Foray into the North, Monte SanRafaael Produces Mixed Reactions
With his typical aplomb, PHRO President and Head Jackmonkey, Joos Lodewick, held court today at the 2012 Ronde vonSanRaflaanderran Route Presentation Gala,
unveiling a parcors that has turned the fake bike racing world on its collective ear. Never, in the multi-month history of the Ronde, has a route so thoroughly flouted tradition while simultaneously paying homage to its esteemed heritage. The revealing of the route was greeted with audible gasps of shock, awe, outrage, disinterest and delight, in equal measures. What is all the fuss about? Where to begin...
At the outset, the 2012 course starts as the first ever Ronde finished; with the seldom used Highlandberg, the climb where Jonas Lodewick launched his attack as well as his career in 2007. At this point, all looks well and normal but riders are in for a nasty surprise as the Highlandberg only serves as an amuse bouche before they are slapped in the face with the daunting slopes of the mighty Monte-SanRafaael. A lofty peak that whose summit is only reachable by an unpaved goat track of a road, the Monte-SanRafaael has never been included in SanRaflaanderrs and many traditionalists are claiming that, due to it's length, gradient and elevation, it is not appropriate for inclusion in the Ronde, where traditionally the shorter and steeper bergs have been the signature feature in the fake race.
The fun doesn't stop there as the fake-race will take a rare detour into Northern SanRaflaanderrs, a remote region normally reserved for strip malls, office parks and more importantly, The Marin-Roubaix. While the Ronde will not tackle the famed Railroad d'Arenberg, trips to the north are rare enough that those who were skeptical of the Monte-SanRafaael will only have more fuel for their luddite, traditionalist fire.
After a quick bump over the Fawnberg, the group will be treated to a quick foray into
the depths of Sleepy Hollow where riders will attempt to maintain traction on the gravely grades of the never before used Winkleberg. For many, this would be a full day's riding but at this point, the Ronde is only at the halfway mark. With more new ascents of the fearsome Ironberg (which many are calling this year's (Kingberg) and Scenicberg back to back, many will surely be feeling the effort as the fake-race returns to more well known locales.
The final course in this smorgasbord of suffering is the terrible trio of the Humbleberg, the venerable Redwoodberg and the grusomely steep Havenberg which were made famous by the daring and victorious escape of Markus Clijisters in the 2010 edition. All that is left is a final sprint up to the hilltop chapel and the finish line.
Stay tuned next week for rider interviews and reactions from the Presentation Gala and Press Conference.
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