Ascension Day is traditional for the KlimClassic, although it was previously known as the Steven Rooks Classic.
Team AD6 Tweets’ Jeroen invited us to join the ride and against my better judgment I happily accepted that invitation.
In the end there were five team members at the start: Jeroen, Daniël, Roelof, Marten and me, said the fool.
Peter, Marten’s brother-in-law, completed the “Dirty Half Dozen”.
We found each other around half past eight and we started at 8:40.
I also rode the KlimClassic in 2011, although at the time it was only the 110 kms route.
Today we would ride the full 160 kilometers, or so was the plan…
However, when the first altitude meters were recorded after about 25 kilometers towards Dalhem, the bunch started to crack a bit.
Daniël decided to stick to the 110 (115) kms and Jeroen sacrificed himself – no doubt with great reluctance – to keep Daantje company.
The rest would still ride the full distance and I expected that one or two people later would wish that they had also been so ready to sacrifice themselves.
On the other hand, I also knew that they could definitely finish what they started – don’t mess with an Alpe d’HuZes idiot.
Supplies were better than three years ago and we didn’t have to wait in the queue for too long.
The guidance provided by Belgiums, the volunteers who guide you safely across the dangerous intersections, was ‘near perfect’ and the route was excellently signposted.
In addition, the course was as ‘rural’ as possible – less than last weekend in Luxembourg, but that’s hardly a fair comparison.
Neither is the level of difficulty: compared to the JNC, this ride was (indeed) almost a recovery ride, although 2,500 meters of D+ were recorded.
I had plenty of time to take pictures and did so to my heart’s content.
Everyone did the climbs at their own pace and I didn’t have to work hard to be first at the top.
Usually followed by Peter, although he occasionally stayed near Marten.
Roelof also found it increasingly difficult and after about 100 kms he was at the end of his rope.
But km after altitude meter we came closer to the finish, which was finally reached well after five.
This meant that the trip had taken an hour longer than I had estimated.
Fortunately, Strava still made it a ‘group ride’ even though I exercised/cycled an hour less than Marten.
Too bad that Daan and Jeroen took the short route – they ultimately also had to wait a while at the finish where it was chilly.
And because it was so late before we were complete again, it was also just a quick ‘take a photo and leave’.
Good to see the boys again and – even if only briefly – to catch up.
Daan leaves tomorrow (Saturday) for Bourg d’Oisans for another Alpe d’HuZes and I wish him good luck 🙂
Until next time!
The Garmin registration.
