: Speed is just an advantage.
For the difficult, irregular: With speed it becomes REAL hairy - technique and vision are crucial essentials.
Edit: ofc coudn't resist other cobble sections in this core region of Flemish cobble climbs, this inclusive the plenty flat cobble sections. Haaghoek is a killer at speed itself going from north-west to entry to Leberg. Leberg being piece-of-cake if you survive Haaghoek going attack mode here (RvV riders taking that route on several occasions past decade).
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