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.

Next Rule #5: Racing Hoogerland-Style »

Previous « Keepers' Tour: Cobbled Classics 2012 Update

View Comments

frank says:

Dec 4 2011 at 4:10 pm

@minion
Erm. Yes. Meant jockey wheels. You know how sometime language fails you? Happens to me, like, all the time.
gaswepass says:

Dec 4 2011 at 9:05 pm

@frank

Due to total disorganization, can't find the exercise nutrition chapter that I use as a reference to provide an elegant sounding explanation of what I said. I may have created some confusion about fat burning though, and I can help clear some of that - one does burn fat during exercise. The issue is that in the absence of providing nutrition (beyond water replacement) on a long (>2 hours) ride, the body needs something other than body stores of sugars. IF denied it will consume protein (muscle).

I don't want to say much more at the risk of making shit up. I would rather misquote what I read with the chapter in front of me than bs'ing about what I don't quite remember. I'll report back when I have something more useful to provide.

I did, in searching online for similar writings, find myself at the hammer site, and found this, which does provide some pretty good sounding science of nutrition:

http://www.hammernutrition.com/hnt/1275/
Minion says:

Dec 4 2011 at 11:02 pm

@frank

@Bianchi Denti

@minion
@minion

for the classics don't some riders use larger inner rings? 42 tooth and up (If possible?) Boonen and Cancellara's lowest gear might be a lot larger than standard.

I think most pros use a 42 inner on Roubaix. My old Mino Denti steel bike sports a 42/52 combo on Superbe cranks. Great on the flat, I'm sure, but not the Wellington hills.
My secret Cobbled Classics fear is that I'll be presented with a hire Cyfac sporting a 42:21 smallest ratio...

They go even bigger for Paris-Roubaix than 42, Boonen rides a 46T inner ring. I *think* this is partly to get the right gear ratio when riding through the sludge, but its also to keep down on chain slack for better shifting.
A great write-up on Boonen's bike:
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/pro-bike-tom-boonens-specialized-s-works-roubaix-sl2-custom-21190/

THAT WAS EXACTLY THE ARTICLE I WAS THINKING OF. Your internet Kung Fu is strong.
It also reminds me of the interesting run Speccy had with Boonen: Forks not stiff enough, so QuickStep used Time till they got that sorted, not having a stock size that fitted so having him ride an al bike, while they create new moulds, then the relationship not lasting very long after that.
I don't hate specialized (much. Yet.) but it was a troubled relationship.
Harminator says:

Dec 5 2011 at 4:28 am

Late to the thread but...

I love the photo, particularly the arc on the stones and Freddy's little finger. Totally throwing it down but relaxed enough in the arms & hands not to gripping the shit out of the hoods.
frank says:

Dec 5 2011 at 8:46 am

@Harminator
Awesome observation.

@all
Not sure if you realize Roger had/has a brother?

Via BigRingRiding's usual genius:
Buck Rogers says:

Dec 5 2011 at 4:04 pm

@frank
Fronk, what the hell does your VMH do for work? Is she a spy or something. Last week Africa, this week Vietnam. Man, that is some serious traveling!
frank says:

Dec 5 2011 at 4:51 pm

@Buck Rogers

@frank
Fronk, what the hell does your VMH do for work? Is she a spy or something. Last week Africa, this week Vietnam. Man, that is some serious traveling!

She's an Epidemiologist working in International Public Health. Helping save the world while I actively work to make it a worse place. We balance each other out so we're karma-neutral.
Buck Rogers says:

Dec 5 2011 at 5:01 pm

@frank

@Buck Rogers

@frank
Fronk, what the hell does your VMH do for work? Is she a spy or something. Last week Africa, this week Vietnam. Man, that is some serious traveling!

She's an Epidemiologist working in International Public Health. Helping save the world while I actively work to make it a worse place. We balance each other out so we're karma-neutral.

Excellent! I plan on working with international groups doing ophtho once I finish with the Army in eight years. What an awesome job she has!
TB says:

Dec 5 2011 at 6:30 pm

@mcsqueak
The Chain merely transmits power. It does not effectively increase the crank lever arm. If you could change the crank and cog to gears and eliminate the chain, it woul dbe the same power transmission.
xyxax says:

Dec 5 2011 at 7:10 pm

@frank

She's an Epidemiologist working in International Public Health.

If she ever wants to work for us (Doctors Without Borders), you know, for the free t-shirt, have her give me a shout.