Friday, March 29, 2024

T’was the Day Before the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012…

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HomeDiariesT'was the Day Before the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012...

We’e at hte Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012, and we left the Vivaldi at 02:15 on Thursday morning – we must be getting old.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
It’s late, and Dave and Callum have to support each other.

Gent is changing, they’ve pulled down most of the station and there are cranes everywhere as the old girl’s face gets lifted.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
The city is changing.

Our first stop after breakfast was the Holiday Inn – up until a year or two QuickStep and Rabobank used to bunk here for the weekend.

But now it’s the French teams – FDJ -BigMat, Cofidis and AG2R.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
Lapierres neatly stacked.

We didn’t pester too many mechanics.

Oudenaarde is the next stop to see if we could get me a copy of ‘Velo’ – the cycling journalists bible.

But it was no dice – it’ll have to be the bank transfer again, this year.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
World’s coolest jersey?

We did take time to snap the world’s coolest jersey though – Tonton Tapis, the Belgian carpet company’s team from 1991, Stephen Roche rode for them that year.

The goal for the afternoon was the QuickStep press conference at 15:00 in Kortrijk, so we decided to amble out there via some of the famous ‘hillingen.’

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
The famous Koppenberg.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
It almost looks rideable from this angle.

The Koppenberg is still fearsome, although the cobbles have been re-laid and the surface isn’t as horrific.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
The squashed beer tins were still on the Oude Kwaremont from last year’s Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
And the new signs were up for this year’s edition at the top of the Cote de Trieu – ‘Phil’s Hill’ as Dave Duffield would have it.

Aussie strong man Phil Anderson used to do his intervals up the Cote – and there’s been talk for a few years now that they may strip off the tar to reveal the old cobbles which still lay below.

Kortrijk, the Kennedy Hotel in business-like, no frills, just right for Patrick Lefevre.

The Specializeds gleam in the afternoon sun, it would be an oversight not to bug the mechanics for ten minutes.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
The spannermen are hard at work checking positions and don’t mind us too much.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
The team frames for 2012 have the currently fashionable flat upper surface to the top tube, which flairs out past the line of the head tube. Note the rusted steerer bolt – it’s not just you then!
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
The jury is out on those ‘pencil’ seat stays with their dialled in compliance – they just look too skinny compared to the sheer beefiness of the rest of the frame.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
The bottom bracket in particular is huge.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
But there are neat details on the bikes – we liked the rear derailleur cable sprouting from the drop out.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
Boonen’s Venge was there, massive extension jammed hard down on the top race to give a very aggressive position.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
Specialized own super-stiff crankset can be used with power meter systems – in QuickStep’s case, Quark.

There are all manner of journos in the press room – from young fresh faced and keen to battle hardened veterans with dodgy hair cuts who know the exact location and opening hours of every bar in the neighbourhood.

The QuickStep PR Alessandro Tegner announces that Tom has been delayed due to an accident on his route to the hotel.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
And there’s Chava, lean with a chiselled jawline but boyish in T-shirt and gillet.

Chava’s relaxed, smiling, hair carefully dishevelled, slim arms the colour of teak.

Patrick Lefevre is suited, with his tie and hanky a good match for the new Quickstep blue.

Our French isn’t great but we pick up that Chava has good morale, as does the whole team and there’s a good ambiance in the squad.

He hasn’t done a course recce but knows the parcours well from previous years.

He doesn’t get too hung up on specific cobbled course preparation because after April the pavé isn’t really a factor.

Flecha and Gilbert are his ‘men to watch.’

The Flemish journos do little to hide their boredom during this part of the proceedings, the guy next to me is sitting staring out of the window.

Someone fires a long Boonen question at Patrick, he’s unflustered and explains that Tom has re-discovered the joy of winning in San Luis and Qatar.

Chava scrutinises his fingers, wonders what will be for dinner and where Tom’s gotten to.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
Tom puts it on silent mode. Ever the pro.

And there he is, Tom walks down the corridor, gives his smartphone a final skek, and enters the room with a smile and a flourish.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
He looks great, tall, slim, happy, relaxed – off comes the tracksuit top and down to business.

Chava bows out with a smile.

Tom’s body language is positive, professional, none of Chava’s slouching – forward on the chair, straight backed, hands clasped, looking intently at his inquisitors.

There’s the odd smile but winning classics is a serious business.

Gilbert may have been the ‘man of the year’ in 2011 but he’s a Walloon, from ‘soft south’ – the Flemish public and media need their hero back.

The room has been transformed, there’s no air of boredom now and the camera shutters ‘click’ constantly as a dozen photogs try for the ultimate shot of two men sitting at a table.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
There are four TV cameras pointing at Boonen as he gives extended, precise answers to a string of long, involved questions.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
Alessandro the PR leans against the wall, smiling, he’s relaxed, no one has lobbed any question-grenades in.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
Tomeke tolerates all the attention with professionalism.
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
As does Patrick. Unflustered, cool and collected.

It’s over in less time than we thought – we’d hoped for a chat with Tom, but the TV interviewers descend like wolves on fresh meat.

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2012
But we need a quote or two to make us feel like we’ve done a proper job – there’s big Stijn Vandenbergh the Tour of Ireland winner in 2007 and a man with good English.

“The team has had a good start to the year, we won in San Luis and Qatar.

“Het Volk is an important race for us, but not the most important – those are the Ronde and Roubaix.

“Pressure?  Mwaah!

“I’m not a rider who feels pressure, I do my training and do my job in the races.

“Tom (Boonen) is full of confidence, he’s in great condition, he had a good winter and is in much better shape than last year.

“Chava is good too – he came our of Argentina well.

“We’ll see how it goes.”

And with Stijn’s words in the can, it was time to head for Gent, the Turkish frites stand – where the boy uses a snow shovel to dispense the little golden beauties – and the delights of the Vivaldi.

Boonen? Van Avermaet? Flecha? Breschel?

We’ll find out tomorrow.  Ciao, ciao.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

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