It’s so close I can almost taste it. The mud. The dust. The heavy Spring air, turning to rain, blown across the fields of Flanders, where many a battle has been fought, in trenches and on wheels. Battles fought against other men, battles fought within each man. My own mind is in battle; am I worthy? Will I be prepared for the beating my body will take, and will my mind deal with it? Well, I’m not going to my own grave without doing this. I will survive on V.
The Keepers Tour just gets better and better. The team at Pavé Cycling Tours should be known as the Mailmen of Flanders, because they just keep on delivering. It seems almost every day there’s an email informing us of an addition to the tour, and our responses are more and more ‘screaming teenager’ than composed adult. To say we’re excited about this trip could be the understatement of the year. We’re excited.
The latest gems from Alex and William include;
Of course, this is all in addition to the already confirmed awesomeness of riding with The Lion of Flanders Johan Museeuw, touring the Eddy Merckx factory, riding on the Gent velodrome, touring the Brunehaut brewery (where our organic Malteni beer is produced) and another cycling museum visit in Beveren. There’s a heap of other activities confirmed too, so email us for the full presentation.
And the best part? All of this is included in the super low price! Everything. All meals, all accommodation, all drinks (yes, beer!) and hanging out with a cool bunch of like-minded bike nuts.
Sell your first-born if you have to, but don’t miss out on a week, or weekend of pure Classics bliss. There are still a few seats available, so book yours now.
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actually, I now own a pair - was also tempting to buy a pair of the "Wanker" socks for the rider dislaying the most amount of anti-V each day, but then I don't want to end up wearing them myself...
@Dr C
Ah go on, you're only there for a weekend so you'd only get to wear them for the Sunday's spectating and there's a good chance that it'll be welly weather!
This does raise a more important question, though, will there be a special subset of The Rules governing Tour Behaviour, both on and off the bike?
Just as a point of interest, those socks and saddles say something, so be careful what you get...
The all black lion is used as a symbol of the Flemish independence movement... the one with red claws and tongue is the official Flemish symbol and used to show support for Belgian integration.
I guess you could have one of each.
@ChrisO
what would you wear in Flanders on the 2nd April, given I have as little idea about such matters, as I cared to have for our own petty Northern Irish squabbling over the last few decades of moronic self interest?
bottom line is of course that I will go with what looks most dashingly pro, and I reckon the yellow and black wins that battle hands down
@ChrisO
you are absolutly right! Watch out, @Dr C, don't start a civil war by wearing those socks... No, I am not trying to make a political statement, it s just a nice souvenir for foreign riders, I guess? I also recall that Robbie McEwen rode de Ronde van Vlaanderen with Lion of Flandres socks and I don't think he is interested in this kind of political 'bullyouknowwhat' (neither do I)
@JC Belgium
you surpass even @Fronk for the most complete filing system of cyclo porn
how on earth were you suddenly able to find a picture of someone wearing those very socks??
Exactly Dr C - I will give consideration to my sock and cap combination later. Obviously the V kit is for P-R, and I have some plain Belgian flag socks that go well with it.
Let's face it, whatever I wear it will probably be so bloody cold (for me anyway) that nobody will see it. (Note to self, bring merino socks and softshell jacket)
As for McEwen wearing those socks, I wouldn't be too sure JC.
He's based in Flanders IIRC and often tweets in some indecipherable combination of spitting and guttural throat-clearing, which I take to be Flemish, so I think he probably knows exactly what it means.
@Dr C
I have to admit: I am addicted to cyclo porn!
and: Robbie is one of the first riders I remember from my childhood. I saw him winning for the first time on the champs-elysees, while I was watching cycling in grandfather's armchair. From then on, he was my favourite sprinter, and he still is. He has my deepest respect as rider and as a person! (although I met him only twice) (found it on the livestrong site)
@ChrisO
I am not sure, and of course he knows what it means, but why would he care and make a statement? He is Aussie, came to Belgium for pro cycling, was living in Everbeek for 11 years and always said he would return to the Gold Coast, he did so in October... I think he just did it because of de Ronde van Vlaanderen, with the lion as a symbol of courage and perseverance.
and yes, thank you, the 'some indecipherable combination of spitting and guttural throat-clearing language' is Flemish...
well, it s just socks, aren t they?
@ChrisO
that'll be Phlegmish