Love the touch with V-optimized Jawbones, face twisted in agony as you mash up some grade that should never have been paved – let alone with stones. Spot on. Been meaning to get that same set of lenses. Looks FANTASTIC, mate.

The guy in the second shot of you got hit by a stewpot, from the looks of it. Ouch.

Apologies for the dude in it, but thought I’d share couple of photos of the Velominati strip on the Taaienberg and Muur-Kapelmuur

Not up to the scratch of Pedale.Forschetta… yet… but this link takes you to a few of the better ones from the weekend… the idiot gurning at the camera in Velominati colours is me, the sun had yet to come up and I had 260km to ride, what can I say… honestly, I climb well for my weight… some good ones of GT killing it at different points of the race, though (thanks to my buddy Barefoot for his shots on the Bosberg)… and some start line posturing from Spartacus (who was looking very lean and focused) and Thor (who was Looking Fantastic).. funnily enough, the later ones of Sunday have all come out blurred

He’s the guy who just kicked a volcano’s ass in the middle of winter, when some of us (read, me) are getting fat and happy. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.

Someday I’ll come up to join y’all in Seattle for a ride and some beers, but at this point in the spring I’d just embarrass myself. The only thing that makes me feel decent right now when I’m out cramping it up on a ride is I’m ahead of where I was at this point last spring…

Thank you for your kind words of support and encouragement

What a weekend… 19,999 other like minded souls; 258km of riding; 24 sections of (well maintained, much better than Roubaix apparently) cobbles; 18 Bergs; 2 days of sunshine; and 1 RVV… Not to mention 9.5% Belgian beer, a Belgian winner, and my own weight in frites and Mayo… I can’t walk, have a hangover from hell, and no work got done today.

Good showing from GT too… Awesome race

If you go on a casual recon ride with Frank, you had better bring a little V in your back pocket, just in case.

Sweet piss of Pantani, give me strength!

even if it wasn’t one (and i did work it out in about 5 seconds), i still wouldn’t mind if there was no koppenberg. RVV is bigger than one hill, and it’ll always make me like an overexcited puppy on christmas who is getting a gigantic bone as a present.

I need to go and breathe into a paper bag

andy:
i’m so excited for this race. I don’t even mind that due to cobble theft, they’ve had to take out the koppenberg.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/flanders-route-changed-after-cobbles-theft

From the article: “Belgian police have revealed they have received information suggesting that the cobbles were stolen to order and may have already been spirited out of the country. They believe the cobbles are destined for the driveway of a fan of the Belgian Classics.”

FRANK! How could you?

Can’t wait to ride tomorrow. First time in years it’s going to be nice and sunny for us and rainy for the pro’s.

So excited… Off to reassemble my bike

Is there any point in a vsp… Spartacus is going to kill it, no?

I rode a little bit of the Flanders route last fall and recently wrote a post about it. I’m new to writing, but at least there are some photos to check out as well if anyone is interested.

De Ronde Pilgrimage

I’m loving that we’re getting it free to air in Aus! I’m going hunting for some (non Stella or Hoegaarden) Belgian beer to throw in the fridge so I can get a more authentic experience watching it in Brisbane!

Can’t wait!

Oh, and your bike ride looks like fun too. Heh

il ciclista medio:

I don’t know about that? Given the poor condition of most roads in Sydney (and possibly most other major cities?), what with potholes, broken glass, roadkill, cat’s eyes, road work, blown truck tyres, bad drivers and so on plus the wet weather these last few weekends

What wet weather. 32 degrees C and sunny the last few weeks and not looking like changing. Ahhh Perth…..

No mud cobbles or hills for me (not unless I spray some water on the back lawn, build a ramp out of paving bricks and ride ten million circuits)

Wayne Schimmelbusch :
Well said Frank. I’m not aware of any cobblestoned roads in Sydney which could be used during an honorary ride on the weekend but here’s hoping at least for some foul weather…

I don’t know about that? Given the poor condition of most roads in Sydney (and possibly most other major cities?), what with potholes, broken glass, roadkill, cat’s eyes, road work, blown truck tyres, bad drivers and so on plus the wet weather these last few weekends – while it’s not the same as cobblestones or Brett’s Welli grave, one can give the bike and body a good run for their money without trying too hard or looking too far I reckon!

In fact, I’m going to do a recon ride tomorrow morning to find some cobbles in Capitol Hill that I discovered a few months ago.

Hopefully bike #2’s aluminum frame can handle it.

@frank
won’t be able to make it to Seattle due to time constraints (i.e. other side of the world and work on Monday) but best wishes with your own tour, hope you get plenty of starters

PS Did my own Flanders at 6:45 this am: my typical 28 Mi loop to work, but in the wind, under a sight drizzle and with mud (country lanes obliged) spread all over the road. Hell, it was fun. I was even 5′ faster today!

Here’s hoping.

Zoncolan :
I know the feeling, went out in the worst rainstorm ever before Lombardy last year thinking “Gilbert wouldn’t even notice this” and he went and smashed it. Vive la V.