As preparation for my Tour de France 2024 I have a few activities planned.
But first, on March 30th, I’m going to show of my Trek Speed Concept SLR 9 during the Tijdrit Almere.
I do not expect I will be any faster on it, though.
But it’s probably an affront to some that an old man should ride such a TT bike 😂
The powerhouses will pass me left and right, even on My Little Pony bikes…
I’m not sure I will take that Trek with me in May and instead take the Émonda to the south.
After all, that will definitely be the bike for France.
I will again participate in the Granfondo Hel van Klimmen on the 11th of May.
That will be my third participation and I like it because it’s limited to 250 participants.
Other GF’s like the Amstel Gold or Limburg’s Mooiste, get up to 15,000 participants.
The Amstel Gold needs a draw every year and the number of registrations for that are three times more than they can host…
I have no clue why, since you can ride any of the three well marked loops all year long.
The Hel includes fairly unknown climbs in its course, or another end of the more popular ones.
Last year’s – probably this year’s too – long course, which I abandoned after 115 kms or so:
On May 25th, I will participate in the Granfondo Chouffe Classic.
I’ve participated in that in 2011 and it was a pleasant experience.
Thirteen years later, it’s re-branded – they dropped the La from La Chouffe – and it has a different organizer.
Looking at last year’s course, the route has changed as well, with some of the old and some new climbs.
We’ll see…
Last year’s longest course:
From June 28th to July 5th, we’ll revisit the Hochsauerland.
That will be our 5th visit to the area, once again staying in Medebach.
Previous trip reports: 2014, 2016, 2022, 2023
We’ll even stay in the same apartment as the previous two years: FeWo (Ferienwohnung) Dora.
Last year’s “Queen Stage”:
This year, the Hochsauerland trip will be less than a month before the start of my Tour de France.
I will try to squeeze in a few more rides in the south of my country for some more hill repeats.
The stop-over for the Tour has already been booked too, so on August 1st, I’ll get on my bike for the Prologue, probably in – or near – Grenoble.
