Formed in June 09, Here Come the Belgians is a non-elite anti-team celebrating all things cross, cobbled and Belgian.
Seeking a different experience to the traditional cycling club, its aim is to harness the energy of a vibrant internet cycling community with grass roots racing and riding based around Cyclocross and Spring Classics. There is no race programme in the style of a racing team, more a collection of individual experiences through rides and racing, in whatever location a member may be, that all can share in and contribute toward.
Showing posts with label FAT Cyclist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FAT Cyclist. Show all posts

Sunday, 6 June 2010

How to combine three into one

Having missed Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Tour of Belgium as well as the 100 miles of nowhere of the Fat cyclist, I decided to do all three at the same time, of course such an effort takes a special jersey:


So to get the 100 miles I decided to do Aachen-Liege-Aachen. Taking the N 68 in Eupen, than the N 629 into Goè, I entered the track of the Tour of Belgium final stage. So my first climb was the third of the TOB: Côte da la Gileppe 2.6 km with 8%.


Nice wide street with a view unto a lion in far distance. After the climb I reached Jalhay with an old style Delhaize.


Turning right I followed the N 629 towards Tiège, after a sharp downhill with 10 % on a rotten street, more potholes than anything else. So I learned a new word "Route deformee", in general I found the streets to be more rough than in Flandria. The Côte de Surister is the next climb of the TOB nice climb through a forest just 1.2 km at 7%.


In Tiege I changed for the N 640 for Polleur, turning left to Theux. In Theux turn right in the N 62 and I know there was trouble ahead. It felt like the 11% climbing up to that left turn. Côte de Theux was used in the TOB as well as in LBL. But after the corner was a small downhill a false flat and than a climb worse than the pictured one, steeper and three times as long. After Mont Theux both races turned south but I rather decided to stay on the N 62 towards Liege. So the next climb was a softer version of Côte de Theux: Straight uphill to a turn, but this time without a nasty surprise, the climb continued in curves for about 1 km to Beaufays. There turn to the right for the N 30, which I think is used in LBL but from the other direction. The N 30 took me straight into Liege.


I decided to stop for a rest in front of the newly build long distance train station. Hoping the return would nice and easy going and I could put the carbon wheels to good use, little did I know. The temperature was rising all the time and the valley of the N 61 did not provide much shadow and it seemed like my legs were softening at the same rate as the chocolade from this supplier:


Around Verviers I was using more water for cooling than drinking, because it seemed my stomach was not too pleased of luke warm water. Somehow I made it back to Eupen for a stop at the Delhaize for a cold Cola and cold water. It seems like the Cola worked for my stomach and I made it back to Aachen on time to get the train.

Having finished my 100 Miles of Nowhere for 2010 I can now switch back to my Jacques chocolade jersey, having learned aero wheels are no good if your national Elite distributor fails to return a failing Nanogel bottle within three months and You overheat, because at 30°C water won't stay cool in a normal bottle for long.