Continental TV may be dire, but there’s a good choice of radio stations; Percy Sledge is telling us about “When a man loves a woman”, as we jump back into the VW after paying homage at the Karl Buyse monument in sleepy Wontergem, heading for the Under-23 Het Volk 2007.
Buyse was a son of the Flanders sod who won the Tour de France in 1926. A long time ago maybe, but not forgotten here in the heartland.
The destination is Zottegem and the Under-23 Het Volk 2007.
In days gone by, this was run on the same day as the pro semi-classic of the same name, on the first weekend of the Belgian season, but now it’s held in sunny June.
A win or a podium place here goes a long way to securing a pro contract, so it’s a ‘death race’.
The roll of honour is impressive; Freddy Maertens, Eddy Planckaert, Paul Wellens, Andre Dierickx; or take a more recent edition – 2001, first: Gert Steegmans, second: Tom Boonen. Enough said.