Here's a few preliminary snapshots from our squadra's most recent
Palmares expedition, undertaken by Le Gitan and yours truly (with some
support from La Gitane; helmets off!).

* Omloop Het Volk is still a superb ride. Breathtaking scenery
(yes, my love for the Flemish Ardennes increases with every visit),
hard pedalling, sympathetic volunteers, good food, excellent
atmostphere.

* In some respects, it is perhaps even nicer (and
tougher) than the Ronde van Vlaanderen: inbetween the beautiful
Kluisberg (ca. 50 km into the ride) and the last control at the St.
Bavo (ca. 180 km) the parcours leads almost exclusively over rural,
small/winding/up-and-down roads. Sure, OHV includes far less monuments
(and km's) than the RVV, but these unnamed 'klimmetjes' and 'vals plat'
are silent surgeons: slowly but surely they amputate your legs. From
what we remember, there was slightly less of this (and a bit more of
'fast roads') in the RVV.

* The one drawback (this year) was a
lack of Opposition: riders were scarce; suitable grupetto's were not
available. Probably the metereologic doom which was forecast for 29
April 2006 is to blame for the low turn-out (and perhaps the fact that
there were three (?) simultaneous 'Organised Sufferings'). And probably
an earlier start than 8 AM would have enhanced our 'contact
opportunities'. But we were at least very, very lucky in the weather
department. It was a bit chilly and windy, but we saw a lot of sunlight
and no rain, snow or hail.

* Le Gitan again displayed
admirable tenacity. Throughout the day, he kept up with the (slightly
adjusted) tempo 'butchered' by the Capitano, a.k.a. Superdomestique.
This proved to be more difficult than on the flat (and relatively
short) Ronde van Noord-Holland; climbing and 'exploding' is not yet his
forte. So he had to dig deep. But from what I have seen, the potential
and will power is there! The rest is training...

* Yours truly
also died in style in this Omloop; I haven't felt so knackered in a
long time. Strong enough (but not 'super') to cope with a day of
'pacing', 'climbing' 'cobbling' and 'windbreaking';
confident/experienced enough to never worry about reaching the top (or
the finish). The 'kasseien' seemed to hurt a bit harder than they did
in the RVV (I must have had a higher adrenalin/testosteron level then),
but I zealously attacked them anyhow. (But again I begin to doubt
whether Paris-Roubaix is my Cup of Sorrow.)

* Again, we were
diverted from the Huisepontweg (one of the cobbled stretches in
Flanders said to match the 'badness' of those in the Hell of the
North), but this time I at least saw it as we passed by. Following the
OHV arrows on the road was crucial in order not to get lost (which we
did, here and there) and make it to the finish in a reasonable time.

* The Formule 1 location in (the harbours of) Gent is just as dreadful as the one in Zeebrugge, but even harder to find.

* Data: DST 216 km; TIME 08:05; AVSⁱ 26,7 km/h; AvgCadⁱ 80; AvgHRⁱ 141; 05:22<D2; 01:39=D2; 00:44>D2.

* Route: Gent - St Denijs Westrem - St Martens  Latem - Nazareth -
Wannegem - Ooike - Elsegem - Avelgem - Kluisbergen - KLUISBERG - COTE
DE TRIEU - Kwaremont - OUDE KWAREMONT - ... - Flobecq - POTTELBERG (LA
HOUPPE) - Geraardsbergen - MUUR - Deftinge - St Martens Lierde -
Nederbrakel - VALKENBERG - Schorisse - EIKENBERG - VARENT - St Kornelis
Horebeke - HAAGHOEK - LEBERG - Michelbeke - BERENDRIES - Zwalm -
MOLENBERG - Roborst - Velzeke - PADDESTRAAT - Scheldewindeke -
Beerlegem - Vurste - Semmerzake - Eke - Zwijnaarde -St Denijs Westrem -
Gent