Borders of Belgium & Luxembourg1000k 2026 (CW) edition under new (British!) management

[matticus]

Amongst 200* other foolhardy souls, I attempted this ride 8 days ago. Probably 30 Brits (TBC)? Mostly Belgians, Nuno from Portugal, some Oirish, Spanish etc etc ...

MUCHHHHH harder than the slightly different edition 10-ish years ago. Yes I know I'm older, but we didn't have 40'c in the hilly Ardennes bit last time! Great route, marred only by the sleep stops being way too far for full-value riders. And the awful Wallonia canal-paths on day 3, where we'd expected to gain back time after the hills - hahahahahahahahaha!

A small pics selection (some on the ride Dunkerque-Antwerp) https://photos.app.goo.gl/B8nYdSjdERovXGVv8 includes the Antwerp tunnel ❤️

Official site:
https://www.audaxbelgium.com/borders-of-belgium
https://cycle.travel/map/journey/1038382
https://www.flickr.com/photos/155516503@N04/albums

*p.s. did I mention that only 80 finished? 😇

 

[blackrat]

Interesting route. Did you finish?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Wow!
What an achievement @matticus!
Congratulations from me!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I know one Ireland based rider did not finish (stomach issues and heat) and another did. Sounds like a very hot edition. Are you doing an article for Arrivee? You might get into the Sept edition if relatively quick at putting something together.

Next edition August 2028 but have another ride in mind for that year at present. Do have my eye on this one, but not 40C please.

 

[blackrat]

I know one Ireland based rider did not finish (stomach issues and heat) and another did. Sounds like a very hot edition. Are you doing an article for Arrivee? You might get into the Sept edition if relatively quick at putting something together.

Next edition August 2028 but have another ride in mind for that year at present. Do have my eye on this one, but not 40C please.

Just an aside; the temperature yesterday for my ride was 99F. It is possible to ride and survive in heat with the proper preparation. The highs for the last two months have rarely been lower than 90F yet we all do our brevet distances. The remainder of August will see in excess of 100F. But ride we must!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Just an aside; the temperature yesterday for my ride was 99F

Was that on a 1000km audax? Whilst riding shorter distances in high temps is possible and tolerable. I find that when you need to be averaging 300km per day for days in a row and spend prolonged periods exercising exposed to direct sun and heat and humidity. The equation changes somewhat.

Plus there is the generic component, some are just better at tolerating heat than others. Not because of different or better preparation, their physiology just works better in the heat, just as some have physiology that works better in the cold.

 

[matticus]

Interesting route. Did you finish?

Yes! Had to ride through the last night (which I generally hate doing, but it was all cycle-paths so I felt quite safe) finishing ~7:30 as Antwerp woke up.
Lots of people finished in a window roughly 8h before me (and a few snuck in later than me), so it seemed like there was a split.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I would call it Beers of Belgium 🍻

 

[blackrat]

Was that on a 1000km audax? Whilst riding shorter distances in high temps is possible and tolerable. I find that when you need to be averaging 300km per day for days in a row and spend prolonged periods exercising exposed to direct sun and heat and humidity. The equation changes somewhat.

Plus there is the generic component, some are just better at tolerating heat than others. Not because of different or better preparation, their physiology just works better in the heat, just as some have physiology that works better in the cold.

Fair enough, but I do seem to be able to tolerate heat better than most. Many ask how I can spend so much time cycling and walking in these conditions, I really have no answer to that other than the usual hydration preparation.

 

[matticus]

I would call it Beers of Belgium 🍻

I had a small light one at every stop while it was hot - as you'll probably confirm, they seem to go straight through in those situations!
And I may have had more than a single large one on the nights outwith the actual event. The Brits who arrived before closing time on the last night drank several hostel kegs dry. Numerous witnesses confirmed a lock-in* until 4am

Yet to have a bad Belgian beer <hic>

*dunno if that term makes sense in a Hostel, but anyway ...

 

[blackrat]

Talking about temperatures, here is today's at 5:30PM: