100 years "Ronde van Vlaanderen"
 

The Ronde reaches 100 this year, therefore this year they will organise a cyclosportive of 324km no less! This is the distance of the 1st Ronde, but it will not be the original circuit: it will start in Ghent (the original starting place) but end in Oudenaarde (the modern finish). There's no way I will get enough training in to make this anywhere near fun, but if anyone would like to participate, I can maybe help. Currently there's just a one page website (http://www.ronde100classic.be/), registration opens on 25th of january.
Ronde is on 25th of May 2013.

Wow, nice. Thusfar, I tried to ride te retroronde every year but always some calamity happens:) maybe this year though...

Steven, that's such a beautiful race. My favorite for sure. I use to wait at the mail box for the the Velonews (our only cycling link to the rest of the world) back in May ( it took a month to get April's result to us) in the mid 80s. Can you get us some pic of your adventure should you decide to do it. I love to see what the non-hammer heads are doing for fun in your cycle crazy Belgium. I am sure the club racing cyclist will turn this one into their own little Ronde.

324k huh? Damn, that's a no-joke distance for April and over the cobbles. The thought is tempting but I can't see being able to train up to that distance during a Luxembourg winter. I'm already down to mountain bike only rides with the rain and snow we've had. Thanks for posting though, if only I could head to Spain for spring training!

Wait, I just read the date...the Ronde is on MAY 25th this year, not April? Or just this Sportive?

My commute will be 16 km (boring route over the "bike highway" - yeah, we got those) or 25 through the beautiful dunes when I return in januari, that ought to get me some legs if I ride them hard.. But still, 324 is a looooong way. Perhaps I could charter a friend with a tandem :)

To clear things up, there are four "Ronde Van Vlaanderen" this year:

- The cyclosportive on Saturday 30th of March, limited to 'only' 16.000 participants this year. 75, 140 or 240 km
- The Pro Race on Sunday the 31st of March. 257 km
- The "100 Years Classic" cyclosportive on Saturday the 25th of May. 324 km
- The "RetroRonde" on Sunday the 26th of May. Vintage only. 40 or 70 km

I'll feign illness for the pro race. Don't really feel like taking on Gilbert :P