The Beacon Message Board

Anyone ever done it or doing it next year?

Entries open tomorrow 10am

Hi Tim, I've done it twice and found it to be an excellent event both times. Its very popular with a great atmosphere, but this does make for very busy roads in places and can make it difficult picking your way up the narrow cobbled climbs. Last time I did it (2016) they were stopping riders at the bottom of the Koppenberg and then sending them up in waves! Its very well organised though, with good feedstops and roads that are so well marshalled they sometimes feel like they've been closed. Overall, I'd definitely recommend it. The atmosphere in the square at Oudenaarde afterwards is amazing.

We stayed in Ghent at a hostel (very comfortable) and drove into Oudenaarde early on Saturday for the event, riding the middle distance version which was great. Some guys I know who did the long one found the first 100km very tedious. If you do it, round off the weekend with a trip to the Kwaremont fanpark to watch the race - a superb experience!

Great. Signed up with my son who can climb better than me. Can't wait. The 74km option so I should be able to keep up with him
The short one starts in oodenaarde and still packs in the big climbs it seems.
Thanks

I've done it too, Tim. As Phil says, it's great. As for crowded roads, I didn't really have much problem once the other ten thousand people had dropped me.

Go over for a week and get yourself round some of the less touristy bits of those old mediaeval cities.