2009 Paris-Roubaix Part III

2009 Paris-Roubaix Part II

Photo Courtesy: Gio/TK

2009 Paris-Roubaix

Photo Courtesy: Velopix.

Café de l'Arbre

Sunday, when the PROs leave Carrefour de l'Arbre and enter the commune of Gruson, they'll pass an isolated café whose year-round business owes to the race. The owners of the Café de l'Arbre have decorated the inside with art depicting the race's great personalities. The paintings and murals by the artist Teel decorate the walls of the café, making it a year-round celebration of the greatest single day of racing on the calendar.

Above, left to right: Tom Boonen, Alain Bondue, Frederic Guesdon, Felice Gimondi, Jean Stablinski, Hennie Kuiper, Freddy Maertens and Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle.


Shown here are Octave Lapize and Charles Crupelandt leading the field.


This trio needs no introduction: Johan Museeuw, Andrea Tafi and Andrei Tchmil.



Images courtesy John Pierce, Photosport International.

Oops ...

The odds are against a rider who hopes to win any race two years in a row. Guys like Eddy Merckx, Sean Kelly, Lance Armstrong, Miguel Indurain, and even more specifically Fiorenzo Magni, Achiel Buysse and Tom Boonen, are not just in the minority, but statistically improbable. Prior to Boonen's 2006 repeat at Flanders the last repeat win at Flanders occurred in 1973.

Such knowledge is unlikely to soothe the frustration Filippo Pozzato, Philippe Gilbert, Martijn Maaskant or Heinrich Haussler feel at Stijn Devolder's escape at the Muur de Gramont. After all, you're supposed to bet against the dark horse ... but just how dark a horse is a Belgian strongman whose greatest annual rendezvous is with the muur? Odds aside, letting last year's winner go at any race is unwise, to say the least.

Somehow Devolder was able to recover and attack and leave the other strongmen—favorites all—gasping on the Gramont's steepest pitch. Neat trick. The unlikelihood of Devolder's win evaporated as soon as his gap reached 10 seconds.

So what's this spell for the future? Devolder will find it more difficult to punch his card in a solo break. And Boonen now has undeniable competition within his team for leadership at Flanders as long as he and Devolder remain on the same team. Thanks to Devolder for making the a bold, memorable and ultimately fruitful move, but what's Boonen to do?

Image courtesy John Pierce, Photosport International.

Chasing De Panne, Part II

And suddenly it was. What I had expected to be a ride of an hour and change was rapidly approaching two hours. When the Bouyges Telecom team bus passed slowly a few kilometers outside of Middelkerke, I tried to jump in its draft. Somehow, it accelerated too quickly. But a team station wagon was behind it, and the driver motioned for me to jump on. So I did. I knew they wouldn't get lost en route to the race. At a bit over 35mph on this narrow two-lane road, I got burned off. So the second team station wagon slowed a moment, and motioned for me to jump on. So I did. When he slowed down for a fast left turn, I jumped back to the first car. And suddenly we were in Middelkerke. And I saw te Katusha team bus at the next light. I rolled up to follow them. Then they were heading into an empty parking lot! Must be wrong.

It wasn't. De Panne starts along an ocean-front promenade.

When the race headed south at exactly 11:55am, I waited until the team cars passed, and then headed north. There's a promenade all the way from Middelkerke through Oostend, and it doubles as a bike path. Parallels trolley tracks even.


When I got to the station, after getting directions there from an elderly woman on a bike—mangled Flemish so badly, she assumed I was speaking German—bought my ticket to Gent. An amazing thing, despite all the bike parking at train stations around Belgium, they charge you five Euro to take your bike on the train. And they don't have bike racks on trains like they do for most regional rail in France. Guess they're afraid of the thousands who leave their bikes at stations taking them on.

It was similarly difficult leaving Ghent as it was Brugge. No map showing roads leading out of the city, the Michelin map not detailed enough. Figured south based on the train station. Suddenly, once again, it was easy. Saw a sign for a town that was on my preferred route, and got off the main road. N-44 had a distinct bike path, but it wasn't as direct, as what I saw on the map.

Had to consult the map a few times as I came to unmarked traffic circles and tiny villages. Even rode over a few hills. Crested one hill, and a small city was atop the next rise a kilometer away or so. Zottegem. Must be, as there were two helicopters overhead. Kept on my road, and got to a crowd watching team buses set up. Again.


The race passes through Zottegem, then goes out for a lap of the hills, and returns for the finish. Was I ahead of the race, or behind? It was 2:30, over 30 minutes before the race was supposed to pass through, according to the time estimates provided by the promoters.

When I saw the finish line, and was able to get to within two meters of it, I was pretty sure I was ahead of the race. Time to sit back on the top tube and work on translating the announcer's Flemish patter.

Special thanks to BKW friend JP for the post and images.

Chasing De Panne, Part I

The goal was to see the start and finish to Three Days of De Panne's stage one. Seemed like a good way to ride around the Flanders countryside, see the ocean, and get a feel for their trains.

A great thing about travel is that you're often forced out of your comfort zone. It can be what makes travel challenging. The simple things you take for granted, can suddenly get pretty hard.

As anyone who has chased bike racing around Europe can attest, until you get the hang of things for both a region and a race, most of the adventure is just getting to see the event. That's why I'll stick to telling the travel adventure first, and race reflections second.

My first mistake was assuming that since the race had De Panne in the name, the first stage went there. Should have been paying more attention. While the stage started in Middelkerke, right on the water, it finished in Zottegem. That meant I'd be riding west from Brugge, then east. Only it was a long haul from Middelkerke to Zottegem. Seemed like it would be at least 100km. That would be on top of the 32km to the coast. And my plan was to race the next day. So it was ride to Middelkerke, ride to Oostend, train to Gent (through Brugge), then ride to and from Zottegem, which should be about 25km each way.


As easy as it is to get around urban and suburban Brugge, it is hard to go from one place to another. There aren't an abundance of street signs offering up road names. Circles don't have any compass-point directions or roads that have directions in them. There aren't many signs giving directions to a particular town, unless you're on a main road, and you're looking for the next town. And despite the relatively small size of the region, people don't seem to know their way several kilometers radius past their home or office, even the police.

I'd leave at 9am. Get to Middelkerke around 10:20, allowing for getting lost a bit, snack, lounge, check out the circus that is racing in Flanders. Then after the start, speed to Oostend, grab a little lunch, get to Ghent around 1:30 or so. Be in Zottegem by 2:30, see the race pass through around 3, check out Zottegem, maybe sit in a bar, eat frites and watch the stage on television, see the race finish, ride back. If the race was moving quickly, I'd be back in Brugge by 6.


According to Google Maps, the ride to Middelkerke should be about 20 miles. And it looked like a pretty straight line. But I couldn't print out the directions. No problem, there's a gas station down the street. I'll buy a map of Flanders there on my way out the door. Looks like it's en route anyways. Riding to Oostend should be easy. Should be 4-5 miles. Just go north along the coast. Zottegem similarly easy. Ride South from Ghent. Fifteen miles. So 55miles for the day, and so long as I'm timing things right, I should be able to spin easy the whole way.

The race would be moving quickly. The day dawned warm and sunny. Great conditions for a fast race.

When I tried buying a map of West Flanders at the nearby gas station, they were completely out of Michelin maps of Belgium. They did have much of the rest of Europe, though. Guess people don't need maps to get around.

So I figured I'd head west. I had a rough map of the region I brought from home thanks to the Belgian tourist office. Just needed to find town names at roundabouts now and again. Could always head for Gistel or Oostend and correct myself once I got near those place.


Not so easy. As I tried heading west, I kept on getting diverted south. When I passed a second gas station a few miles later, I bought a map. Of Belgium and Luxembourg. That's all they had. Huge mother. Got to Zelegem. Saw signs for the police station. Turns out there's a bike shop across the street. Closed Tuesdays. So I asked the police. First response when asking directions to Middelkerke by bike. "You can't get there from here." But people were asked, and they showed me the way. They had me going further south before going north, then west.

I started on the recommended route. Veered off a few miles later, when I saw I could go through Aartrijke en route to Gistel. Could have gone directly from Zelegem, if only the police could have figured. There was an open bike shop there. The guy gave me directions through Gistel. Looked easy.

Special thanks to BKW friend JP for the post and images. Check back for Part II.

2009 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne

Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen

A special thanks to TK for the pictures

2009 Omloop het Nieuwsblad

1993 Liège-Bastogne-Liège

1992 Milan-San Remo: King Kelly Wins Again!

Attacking on a descent in the rain and drifting both wheels on your way to catching '86 World Champion Moreno Argentin and beating him in the sprint is stunningly PRO.

Tradition vs. Technology

Paris Roubaix is a race steeped in tradition. Every chapter in the race's history sees common threads woven throughout, and this lays the foundation for Paris Roubaix's timeless appeal. Almost every other race in the PRO calendar has been touched by the hand of modern bicycle technologies. A look at the Tour de France reveals high-tech machines taking advantage of the most advanced technologies available to the manufacturing world—an engineer's showcase of the thinnest, lightest, and fastest—an envelope pushed so far that the UCI has a specific rule in place in an attempt to keep things safe.
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The race's tradition extends far beyond the route, the stones, or the concrete showers, rather the tradition extends into the mindset of the riders themselves. Many understand that the race is comprised of unpredictable events and the fastest way to a win is to limit as many unknowns as possible.

A walk though the start village in Compiègne illustrates the different strategies of the teams. Some teams and riders opt for cantilever brakes, others the standard road calipers. Some go for double tape, the 23, 25, 27, 28mm tires, and suspension forks. The list of Roubaix-specific accoutrement is as long as the line at the espresso tents. However, there is one gear selection that remains almost unanimous among teams: the decision to ride "traditional wheels".

The term "traditional" is used by many of the teams to describe the traditional, 32-hole hub, three cross spoke pattern and "low profile" rim with a tubular tire glued to it. Over the years and with all the developments in wheel technology, it is fascinating that the wheel choice for Roubaix remains a "low-tech" option.

Undoubtedly, the high-tech players are in hot pursuit of a seat at the Roubaix table. Zipp, for example, has been hard at work developing a deep section carbon wheel capable of delivering all the performance characteristics against the wind, while continuing to be able to handle the stones. Most recently, the CSC team has been spotted at Flanders with a deep section, rear wheel, and a traditional front.

(BKW has spent some time speaking with the folks at Zipp; stay tuned for a future post featuring Zipp's experiences at the Classics and the future of a deep-section carbon Roubaix wheel.)

For more information on the traditional wheel approach, we placed a call to BKW friend and PRO mechanic George Noyes. As a recap, George turned wrenches for cycling's best and did his time in the trenches for 7-Eleven, Motorola, Cofidis, and Mapei. George has built enough wheels in his career to fill a stadium and included in his builds are wheels that carried the Lion himself to victory at Roubaix.

When speaking about the traditional wheel style with George, it becomes immediately evident that he remains passionate about wheel building and he respects the love and attention to detail so common among traditionally constructed wheels. Although the options for wheel building seem endless, the builds at Roubaix all seem to be alike.

A wheel for Roubaix needs to deliver overall durability, lateral stiffness, and the ability to absorb impact. George confirmed that in the years before deep section, carbon wheels, mechanics often built the wheels with lower spoke tension to give the wheel a softer ride. Today, however, George notes that riders prefer their wheels built with a higher spoke tension because most are accustomed to the ride quality of today's high tension wheels.

An interesting side note regarding the wheels for Roubaix: George recalls, the mechanics always pulled the oldest wheels first. Back in those days, the traditional wheelset was the only wheelset. The Mapei team used the oldest wheels on the truck for Roubaix and, quite simply, Roubaix would be the final ride for these wheels, prompting immediate retirement upon removal from the bike. The team's star riders would always begin Roubaix on a new set of wheels.

Here is a quick glance at the wheel builds for Johan and team:

Front Wheel
Rim: Ambrosio Nemesis 32 hole
Hub: Shimano Dura Ace 32 hole
Spokes: Sapim or DT (Aero when available*)
Tire: Vittoria
Build: 3X with lower tension in spokes

Rear Wheel
Rim: Ambrosio Nemesis 32 hole
Hub: Shimano Dura Ace 32 hole
Spokes: Sapim or DT (Aero then tied and soldered)
Tire: Vittoria
Build: 3X with lower tension in spokes

* Aero spokes were an expensive option and despite the Mapei budget, they were not always available to the mechanics.

Tire pressure remains as much art as science. According to George, the ideal tire pressure for the Roubaix course walks a very fine line, balancing enough pressure to keep the rider above the stones and low enough that the bike feels stable and provides shock absorption. Like cyclocross, tire pressure is considered too high if the rider doesn't frequently bounce off the rim.

The best riders have mastered the art of riding "lightly" enough that they can run a ridiculously low pressure without puncturing. Typical pressure for the Mapei riders hovered around 5 3/4 bars (83 PSI) for the rear and a shockingly low 5 bars (72 PSI) in the front. "The lower the pressure, the more stable the bike is over the stones," notes George.

During our talks, George laughed as he recalled Museeuw's tendency to bleed out air prior to the start of Roubaix. This served as an outlet for nervous energy and the best were always pushing the envelope, seeking the lowest possible pressure. "I used to threaten to glue the valves closed so Johan could not change the pressure," says George.

The traditional wheel set-up has been a part of Roubaix's history since the first race back in 1896. Although developments in wheel design have grown exponentially in the last few years (and some are Roubaix specific), Roubaix appears to be a race where the PROs themselves fear leaving anything to chance and the fear of embracing technology comes from a traditional mindset trusting a traditional wheelset.

The wheels featured in the photos above were built by the skilled hands of George and bound for Max Van Heeswijk's Willems Veranda's Continental Team.

Photo courtesy George Noyes

VDB Reflects

Interview - Frank Høj

BKW friend and rabid Classics fan, TK, recently chatted up Classics spécialiste, Frank Høj, who in 2009 ends his run with Cofidis for another go with Bjarne Riis and the CSC/Saxo Bank squad. Frank has been a PRO for the past 14 seasons and has participated in three Giro D’ Italias, two Vueltas, and one Tour de France and that doesn't even touch on his love for the Classics.

Frank has been a long time contributor to Procycling magazine and is often described as having an inimitable and quirky brand of humor.

TK: Hey Frank! What’s going on?

FH: Just relaxing after a long Tour of Holland!

TK: How did you do?

FH: Well, I dropped out right before the end; I managed to get a break. I held it for half the race, when the peloton decided to organize and chase me down. The next day I had no legs!

TK: How’s the wedding planning going?

FH: It's crazy right now while I am away, my fiancée has been doing most of the work!

TK: When are you getting married?

FH: In October, and then we are vacationing in Jamaica!

TK: That’s where my wife and I honeymooned.

FH: Cool, I can’t wait for the margaritas.

TK: Being a Dane, I thought you liked beer?

FH: Ya, I do. My favorite beer is Leffe blonde, also when in Denmark, there is a brewery that's ran by a former pro cyclist, which I like.

TK: What’s the name of that beer?

FH: It’s called Kolmer beer.

TK: Now, I know you can’t wait for some Caribbean food, but what is your all-time favorite food?

FH: A nice rare steak with some frites!

TK: Just like Mr. Paris Roubaix!

FH: Yes, like in the movie Sunday in Hell.

TK: Was Roger De Vlaeminck your favorite rider when you were young?

FH: You bet! I remember watching him on Danish television when I was young and I wanted to race Paris Roubaix. I thought it was fascinating racing in such extreme conditions.

TK: What was it like to race your first Roubaix?

FH: I was very nervous and excited.

TK: How were the showers at Roubaix?

FH: It was nice to just clean off with hot water that never runs out after a long day in the saddle.

TK: I always see a bunch of reporters in there trying to get interviews while riders are half naked. Isn’t that annoying?

FH: (Laughs) Yea, I once had a reporter who kept poking me with his microphone to get an interview. I told him nicely that I wanted to take a shower and once done I would talk with him. He persisted; I then grabbed him by the collar and threw him out!

TK: Yikes, I don’t want to mess with you!

FH: I am actually a bouncer on the side. (Laughs)

TK: What’s your favorite set-up on your bike for PR?

FH: I like the cyclo-cross levers on top, and some fat 27mm tubulars.

TK: What kind of wheels do you like to roll?

FH: Depends on what the teams sponsor is, but I do like the Ambrosio Nemesis tubular.

TK: What was your favorite bike you rode on the cobbles?

FH: I like the time frame I ride now, but I also loved the Specialized Roubaix that was featured in Cyclingnews.

TK: So, you have been doing an article monthly in Procycling magazine for some time. is this something you might continue doing once you retire from cycling?

FH: Maybe. I love journalism and writing. I have even thought about writing a book.

TK: You even do commentary for Danish television.

FH: Yes, and I love it. I just finished doing commentary for the Olympics in Denmark.

TK: I thought you might have been racing in China?

FH: Denmark had only three riders, and there are some talented riders from CSC. But I will be riding at the World Championship this year.

TK: Who, in your opinion, is going to be the next great rider in the PRO peloton?

FH: Definitely Frank Schleck! He's one of the strongest riders out there!

TK: And, finally, what's your favorite band or music?

FH: Anything from Depeche Mode or U2.

TK: Cool. Frank! Good luck at the Worlds and your wedding!

FH: (Laughs) Later!

Photo courtesy: KWC.org