Your favourite Monument?

[Echoes]

"Wallonie" is a neologism from the 19th century. In my view it doesn't exist.

In the 20's most of the best riders were French-speaking Belgians: Mottiat, Masson, Scieur, Lambot, Benoit, ...

By the way historical Flanders consists of 2 present-day Belgian provinces (West & East Flanders) + a bit in a French-speaking province (Hainaut), a bit in France and a bit in the Nederlands.

So Boonen (e.g.) is not Flemish. He's from Mol (Antwerp).

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

But now Flanders bores me the same as Liège. I guess they put too many asphalt climbs on it. Van Petegem criticizes that, I think.

??

Final climbs this year:
Oude Kwaremont ->Cobbles
Paterberg ->Cobbles
Koppenberg ->Cobbles
Steenbeekdries ->Cobbles
Taaienberg ->Cobbles
Eikenberg ->Cobbles
Molenberg >Cobbles
Leberg -> Asphalt, but part of haaghoek, so Cobbles
Berendries -> Asphalt
Tenbosse -Asphalt
Muur >Cobbles
Bosberg >Cobbles

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

The people who had enough of boonen's arrogance, his moving to Monaco, his coke problems and his interest in 16 year olds are happy to have Gilbert. Especially after Lombardy, they put him next or above Boonen.

lol, Gilbert lives in Monaco...

"Wallonie" is a neologism from the 19th century. In my view it doesn't exist.

In the 20's most of the best riders were French-speaking Belgians: Mottiat, Masson, Scieur, Lambot, Benoit, ...

By the way historical Flanders consists of 2 present-day Belgian provinces (West & East Flanders) + a bit in a French-speaking province (Hainaut), a bit in France and a bit in the Nederlands.

So Boonen (e.g.) is not Flemish. He's from Mol (Antwerp).

Wallonië is the french speaking part of Belgium, Flanders the dutch speaking part. (i'm not speaking of the historical regions.)

 

[Echoes]

This has changed from these last few years, then? If it is then it can be interesting.

Has the Valkenberg (e.g.) been removed?

 

[Ferminal]

It rather depends on the individual's point of view and as you probably know, agreement here in Belgium tends to be arrived at by consensus rather than unanimity. An admirable quality, but one which also demonstrates the range of different voices that clamour to be heard.

Uncommonly for a francophone Belgian, Philippe speaks good Flemish, which probably does a lot for his image (I was pleasantly surprised to watch Tyler Farrar break out in solid Flemish at an Omloop interview but then he lives in Gent). And he rides for a team with a lot of history, of course.

Perhaps, you can look at it a bit like the English look at the World Cup. If England get knocked out, they'll probably still root for Scotland or Ireland.

Cycling is a celebration of Flemish identity, so obviously a Flemish champion will always take the cake, but a Gilbert, a Monfort, or whoever, should always find ample room in a TV commentary even if not deep in the recesses of fickle Flemish hearts.

Look out for the next time you see those golden lion flags they wave in the riders' faces. If the claws and tongue are red, that's celebrating Flanders within Belgium. If the claws and tongue are black, the holder's sympathies are probably rather more nationalist.

You learn something new...

 

[tgsgirl]

But now Flanders bores me the same as Liège. I guess they put too many asphalt climbs on it. Van Petegem criticizes that, I think

Have you ever even seen the race?

How is that asphalt?

 

[van nelle]

De Ronde - for everything what was said here alredy + I find it difficult not to light a cigarette again (quit few years ago)

Roubaix, Liege (the best from cycling perspective), Lombardia (most beautiful) are on even for me.

San Remo - I like it, but there are a lot of races I like more

+ I really like MontePaschi Eroica (or how it's called now) - one for the future

 

[Echoes]

Have you ever even seen the race?

Every year since 1993 but in 2001.

How is that asphalt?

Don't you have pictures from the Eikenmolen or the Valkenberg?

(i'm not speaking of the historical regions.)

But I am.

 

[TRDean]

I don't like the label Monument.

I'm from the French-speaking part of Belgium but always been more interested in cobbles.

But now Flanders bores me the same as Liège. I guess they put too many asphalt climbs on it. Van Petegem criticizes that, I think.


The only road race I still find interesting is Paris-Roubaix.

Do you have a pulse? Bored?

 

[Anonymous]

For me, the km's from the beginning of Trouée d'Arenberg to the Roubaix Velodrome are the most exciting ones in cycling. I love DeRonde, but it doesn't quite rate as high as Roubaix in my year. This year that may change because I will get to watch DeRonde live, whereas I will have to watch Roubaix delayed because of a family vacation. I guess I can follow the ticker on my iphone that day, but that just isn't the same.

 

[il_fiammingo]

"Wallonie" is a neologism from the 19th century. In my view it doesn't exist.

Yeah, I would rather call it France as well.

In the 20's most of the best riders were French-speaking Belgians: Mottiat, Masson, Scieur, Lambot, Benoit, ...

I guess the "sales Flamands" had other things to do back then.

By the way historical Flanders consists of 2 present-day Belgian provinces (West & East Flanders) + a bit in a French-speaking province (Hainaut), a bit in France and a bit in the Nederlands.

So Boonen (e.g.) is not Flemish. He's from Mol (Antwerp).

Since 1980 Antwerp officially is a part of the Flemish Community.

 

[il_fiammingo]

lol, Gilbert lives in Monaco...

And unlike Boonen he was never criticized for it.

 

[L'arriviste]

And unlike Boonen he was never criticized for it.

As my good counsellor above might agree, taxation here in Belgium is, for want of a better word, savage. Not really higher than several other European states, but it particularly hurts ordinary working people. Meanwhile other sections of the public between whom these ordinary working people are sandwiched do rather well out of it.

I think Justine Henin, the tennis-ist, is also "technically" a Monegasque. Reading Le Soir a while ago when she did her big comeback, it was the opposite to the Boonen-Gilbert situation. People were loving Clijsters for staying here and bringing up the little one, whereas skanky Henin was lambasted for her tax tourism.

So to cut a long story long, it has arguably less to do with training conditions, just that your hardworking pro cyclist wants to hang onto a bit more of his salary, paid for in cobbled kilometres!

Please forgive the digression. I'll stay on topic hereafter...

 

[BeachBum]

Look out for the next time you see those golden lion flags they wave in the riders' faces. If the claws and tongue are red, that's celebrating Flanders within Belgium. If the claws and tongue are black, the holder's sympathies are probably rather more nationalist.

Ahhh, thanks for the insight, very interesting. Let's just hope that none of the flags get caught in the working bits.

As far as my ratings go,

LBL
PR
MSR
RVV
GdL

 

[L'arriviste]

Ahhh, thanks for the insight, very interesting. Let's just hope that none of the flags get caught in the working bits...

I don't know if you caught any of the 'cross season this year, but there were several cases of these flags thwapping riders.

Niels Albert was interrupted at least once that I saw, but then the poor fellow had already had his rib broken by a 'fan' in a previous race. 'Cross is like Belgium's answer to ice hockey. With the fans, it's all about testosterone and beer.

There were bags of flags on the Muur for the Omloop but the crowd behaved itself impeccably. Anyway, you see them all over Europe, even the Tour Down Under and I personally like to see them because they're a lovely symbol of my adopted country that i continue to see in the most bizarre of locations.

Who knows for the Ronde. Which I'll be at and which, ahem, is my top Classic so this whole post was totally on-topic.

 

[TRDean]

I don't know if you caught any of the 'cross season this year, but there were several cases of these flags thwapping riders.

Niels Albert was interrupted at least once that I saw, but then the poor fellow had already had his rib broken by a 'fan' in a previous race. 'Cross is like Belgium's answer to ice hockey. With the fans, it's all about testosterone and beer.

There were bags of flags on the Muur for the Omloop but the crowd behaved itself impeccably. Who knows for the Ronde. Which I'll be at and which, ahem, is my top Classic so this whole post was totally on-topic.

Have Fun!!...I wish I could be there.

 

[il_fiammingo]

I don't know if you caught any of the 'cross season this year, but there were several cases of these flags thwapping riders.

Niels Albert was interrupted at least once that I saw, but then the poor fellow had already had his rib broken by a 'fan' in a previous race. 'Cross is like Belgium's answer to ice hockey. With the fans, it's all about testosterone and beer.

In fact this is the atmosphere the carrefour de l'arbre is turning into. I'm happy to have read the french police will keep a close eye on the behaviour of the Flemish "fans" over there.

I guess this is something typically Flemish as well: if there is something we're completely crazy about and for once we're the best in the world, we like to ruin it ourselves. It happened and is happening in cyclocross, but I hope cobbled road racing can be saved from us.

 

[Swingtop]

RVV
P-R
->AGR (the selection is the toughest out there, I think)
GdL
LBL

MSR is somewhere on the bottom, below many one day races. The last 45 minutes are ok.

 

[BeachBum]

Anyway, you see them all over Europe...

In the US, the style runs mainly to cowbells, you don't see flags too much.

OK, to keep this on topic-- what is the blue and white striped flag with the dragon (I think) they fly at L-B-L?

 

[Echoes]

Yeah, I would rather call it France as well.
I guess the "sales Flamands" had other things to do back then.
Since 1980 Antwerp officially is a part of the Flemish Community.

Separatist comments don't help. I'm Flemish.


I know a lot of Limburgers wo don't consider themselves as Flemish but as Limburger.

Antwerp isn't Flanders. And certainly not Mol either.

Niels Albert was interrupted at least once that I saw,

If you're talking about Vorselaar the flag hardly reached him but the idiot stopped his effort. Albert is just a kid. He can't concentrate on his race.

Do you have a pulse? Bored?

Bored, yeah. A race that ends up with a 30/40 rider bunch sprint for a second place, is hardly exciting for me. Flanders and Liège are equal for this. Last year, it was just the same race.

 

[craig1985]

I was reading a cycling magazine a few years ago and they said, whatever you do, if you are going to buy a Lion of Flanders flag, make sure it has the read bits where the claws and tongue would be, otherwise you could find yourself in spot of bother and in a rather awkward situation. Is the flag without the red bits linked to a political party or is it just like the Basque fans waving the Basque flag about?

 

[Michele]

I've been reading about it in here.
Althought when you see the Ronde on tv that flag without the red bit seems kinda common.

 

[rghysens]

In the US, the style runs mainly to cowbells, you don't see flags too much.

OK, to keep this on topic-- what is the blue and white striped flag with the dragon (I think) they fly at L-B-L?

It's not a dragon, but a lion. This flag is that of the belgian province of Luxemburg

 

[rghysens]

But now Flanders bores me the same as Liège. I guess they put too many asphalt climbs on it. Van Petegem criticizes that, I think.

It may sound as a shocker to most of you, but there aren't that much cobbled climbs in that area. It would surprise me if there were more than 15-20 cobbled climbs in the "Vlaamse Ardennen", and most of them are included in the tour of Flanders.

 

[BeachBum]

It's not a dragon, but a lion. This flag is that of the belgian province of Luxemburg

Cool, thanks for the scoop.