Near Parike, the village where the Flandrien Hotel is actually nothing. There is no known tourist attraction. No motorway runs nearby, an airport is far away let alone good public transport links. For fans of the race who want to ride in the wake of the Tour of Flanders, this is Valhalla. Everywhere you go or stand, this part of Flanders breathes the race. You only have to cycle eight kilometres and you are at the top of De Muur. Sacred ground. A small reconnaissance earlier in the weekend showed this.
The organisers of the Tour of Flanders also respond well to this. In Oudenaarde, near the beautiful town hall, you will find the Centre of the Ronde. A small place of pilgrimage. Here you can feel the heart of the race beating. With memorabilia from this cycling monument, seats signed by big names such as Hennie Kuiper, Johan Museeuw, Paolo Bettini, Tom Boonen, but also Marianne Vos. For those who want to be close to the gods on the bike for a while, this is it.
Red loop of the Round
To get on the trail of the Ronde, you can pick several loops, all of which take you over hallowed ground. Like a true Flandrien and wannabe pro, you have to breathe the race. We spend this weekend's Saturday on the red loop. 112 kilometres in length and on the way we ride over the Bosberg, the Berendries, the Foreest and the Eikenberg, among others, are part of the loop of the Ronde. From narrow trails to wide roads. From short, punchy climbs, to bouncing over the cobbles on the Wall and Bosberg. In all, it is a beautiful but monstrous route.
Read also: Flanders part 1 and Flanders part 3
Strong Stories
When you hear Bernard Moerman speak, with a beautiful Flemish accent, you would not expect him to have been one of the important parts of the racing circus for many years. With his Cycling Centre, he helped young riders from abroad and gave them a 'home away from home'. A true character with real love for racing. Full of stories. Not just about racing in Belgium. But also about sponsors in cycling, haircuts of 'just-not-quite' riders. Perhaps the funniest story is the purchase of the hotel's current premises. As co-owner Jamie walks into the courtyard and exclaims: 'oh, look at those cobblestones', the estate agent manages to subtly pick up on this buying signal: 'we can asphalt that too'.
Up hill - down hill
There are really no flat metres in this part of Flanders. We pull out of Parike towards Geraardsbergen, on wide roads and it rolls up and down. Through the narrow streets of Geraardsbergen we head towards the Wall. Holy ground for the cycling fan. Holy ground, actually for everyone. It then heads towards the famous Bosberg. A cobbled climb that has almost no equal. In this stretch of Pajottenland you can enjoy 1400 metres. On this climb, Flandrien Edwig van Hooydonck nestled among the world's greatest. We feel a little weaker today, but it is still a magical piece of Flanders.
Bouncing across the Haaghoek at 'Horrorbeke'
We cross through Flemish country and follow the river. The water meanders through the beautiful surroundings here. A couple of sport fishermen interrupt the peace that prevails here. Just the whooshing sound of the group and the rattle of a single hub. Enjoyment. After turning and turning, we bounce across the Haaghoek. Here you feel the course in every fibre. Literally and figuratively. With the support of the Peugeot Team car, which you hear rather than see, you dream of days gone by.
Coffee with Matt cake
In Oudenaarde, the real pros flash by. An exploratory lap. We too venture out for a lap through the beautiful Centre of the Ronde. With a coffee and a local Mattentaart. That's a protected name, just like Parmiggiano and Champagne. Tough stuff After this, the toughest part awaits. At least, the kilometres to come weigh the heaviest.
The more kilometres you do in just the red loop of the lap, the more respect you get for the pro riders, men and women. Because you'll just have to bounce 200km+ over narrow cobblestones. Up hill, down hill. Turns, turns every time. Weather and wind. With the Achterberg, the Onderbossenaar, the Berendries, the Valkenberg, the Steenberg and what else, you'll have your hands full.
Like God in Flanders
A weekend in the Flemish hills is something special. Especially after surviving all those hills, because that's how it is for many. Survival. It produces friendships, good conversations. Stories for home, for years afterwards. You can't do that without a nice home. A home away from home. With the Flandrien Hotel we fall head over heels. Would you like to join us next year? Then send a message to our info mailbox.
Route Red Loop Tour of Flanders
