– Has nothing to do with cycling – NRK Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule

Few hills are as notorious as Koppenberg in cycling-mad Flanders. The cobbled hill is “only” 600 meters long, but climbs steepest with a whopping 22 per cent with forest on both sides.

When the lead in the men’s race hit the ground, after around 220 kilometers on the bike seat, there was chaos.

Only three riders in the tight group, Mathieu van der Poel, Matteo Jorgenson and Mads Pedersen, managed to stay on the bike up the climb.

The rest all had to jump off, on a hill where it is almost impossible to pass from behind if the riders in front of you have stopped.

Both on TV 2 and Eurosport’s broadcast from the race, it was referred to as “complete chaos”.

– These are the best cyclists in the world and they have no chance against the sparkling Koppenberg, said Eurosport commentator Theis Magelssen, and compared it to the exercise race that was organized on the same course on Saturday.

Abrahamsen: – Feels a bit like an amateur

After the finish line for the men and women, Koppenberg’s place in Flanders around us has been taken up as a topic in both the international cycling press and in several of the largest Belgian and Dutch media houses.

– There was an insane amount of mud and very slippery, so only one bucket. Then it was also so smooth to run on the bike shoes on the cobblestones too, so I had to run in the mud on the side, says Jonas Abrahamsen to NRK.

He himself was part of the tight group into the hill, but lost around half a minute to Van der Poel in the hill itself. In addition, he stood for a long time to get mud out of his shoes and thus lost any chance of a top result.

– It looks a bit amateurish, to be honest, to go up there. You feel a bit like an amateur, but in the weather conditions it was impossible to ride up, says Abrahamsen.

Belgian Sander De Pestel came to Het Laatste Nieuws with a clear message.

– What will be next? It is difficult for us to start cycling with mountain bike wheels. I say: Get rid of Koppenberg. I think many riders think so. Flanders around is difficult enough, says De Pestel.

Was removed after scandal

Koppenberg has been part of the history of Flanders around since 1976, but after 1987 he was removed from the race for several years.

Then Denmark’s Jesper Skibby was on his way up alone in the lead, with the main field chasing close behind. The one referee’s car tried to get past, but it ended with Skibby overturning and the car running over parts of his bike.

A new and improved version of the climb came back on the program in 2002. Apart from a year off in 2007, the hill has been part of the men’s race ever since. For the women, he was included for the first time in 2023.

– Personally, I think it has nothing to do with cycling if you have to walk up a slippery slope, says former professional cyclist Viktor Verschaeve to Sporza.

Last year it was another hill that became the big topic of conversation:

For the women, there were, in dry weather, two riders who rode up Koppenberg in the tight group last year. In the more demanding conditions on Sunday, there were eight riders in the tight group who cycled up the entire hill.

– We knew that Koppenberg would be a nightmare. It’s obviously an iconic climb, but it’s not so pleasant for us when we have to run, says Pfeiffer Georgi to Cyclingnews.

Verschaeve used to be one of the biggest Belgian cycling talents, but had his professional career ruined by an injury and had to give up the sport last year.

The Belgian emphasizes that he thinks Van der Poel would win the men’s race anyway, but continued:

– There is another sport that fits that, and that is bicycle racing. I was actually shocked that the reactions from the riders were not more negative.

– Important part of the soul of the ride

Because even though several people have criticized the ground, there are also several who think he belongs at home.

Below are a bunch of Norwegian reactions:

– It’s the same for everyone in terms of the relationship, so I think that’s a bit of the charm. It must be a bit special in the classics and a wet Koppenberg is one of the things that can make Flanders special, says veteran Alexander Kristoff to NRK.

– If the audience thinks it’s good to watch, I don’t mind walking/running if necessary. As long as the speed is low, there is no danger to the health of the riders, says Amund Grøndahl Jansen, who stopped before Koppenberg in the race on Sunday, but who had to start at the same place in 2018.

– I think it is a hill that will continue to be part of Flanders. It is a hill that is very well known, and which is a decisive factor in the surrounding Flanders, says Abrahamsen.

– Koppenberg is an important part of the soul of the race, as it is a historic hill that has been part of the route for years and has often been decisive, says NRK’s ​​cycling expert Sondre Sørtveit.

Belgian star announces move

Victor Campenaerts tells Het Nieuwsblad that even going uphill was difficult with cycling shoes.

– Only Søren Wærenskjold had an effective technique, says Belgian Campenaerts, who reckons that the mandalite took 40 places in the climb.

The Norwegian quickly denies this himself. He actually broke the race before that time.

Who Campenaerts actually saw up the hill on foot is a bit of a mystery, but he nevertheless comes with a small pointer to a possible solution for the future.

– If it rains next year, I will glue rubber strips to my shoes. If you train a bit on it in the winter, you could easily reach the top ten with grip under your shoes, he says.