It’s the first major cycling race of the season in Belgium.  It has cobblestones, brutal climbs, and distance (207 kilometres for the men and 137 for the women).

It starts right here near Gent’s ‘t Kuipke velodrome, which was built 99 years ago, destroyed in a fire in 1962, and rebuilt 59 years ago.

We’ve just finished the presentation of the men’s teams inside a full ‘t Kuipke.

At one point, the host invited us to take off our scarves and wave them in unison.  Hundreds of scarves were soaring.  Since I don’t wear a scarf, I had nothing to rotate … except my mind.

Wout Van Aert is the Belgian cycling hero.  He was supposed to battle The Netherlands’ Mathieu van der Poel today, but Wout got sick.  I’m sad that there’ll be no mano-a-mano.

However, we the ‘t Kuipke cycling fans sang to the absent hero:

We love you, Wout!  Oh yes we do

The melody burst through the velodrome and zoomed 90 kilometres to Wout’s home in Herentals, Belgium.

The men have set off on their 200 kilometre journey and I await the women’s team presentation.

***

Thunderous cheers in ‘t Kuipke as Lotte Kopecky rides up to the stage.  She’s another Belgian hero.

And now outside, for the beginning of the women’s race.

Moto drivers and riders ready to go … for race support.

They’re off!

Then the train to Geraardsbergen.  I sat with the parents of Alison Jackson, a Canadian cyclist who will tackle the Muur van Geraardsbergen about an hour from now.

Mathieu van der Poel on the Muur, just after breaking away from his two companions.  I just read that he won the race.

I’m sitting on the terrace of Café de Muur.  And I’m about to walk up the hill again to see the women grunt up the cobbles.

That’s all for today.  My finger is tired.  See you tomorrow.