Early spring is when fair-weather cyclists emerge from their winter hibernation expecting dry roads, milder days and fewer hours in the saddle spent battling the elements.  Sadly, for the 3 TRL employees who have committed to participation in the 2017 Tour of Flanders (Ronde Van Vlanderren), winter training has been necessary in preparation for the 140 kilometer Amateur race on the 1^st April, the day before the Professional riders race twice the distance.

To ensure a well-planned, carefully designed and on budget project, the TRL team consists of  Matt Brookes, Andy Carlyle, and  Steve Clover. The team will be completing the ride in aid of L3 TRL charity of choice.

To provide some context to the professional race is one of the five ‘monuments’ of cycling.  The only races that are considered to be more prestigious than the Ronde are the Tour de France and Paris Roubaix. To the population of Belgium (the spiritual home of cycling) it is the most important event of the year and 85% of the population will watch the likes of Team Sky and the rest of the pros race over the cobbled climbs for the Pro race on Sunday 2^nd April.

The short, sharp hills in the Flemish Ardennes are a defining feature of the 141km Ronde route that we will be racing over and these are the places where spectators gather in vast masses to see both the professionals and the amateurs race. Of the 141km over 21Km will be raced over unforgiving cobblestones and this increases the likelihood of puncturing, mechanical failure or a race ending crash.

Each climb on the route has its own characteristics that present different challenges to the riders. The Kwaremont, is 2.2 km but relatively shallow. The Paterberg is short and, at 20 percent gradient, brutally steep.

The Koppenberg in Melden is the
steepest hill of the race at 22 percent gradient with a bad, very uneven
cobbled surface. Its road is also extremely narrow and the high banking on
either side turns it into a natural arena. The Koppenberg had been dropped for
a number of years because it was deemed too difficult and too dangerous.
Particularly when wet weather had madeE the cobbles slippery, it was hard for
riders to take the steep slopes all the way riding. One rider falling could
bring many others down and, in turn, halt those behind, who often had to
shoulder their bikes and run up the remainder of the hill. In the pro race in
1984 only two riders –got to the top on their bikes. In 1987 Danish rider Jesper
Skibby slipped and fell on the slick cobbles, before being run
over by an official's car who tried to pass him! The climb was subsequently
banned from the Tour of Flanders for the next 15 years.  Fortunately for
us it is now a fixture once again and we get to take it on after only 81km of
riding.

Unlike the Team Sky riders, we will not have a backup team with spare bikes and wheels to rescue us when we breakdown or fall off, therefore the odds of us all reaching the finish line in one piece is not high.  Our primary objective is for one of the team to complete the distance, anything more than that is a bonus!
We are supporting L3 TRL's Charity of Choice, James Hopkin's Trust. James Hopkins Trust provides care and support for Gloucestershire’s families and their young children who are life limited or life threatened.Some parents will know their baby has a condition that will cause severe disability or shorten their life before they are born, other babies will be diagnosed soon after birth or in early childhood. Often no-one can tell you how long your child will live, only that they need constant care. James Hopkins Trust exists to help these children and their families.