This Sunday night we get the next big race of the season, the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Official site here http://www.rvv.be/en), otherwise known as the Tour of Flanders. Some times know to an old cycling buddy I used to work with as the Ron The Van Flanderan. The second of the ‘monuments‘, it comes just ahead of the Paris Roubaix, which will be run and won next weekend. The Tour of Flanders takes place every 14th Sunday of the year.
This from the official web site.
The Tour of Flanders was conceived of in 1913 by Karel Van Wijnendaele, co-founder of the sportspaper ‘Sportwereld’. In that era it was customary for publishers of newspapers and magazines to organise cycling races as a way of promoting circulation.
For us Aussies, SBS will be streaming and showing it live on SBS One.
SBS’s coverage of the Tour of Flanders begins at 9:30pm AEST Sunday 1 April with live streaming online at Cycling Central, with coverage on SBS ONE starting at 10.30pm. Analyst David McKenzie will join host Mike Tomalaris in the studio and commentary will come from Matt Keenan and Scott McGrory.
For live race tickers, video and audio, steephill.tv is the place to check.
This for me, is what the Ron the van Flanderan is all about.
Spartacus!