Categories: Belgian Affirmations

Belgian Affirmations: Kapelmuur

There isn’t a lot about a climb several kilometers long ending in a sustained 20% cobbled gradient that communicates ‘Attack’ and/or ‘Respond’. Certainly not when it comes after 240 kilometers with only 20 left to race. Nope, I’ve double-checked the calibration and used a control-case: the only reading I’m getting on the Pain Gauge is the needle dropping all the way over to and past ‘Survival’.

Here we have Roger De Vlaeminck containing a vicious attack from Freddy Maertens on the hardest bit of the climb, giving more than a little bit of insight into why we refer to these guys as Hardmen. On an unrelated note, I find it to be a crime beyond articulation that the Kapelmuur won’t feature in this year’s Ronde van Vlaanderen; but that won’t stop us from riding it during the Keepers’ Tour; we’re all about history and tradition. I want to keep seeing this scene repeat itself over and over. After all, if a joke is funny once, it should be funny a thousand times.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Oli says:

Dec 2 2011 at 12:31 am

@wiscot
Not to mention that he won that 1977 Vuelta! Not bad for a "sprinter"...
Oli says:

Dec 2 2011 at 12:34 am

@minion
They often use 46 inner rings, or similar.
Minion says:

Dec 2 2011 at 12:57 am

That's it. I remember seeing a cyclingnews photo of Boonen's drive train and thinking what's the point of that? Might have even been running a 54.
Oli says:

Dec 2 2011 at 1:10 am

Yeah, that's common too.
drtyrm says:

Dec 2 2011 at 4:35 am

A Sunday In Hell was amazing. Music was great. Commentary too: "Only a Merckx would attack at this late hour."
ChrisO says:

Dec 2 2011 at 5:18 am

If you liked that, have a look for Stars and Watercarriers. Also by Jorgen Leth - about the Giro I think 73 or 74.

Not as sparingly elegant a documentary as Sunday in Hell but nevertheless some interesting scenes.

There's one great shot of a rider after a bad day - an outside favourite, might be Ole Ritter or Petterson - with the thousand-yard stare to end them all.
drtyrm says:

Dec 2 2011 at 5:30 am

Stars and Watercarries is up there in 9 parts. Thanks!
Buck Rogers says:

Dec 2 2011 at 5:30 am

@Jeff in PetroMetro

@minion Back in the Dark Ages, we all ran 42Ã—52"²s or 53"²s. The front derailleurs weren't happy running bigger spreads.
Having seen the modern pros on YouTube, they look like they're spinning 39s on the hillier classics. Some of those guys spin like they're at the velodrome. Cancellara being one of them.

My first racing bike in '86 came with 42/52 up front. Not sure when I switched to 39/53.
mblume says:

Dec 2 2011 at 5:33 am

This photo could have been as easily posted in "Anatomy of a Photo". My take on the kid with the chubby cheeks and serious face (the only tifosi who is serious here) is really the only one who fully grasps the magnitude of the V being displayed by the 2 combatants.

If I am not mistaken the kid is Philippe Gilbert. I am quite sure his young mind was plotting something to the effect of: "Damn,I need to start applying Rule V and colorng my hair now in kindergarten if I want to win the Fleche Brabanconne, Amstel Gold , Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2011."
Buck Rogers says:

Dec 2 2011 at 5:35 am

@King Clydesdale
STRONG WORK! You've dropped over 20 kilos??? Holy Shite, man, that's amazing! I am pretty obsessed with watching what I eat except the morning before a big ride. Still try to eat healthy, just a lot of it, and also after a big ride. While on a ride of over two hours I will take in some food on the bike as well.

Sounds like you had a tickling of La Volupte the other day on your group ride. Watch out for that, it is addicting. I had the sensation of La Volupte once this year in May and have been chasing it ever since all season, without quite catching her. Beautiful spot in time, that.