With our group of friends cycling, the Hamburgers and Cannons, we go cycling in a beautiful destination every year. This time it became Flanders: a pretty much sacred environment for cycling enthusiasts, and so that included appropriate preparation. There was a Roundbook of 25 pages, complete with routes for each category of cyclist and a veritable star rating in which all 17 participants were dissected on their strengths and weaknesses.

These included top favourites Garikai and Wout (both five stars and true Cannons), Huib (“luxury servant”) there were three and had to Hamburger Sander (“Huh, did someone say training?”) make do with just one star. The course builder - Huib, also the author of the Rondeboek and the man of the stars - had also done his best to include as many unpleasant cobbled climbs and stretches as possible in the routes. On the Haaghoek - a nasty downhill road with poorly laid stones - he was still willing to take a vote. “2 in favour and 14 against? Totally fine guys, let's skip that one.”

The next day, to everyone's surprise, the same Haaghoek was ‘just’ still included in the route.

Like Museeuw in his best days

Why not: cycling in Flanders is an ordeal for the average cyclist anyway. It is a succession of short but mostly steep climbs. Well-known climbs like the Koppenberg, the Paterberg and the Bosberg are obstacles where the legs can give out just like that. That happened to Chiel, for example; three stars and compared in the Rondeboek to Johan Museeuw in his best days, but still felled by severe cramp in the last thirty kilometres.

Even so, cycling in Flanders was a joy. Four days of brilliant weather certainly helped, also because riding over wet cobblestones is almost impossible. Which cycling fan does not remember the images of the spekglad Koppenberg in 2024? Van der Poel got to the top by bike, as did Jorgenson and Pedersen. The rest of the pros: with bike in hand, stumbling towards the top.

Roubaix showers

As a bonus, we paid a visit to the nearby - and at least as legendary - Roubaix Vélodrome. The gates were open, so cycling onto the cycling track was no problem at all. And we were also able to take a look at the showers. Is it okay to take one of those typical ‘look at me having given up on all those nasty Paris-Roubaix cobbled sections’ photos? At least Garikai thought so.

Of course, the Muur van Geraardsbergen could not be skipped either. Raking up with the whole group, and then doing the last twenty metres again for the photo. Pedalling smoothly and breathing through the nose, of course.

Yes, for those who have never cycled there: Flanders does live up to its name as the ultimate cycling destination. Although while rattling and moaning on the Haaghoek you might think otherwise for a while.