The prospects were favorable for once and damn, the weather was nice today during the BPO/Lotto Granfondo Les Géants des Ardennes.
So I was already happy in advance after so often cycling in the rain lately.
And then I also pancakes for breakfast at the Ibis on site.
They are called ‘crêpes’ there, but that also made me happy and the day couldn’t go wrong 🙂
The previous experience with a BPO tour – La Chouffe from Houffalize – was great, so I was confident that things would be organized just fine again.
Four supply / rest stops during 143 kms is perfectly fine, but what was the course like?
The route was – despite some overlap with Sean Kelly or LBL – slightly different from those tours.
The ‘epic center’ was again in the triangle Trois-Ponts – Wanne – Stavelot, but today the Somagne and the Wanneranval were the challenges there.
The Rosier (north) was also on the menu again today.
And the Redoubt, but it was attacked from the east side – less steep, but that end is no piece of cake either.
And also not often included in a tour: the Côte de la Roche aux Faucons.
About 15 kms before the finish line, it made the last remaining diehards stagger and forced the lesser gods off their bikes.
I too had to dig deep, especially because today’s goal – an average of 26.5 kph – was more difficult than it seemed.
At first I was riding (too) relaxed, but after the 2nd supply (Wanneranval), it became clear that I would have to step it up a notch.
So I tried to go a bit faster on the climbs and I increased the pace in the intermediate sections.
As is usually the case during the rides in the Ardennes, this is not easy at all: the D+ that does not count for the polka dot jersey are just as demanding.
You automatically shift into a lower gear when you see a wall in front of you – the undulating roads between the villages look lovely, along God’s fertile fields, but you often don’t see they go up at 7 or 8%…
Anyway, the average – excluding the unregistered descent into Stavelot – was 26.4 kph.
If I manage to achieve that for my Vélomédiane next week, I will get that golden certificate.
However, I have my doubts, but ‘will die trying’. *
Conclusion: Les Géants des Ardennes is a beautiful tour, excellently organized by BPO.
It is not as rural a route as the Sean Kelly, but the climbs are beautiful and definitely worth it.
*Although not literally.
