How does one fit a 250km ride into an area the size of Flanders?  With the assistance of Mr Squiggle of course – or at least his Flemish cousin. 

 The ride was the Ronde van Vlaanderen.  And 3fidi was there to do it on Saturday.  Rolling out of Brugge a little later than planned (and sometime after most other riders had left), Bleeksie and I headed off.  The first 80kms or so were typical local riding:  flat, rough concrete roads and bike paths into a headwind.  Plenty of groups around, all going slower than the Bleeks-train and none-too-willing to assist.  Then we hit the Flemish Ardennes.  Now we would be lying if we were to say these were anything like the size of the other Ardennes in southern Belgium (which aren’t especially big in anycase).   But what they lack in height, they make up for in brutally steep, bone-jarring cobbled hills.  There were 18 in all, and half as many flat sections of two kms or so.  All that brought the average speed down a bit – it was a little tricky navigating around some of the 20,000 riders working (and walking) their way up hills like the 20 per cent cobbles of the infamous Koppenberg.  In the end, we rolled into the finish at Ninove with a few loose fillings and nine hours after the start.  It was a relief, even if we then had to ride another 25 or so to get to the Brussels metro and home.