Spring comes to Summer
You can never have too much Muur. It’s a proven scientific fact that too little Muur can be detrimental to a Cyclist’s state of mind, even if they have never ridden the most iconic climb in Flanders. And if they have, then the withdrawals are something not to be taken lightly. Every so often we need to top up the Muur bank throughout the months between April and April, the only month that brings genuine joy to the racing fan.
Whilst July is a test of mind-numbing boredom induced by a three-week wait for the inevitable to conclude, August sees the greatest little stage race take place on the kassien and grunty climbs the home of Cycling is littered with. The Eneco Tour is like a six-day Classics campaign, like back-to-back Dwaars, E3s and mini-Rondes. The men of Spring get another chance to perform on their preferred turf, but in weather that doesn’t require Flandrian Best to be deployed. Though Vlaanderen being Flanders, there is naturally a bit of rain about, only adding to the race’s aura.
This photo from 2013’s Tour illustrates that even during the summer, even during the week, even during the day, the magic of the Muur is not to be missed. Sure, there are a tenth of the people that would crowd the wall during the halcyon days of the Ronde, but even Colnago Pullover Guy is there, albeit subdued, just checking things out, marking his territory like a naughty chihuahua. I’m not sure what Flemish for “Laaadies…” is, but I’ pretty certain he’s about to drop it.
Even with the Worlds in full swing, my thoughts turn to the Muur. The cobbled roads are a powerful drug, and I’m an addict in need of a fix. Just seven more months, just seven more months…
*Click on photo for detail, you won’t regret it.
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Brett, find a willing billionaire friend to construct an Australian Muur for you to play on. Or would you be riding that thing yourself ??
@universo
Yeah, but which one of my billionaire friends would I pick?
(And it'd be a NZ Muur...)
Speaking of naughty chihuahua,s I have 3 . If they could climb the Muur with the ferociousness of their reaction to a stranger reaching into the inside of our car they would most certainly top it before any of us . Little Devils ...
I used to hate Stefan Schumacher for crashing Hincapie out of the leader's jersey in 2006, but that was later offset somewhat by the revelation of Big George's own douchbagedness.
I'm just returned from a ride around il Lago di Lugano. The trip didn't get me as far as the Madonna del Ghisallo, but I will be dreaming wistfully during il Lombardia—another place ingrained in the hearts of cyclists.
I'll never forgive the organisers of the Rhonde for removing The Muur. Who can forget Faboo taking Boonen apart up there? Now it seems like a lesser race, still awesome, but not complete.
I ride up there whenever I want, just plug in the Sufferfest video and away we go.
@Ccos
Schumacher can be hated on his own lack-of merit. Giant, multi time loser doper, never admitted to it. Took a lot of success from other people. He even beat Fabs in a TdF TT. This is an Outrage!
Somehow, still racing. What a world, what a world.
I remember in this year's tour, Phil Liggett who already irritates me kept banging on about Mûr-de-Bretagne translating to "the wall of Brittany" which it doesn't. I figure he'd thought that as Mur de Huy translates to "Wall of Huy" and I knew this. I would have understood if he said it once, but as Liggett does, he kept repeating this incorrectly. So annoying.
Remember Phil, you did say you'd retire if the One Who Must Not Be Named was guilty...
I've ridden the Muur twice now and there is a point where you turn right off the main cobbled road, where you know it's only about a hundred metres to the top and I always have to accelerate there to make fools suffer. Only thing is just around the corner are the worst, most uneven cobbles on the steepest gradient and I die a slow and painful death as Brett steams by and Harminator dissapears up the road..
How steep is it?