10%

OMLOOP HET NIEUWSBLAD

Or as the purists call it, Gent-Gent.

By Gruber Images

February 27^th, 2017

the beginning.

Every fall, we head home exhausted, wondering how we could ever do another year of this. We go home, enjoy the hell out of our time riding bikes, playing with friends, and doing pretty much anything but chasing races. Then, around the middle of February, I start to get the itch again - the desire to come back and jump back in and see if we can do it again - and hopefully get better. We head back at the end of February, usually the day before the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. This year was no different. We arrived in Oudenaarde around 8pm on Friday - we were back at it twelve hours later.

This is a quick look back at the day that was for me...Ash shot the women's race. We'll get to that next!

the magic of 't kuipke.

We've been around bike racing for a little while now. We see big riders all the time. There are times when my inner extreme bike fan peeks out and says WHOA. I had that a few times Saturday morning in Gent. Greg Van Avermaet, Peter Sagan, Tom Boonen, Ian Stannard, Sep Vanmarcke, and so many more... I'm still a geeky fan at heart. Guilty.

haaghoek #1

From the start in Gent, I drove back to Oudenaarde, hopped on the scooter, and headed for the Haaghoek. When possible, there's nothing I love more than chasing the Flemish Classics by myself on a terribly slow scooter (thanks for getting it working, Gregg!!!). I'm still working on just why it is, but there's something about the scooter on 'home' roads and chasing the ghosts of bike rides and races past, present, and future that puts me at peace. I feel good. With that said, I still missed the wonderful chaos of chasing a race with Yoeri, Jelle, and all the Dadizelers. Soon enough. :-)

The breakaway had some seconds in hand, as they took a wonderfully open Haaghoek to themselves. It was quite the contrast to what the peloton had moments later.

intersection.

eikenmolen.

I had never been to the Eikenmolen before Saturday. I love it. Go there. The first part of it isn't anything special, but after you cross the big road, it turns into a magical little path into the forest.

brakel.

waiting.

haaghoek #2.

The race was quickly heading toward full gas at this point. The break was losing ground, Boivin wasn't gaining any, and the Katusha-led peloton was pressing hard. The fans were happy.

from afar.

On my way to the Taaienberg, I saw the field off in the distance. I love those happy moments where I see a race roll by a long way off. I stopped, smiled, grabbed my camera, and took a shot before heading onward.

taaienberg.

Before Saturday, I had never shot at the top of the Taaienberg before. I like new things in spots I've visited a hundred times before. As you'd expect, it has a lot going on: suffering riders cresting the top of a hard climb, a hard turn, more uphill, plus dozens of soigneurs with bottles and wheels. It all combines to make for an entertaining spot to watch a bike race.

roads that make me dream.

I tell everyone that one of my absolute favorite roads in the Vlaamse Ardennen is Ellestraat - a climb that goes up exactly opposite to the Eikenberg. Ellestraat is so good, that the roads going OFF of it are just as dreamy. For me at least. :-)

holleweg.

It's one of the easiest spots to get to in Flanders - directly off the N8. It doesn't look like all that much on a normal day (and the cobbles are wretched), but when a race comes, the road fills, and it turns into this impromptu cobbled stadium. I realized on Saturday that I kind of love it.

post-molenberg.

The leading trio was set: Van Avermaet, Sagan, and Vanmarcke. Behind, Stybar attacked with some success. I wasn't on the Molenberg though. I was just after it. I love the section following the short, nasty cobbles of the Molenberg. You'll always find me somewhere out there.

until mid-march...

And with that, we got our yearly warm-up done, found out for the 10000th time that we love Flanders, and now, we head south to Tuscany. Our favorite race of the year is up next: Strade Bianche.