RONDE 2021 - Castelli Cycling

ANTWERPEN START.

Words and Images by: Jered and Ashley Gruber

Antwerpen has the unfortunate honor of only seeing one start open to the public in its first three seasons of hosting the Ronde van Vlaanderen - affectionately known as Vlaanderens Mooiste - Flanders's Most Beautiful.

Even without the fans, and even without the start in the Grote Markt, Antwerpen's start is a special one, and there's no denying the energy of a day like the Ronde. The air sparks with the story that is about to begin.

EARLY GOING.

No matter how thrilling the race, the Ronde is still 264km long (with the neutral start), which means that there is going to be some quiet time to start the day. Sure, there was the fire of the early break wrenching itself clear of the peloton, but once it was well and truly gone, the field sat up and quickly handed the break nearly a dozen minutes as the race worked its way southwest towards the hills and cobbles of the Vlaamse Ardennen.

PAUSE: GROCERY STORE.

There's plenty of time to shoot the action later in the day - so most of the early part of the day is trying to find fun, interesting, special spots to make images. It doesn't seem like it would be that hard, but finding a potential shot from inside a building or shop is oddly difficult while zooming around at 60-80kph on the moto most of the time. I was really happy to find this store, hang out for what felt like ages between the break and peloton, and chat with the man behind the counter. It's a funny pause from the crazy of the bike race in a moment like that.

ROADSIDE, PART I.

Then, there are the scenes to the left, right, and above the race route. The race was once again a fan-free experience this year, but that doesn't mean that every person that lived on the route wasn't either peering out of their windows or standing alongside the road cheering the biggest Flemish race of the year on.

THE FUN BEGINS.

Apart from the flat cobbles near Zottegem (Lippenhovestraat and the Paddestraat), the real cobbles and hills don't begin until the race reaches Oudenaarde around km110. From there, they come thick and fast: Katteberg, Holleweg, Kwaremont (for the first of three trips), Kortekeer, Eikenberg, Wolvenberg, Holleweg (a second time for good measure).

WHEN THINGS REALLY GOT HOT: THE MOLENBERG.

At km162, the race hit the Molenberg, and for the first time, the favorites showed their faces - and in this case - it was the eventual winner, Kasper Asgreen (Elegant-QuickStep), who drove the pace up the short, steep, rough cobbles of the Molenberg and forced the first real separation of the day.

The tiny, twisting paved road just after the Molenberg provided the first real chance to see just how quickly things could get VERY serious at the Ronde when the superstars take to the front.

FROM UP HIGH ON THE VALKENBERG.

After the Molenberg, the race headed to Brakel for the climbs of the Berendries and Valkenberg. I'm not a big fan of either climb, but I do absolutely love the tower that sits near the top of the Valkenberg. Each time, it's a fun little adventure away from the moto and up to see the race from such a different point of view. That spot has never gotten old to me.

Also - see that little sausage/frites/sandwich stand in the right picture with the field strung out forever and ever? That's Ash shooting right next to it. You'll see her shot from that spot in just a moment. It's a lot of fun to see how close we come over and over throughout the day with barely any cross-over.

ROADSIDE, PART II.

PATERBERG #1 - THE RACE REALLY BEGINS.

The Molenberg was the first point where the race temperature spiked. The second trip up the Kwaremont spiked it again - when that happens, you're all but guaranteed fireworks on the Paterberg - and so it was. Asgreen once again pressed hard on the gas pedal and opened the race wide open. Next stop: Koppenberg...and many, many more fireworks.

KOPPENBERG!

The early break met its end on the Koppenberg, and the race further fractured on the steep, rough slopes of one of the finest climbs in all of cycling.

POST-KOPPENBERG

Once again, the damage from the climbs isn't always evident until after the climb. Just like with the Molenberg, the road that follows the Koppenberg is narrow and twisting and does an amazing job of showing just how much the race can break up in a very short period of time.

TAAIENBERG.

From the second trip up the Kwaremont and onward, the race was 100% on with barely ever a lapse in intensity. The Taaienberg further underlined the difficulty as Van der Poel hit the front and hit the gas, dislodging most everyone from the front, save for a few very, very strong rivals.

KRUISBERG/HOTOND: WHERE THINGS ALWAYS HAPPEN.

It feels like things happen everywhere, all the time in the finale of the Ronde, but one spot in particular always seems to be THE spot - the Oude Kruisberg/Hotond where the almost final selection is made, setting up the final showdown on the Kwaremont/Paterberg combo. In this case, Alaphilippe attacked and was countered soon after by Asgreen. It was Asgreen's move approximately one minute after this that pulled the final move clear: Asgreen, Van der Poel, and Van Aert.

TO THE KWAREMONT!

KWAREMONT - THE THIRD AND FINAL TIME.

Van der Poel did his thing big time on the upper slopes of the Kwaremont. His seated 1400w attack permanently dislodged his age old rival, Van Aert, but only momentarily put the Danish champion, Asgreen, into difficulty.

PATERBERG!

Moments later, the duo hit the Paterberg and rode it side by side with neither giving an inch.

THE FINISH.

There weren't too many people confident in Kasper Asgreen's chances against defending Ronde champion, Van der Poel, in the finishing sprint. It's said often, and not for nothing: funny things happen after six hours of racing, and the normally sure bet isn't always that way. And so it was on Sunday afternoon, Van der Poel jumped to an early lead when the sprint opened, but Asgreen slowly, inexorably clawed back the jump, pulled even, pulled ahead - and then Van der Poel, knowing the inevitable, sat up - the win was Asgreen's. He crossed the line and yelled the yell that only seems to come in these times. It was a goosebump moment.