Retro Ronde - this weekend!

[garethrl]

Hi folks,
The Retro Ronde is upon us again this weekend:

http://www.retroronde.be/en/145-home

The ride itself is on Sunday but there's a full program of activities on the Saturday too.

Is anyone heading over to Oudenaarde? A few of us 'locals' are heading over from Brussels, though only for the Sunday.

Would be great to meet any traveling RBers.

Cheers,
Gareth.

 

[Johnsqual]

Re:

Hey Gareth,

I will be there. Was hoping to have a very Flemish bike but had issues with the bottom bracket, so I will be riding a very tatty old Colnago.

Will start at 10:30 and probably do the 100km.

I guess we'll find each other at the start - let me knwo if you want to arrange anything.

Johnny

 

[monty dog]

I'm going too - heading to Kluisbergen this afternoon. May ride the Koppenberg / Paterberg ride tomorrow - weather dependent and got a place in the Retro-crit tomorrow evening plus will do the 100km on Sunday. Bike sorted - cleaned-off the Tuscan Toothpaste from L'Eroica and fitted a new lower headset cup this morning - nothing like leaving it to last minute! See you there.

 

[non-fixie]

I'm going too - heading to Kluisbergen this afternoon. May ride the Koppenberg / Paterberg ride tomorrow - weather dependent and got a place in the Retro-crit tomorrow evening plus will do the 100km on Sunday. Bike sorted - cleaned-off the Tuscan Toothpaste from L'Eroica and fitted a new lower headset cup this morning - nothing like leaving it to last minute! See you there.

It was nice to meet you (and elev12k) in Oudenaarde. Great performance in the criterium; it wasn't easy to make that final!
Mrs non-fixie (first time she actually joined in a ride) and I just got home and look back on a terrific weekend.

 

[garethrl]

Being 'local' we only traveled over from Brussels on the Sunday, and I think we missed out. I'll definitely plan to go over for the weekend next year.

I only managed to meet johnsqual in the end, but was riding with a group of locally based friends. If anyone saw a couple on a dark blue Mercian tandem wearing matching Systeme U tops then I was in that group. James was actually interviewed by the compere as they wheeled the tandem past at the end as we queued up for our musettes.

Despite missing the early split and having to settle for the 75K ride, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and had a great day. The overall ambience is something quite special, and you see some pretty spectacular machines on display. Lots of cameras around the course so I'll need to check the Photos section later this week. And all the rest stops were extremely well planned and well stocked with different local delicacies.

Definitely recommended and I'll be back next year! Hopefully I'll meet a few more RBers next time too.

Cheers,
Gareth.

 

[Johnsqual]

Re:

+1 to what Gareth said, another fine Retro Ronde.

I really liked the fact the organisers used a new course and that they included some new locations for the feeding stations. I think it's good to
keep things interesting and not just use the same course, and I liked getting to ride some unexplored bits of the Flemish Ardennes.

Shame about the blatant match fixing for the bike raffle, though :shock:

Oh, and my mate got ripped off for the 'Unluckiest Rider' contest. His headset threw a wobbly just 10km into the 100km ride and he had to go back to Oudenaarde and wait all day for the other guys he was riding with. He was driving, too, so he couldn't even drown his sorrows. He should've got a prize for that!

Johnny

 

[Johnsqual]

Re:

Hello all,

Photos of this year's Retro Ronde are online now...

http://www.retroronde.be/nl/168-retroronde-in-beeld

Cheers to all that took part, hope to see some Retrobikers again next year.

Johnny

 

[bugloss]

Re:

Sorry I missed you all at the RR, but I was in the other end of Belgium blowing a gasket.

Maybe another time eh ?