Team Alchemist Blog

World War one memorial in Belgium

On top of the Muur

standing outside the chapel on top of the Muur

We met Roger De Vlaeminck (Mr. Paris-Roubaix). He is friends with the owner of a small bike shop near Gent (PDG bikes) and was just randomly hanging out there when we went in to pick up the Bike that Laura had rented. Roger still holds the record for the most Paris-Roubaix wins at 4. He also won other monuments like Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Milan San Remo and the Tour of Flanders. It was pretty awesome to see such a famous Belgian hanging out in the small bike shop (I guess it would be like seeing Lance Armstrong at your local bike shop). For anyone thinking about going to Belgium, PDG bikes was a great place to rent. The owner, Peter, only charged us 30 Euros for renting the bike from Friday to Sunday, and it was a brand new bike.

At the start of the Ronde Van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders).

Typical country scenery at the Ronde.

At the Paris-Roubaix just before entering the Touree d Arenberg (aka forest of arenberg). This was our first sector of cobbles of the day and it was also the roughest. We would not be smiling for long.

A sector of cobbles about half way through the ride. There were quite a few people riding mountain bikes (they were smart).

Laura finishing the last five-star sector of cobbles, the Carrefour de l’Arbre. This is often times where the pro race is decided because it is 15 km from Roubaix.