E3 Velotour Harelbeke: Blow-up!

HARELBEKE (BE) - The E3 velotour in Harelbeke was my second cyclotour (RTF) of the season, but much more than Niederdorfelden an indicator of my current form. I joined up with Hendrik and two of his friends and knew that they would grab any opportunity to challenge me along the 135km long course with 11 Flemish hellingen, some which are also part of the Ronde van Vlaanderen next Saturday.

Whereas Frankfurt enjoyed a pre-summer day with 20 degrees and sunshine, we got on our bikes in solid rain and windy conditions... Typical Flandrien weather, they say, but one does not get excited about that idea when one is actually cycling in it! After hardly 2 kilometres I already looked like a cyclo crosser! As in de Ronde, the first 30 kilometres of the E3 are just a warm-up, i.e. no climbs. The legs felt good, and the first climb - the Edelare - confirmed that feeling as I effortlessly rode up with nobody left in my wheel.

After the first ravitaillement on top of La Houppe, Hendrik dropped the axe and attacked. The start of the hostilities :-) Gregory and I let him ride in the wind a bit, but the next climb - Berg Stene - came up already. I felt comfortable and closed down the gap just before the top and attacked straight out of Hendrik's wheel. Just to put the pressure on. A red traffic light ended the move prematurely. So we went on to the Boigneberg and Eikenberg. I never liked the cobbled Eikenberg but this time it went well and I even managed to drop them slightly. The wind was blowing hard in this section and the following hill, Stationsberg, was much tougher than usual. Then, in a technical descent, Hendrik and Gregory managed to get some 20-30 metres on me. I wasn't too worried as the nasty and steep Taaienberg came up and I reckoned I get them back there... but that proved to be a miscalculation. The duo sprinted all they could on the Taaienberg and I actually got a little knock of the hammer. The gap remained and the chase was on against a strong headwind. They got a guy to help them ride fast, and I also got two guys but the gap increased bit by bit. As we approached the famous Paterberg they were out of sight, and I struggled on that steep climb more than I can remember of the past years. My tank was running on empty and the Oude Kwaremont I could only conquer on the 23. Later I found out that Hendrik and Gregory did it even on the 25, so they were also struggling at least! There was a strong headwind on the Kwaremont, and all of a sudden that otherwise feasible climb became the genuine article.

The race was over, though. The punch in the legs had gone completely and I was happy to reach Harelbeke again. I had already given up on the plan to cycle home kilometres ago ...

Hendrik was all smiles of course. It had been some time ago he last got my number..

It is hard to draw conclusions, but the Easter debacle certainly did not help my preparation for the 260 km next Saturday in Flanders. It seems I just blew up after 90-100km. I will certainly need to take it easy in the early parts if I still want to have some speed on the Muur van Geraardsbergen after 240 km.