Colchester Rovers’ very own cyclocross supercoach, Dan Hall, fulfilled his dream of riding a top level Belgian cyclocross race – and not just any race, but the iconic KoppenbergCross – one of the oldest and toughest races out there. Read on to find out how it went.
I’m lucky enough to have had lots of fantastic experiences spectating at top level Belgian cyclocross races. I am amazed by the culture around cyclocross in Belgium. Thousands of fans coming to a cold muddy field every weekend to support their favourite rider in the hope of seeing them win, or just to come and drink lots of beer and forget about the race.
I always felt it was an achievable goal to be on the other side of the tape. But if I’m honest I thought the opportunity had gone and maybe I should’ve done it when I was a U16 or Junior.
After a good start to the Eastern Cross season followed up by a good National Trophy round at Derby, I hatched a slightly mad plan to do The Koppenbergcross, part of the X2O Badkamers Trofee, one of the top professional cyclocross series.
It aligned nicely with a week off work, it featured a separate Under 23 race, meaning I wouldn’t be racing against the best of the best in the elite category, plus the best U23s were in Spain preparing for the European Championships a couple of days later. So through some tricky Flemish translation I signed on for the race, booked the hotel and the eurotunnel crossing.
On Thursday morning Dad and I packed the van and headed off to Oudenaarde. We arrived mid afternoon just in time for a solo spin on the bike path along the River Scheldt.
Friday was raceday. We left the hotel early to get to the course for sign on and practice. I did 2 practice laps and quickly realised what I had got myself in to.
The course was a farmers field with a muddy line and some ruts, and the start/finish straight was the mighty Koppenberg climb, one of the great cobbled climbs of the Tour of Flanders
Race day (1st Nov) was also a Belgian bank holiday meaning there was set to be huge crowds. I got warmed up on the rollers and headed to the start line, on the way passing Belgian cyclocross legends, bars already full of people, and the beertent where the X2O ‘duckyfest’ party was already in full swing, all before midday.
I heard my name over the event tannoy. “From Great Britain, Number 51, Daniel Hall”. I found a spot on the unorganised Belgian style start grid and the whistle blew for the start.
What followed was the hardest bike ride I’ve ever done. Multiple times up the koppenberg, 100% effort just to keep my bike moving forward in the field and through the mud, and some really tricky technical sections and running.
Ultimately I knew I was never going to be up at the sharp end of the race (I was 43rd in the end) and I was racing against some of the worlds best U23s, so I was definitely not disappointed at all.
We also stayed an extra night in the town of Oudenaarde. It was great to speak to some other riders and fans still in town, and also to enjoy some local Belgian Stoofvlees and Beers.
It was a fantastic experience. Riding through advertising boards you only see on the TV, riding past the beer tent, the fantastic Belgian crowd shouting Flemish words of encouragement at every point round the course and British spectators supporting me just because the GB flag was next to my name on the start sheet. It’s something I’ve ticked off the bucket list and I might do it again sometime, just maybe on an easier course.
I would encourage any riders to go and challenge themselves with CX racing. The result didn’t matter to me, I just wanted to experience the next step of racing. For some it might be a trip to a top Belgian race, but for others it might be having a go at local eastern league race.