The 5 Hardest Cobbled Climbs In Flanders

[@gcn]

What's your favourite climb in Flanders?

[@TMRCoaching]

Cycled all of the climbs featured on a recent trip to Flanders. I also 'enjoyed' the Molenberg - not the longest or steepest, but remember fairly rough cobbles with some steep sections. Especially tough as had cycled last 100km of Paris-Roubaix the previous day! Rodeberg/Baneberg from Gent-Wevelgem was also a good climb.

[@Juan0003]

I love them all!... As long as I'm watching them on TV.

[@gcn]

Yikes, top effort!!

[@PaulBissekerBushcraft]

The last one... Climbing on the bar stool!

[@TMRCoaching]

I certainly wasn't fast!!

[@edmarkey4057]

This is one of the best videos you all have done. Pictures really captured the challenge of the cobbles...commentary was insightful...and the effort needed by Dan and Matt drove the point home. Very well done!

[@gcn]

Cheers Ed. They're brutal but brilliant. Fancy a go?

[@edmarkey4057]

Global Cycling Network I'd LOVE to have a go. On any one of them...

[@jaykan1002]

Couldn't agree more! Really love when the presenters give us some insight into their racing days, experiences, etc. Makes it more personal and we all want to know more about the life of a pro cyclist!

[@07madiaga1966julio]

If there is a GCN classic video collection, this one is at the top. This video reminds me of why GCN became and continues to be the best cycling show ever. It also reminds us, of how good the GCN presenters are. Their hairstyles might have change, they have more sponsors and fancier bikes, but the chemistry and their passion for cycling remains the same.Kudos!!! Keep on riding!!!

[@FlatSpinMan]

07madiaga1966julio Exactly.

[@SwedishHouseFifa]

You boys flying up the climbs while talking, impressive!

[@piano9212]

Awesome video guys !! Reminded me of the time Matt was dropped by Lasty on the leadout on the Koppenberg haha

[@jakubwierzbicki6219]

The edited shot at 8:06 is awesome and super-trippy, well done!

[@gcn]

Cheers Jakub!

[@cyclingnerddelux698]

I grew up in Trier, Germany not far from the Ardennes region in Luxembourg and Belgium. Beautiful riding. I've done big climbs in the Alps and Rocky Mountains and have been totally destroyed in the forest hills of the Ardennes. Love your content, keep it up guys!!

[@alluvialfan294]

I would love to see you do a feature on the cobbled roads around Keighley and Halifax, UK as I have no idea how they compare to Flanders!

[@daninio5004]

I live in Geraardsbergen and know the Muur pretty well as I rode it quite alot, nice vid!

[@glenlarimer1358]

Fulfilled a longtime dream last summer when I was able to tour Flanders and drive up some of the famous climbs shown in your video. The highlight of the trip was renting a pro bike at the BMC Concept Store just outside Ghent and heading back to ride the Muur de Geraarsbergen a couple of times. OUTSTANDING moments!!

[@geoffgovey9093]

I would have thought you'd have left all those climbs for Lasty!

[@garymmx]

That's a proper video! Thanks for riding on our behalf. Did you change tyre pressures on the rougher cobbles?

[@brianundershute3465]

That is a terrific review for those of us who've never had a chance to ride those famous roads...good work...

[@andreasfrancken6542]

I am from Flandres i know this climbs. Realy nice video. Like when come also from Flandres.

[@gcn]

Andreas you sure are lucky to have these on your doorstep! Enjoy the racing on Sunday.

[@sensesfailler]

Glad you guys putted in the kemmel. One of the most underrated climbs in Flandres.

[@FlatSpinMan]

These kinds of videos are brilliant. Seeing you guys really having to work to get up, with explanations of how the climbs are. Highly interesting.

[@nickpike2380]

Absolutely brilliant video. Well done Matt and Dan. Can’t wait for tour of Flanders.

[@douglaspate9314]

What an absolutely BRILLIANT video. I loved it!! Genuine pain, genuine enjoyment! I've not yet ridden any cobbles in Belgium. On my bucket list of course.

[@gcn]

Cheers Douglas! We really enjoyed making it and of course will enjoy watching the pros face them on Sunday just as much!

[@peterbanks4921]

That was one of your best videos ever! And I think I’ve watched them all. Thanks so much- can’t wait for the race

[@jurgenvanoorschot8874]

Done all climbs but agree on the koppenberg. Its so hard. If you come out of the saddle you rear wheel will slip. But epic ride around flanders. Love it

[@petinka721]

Great vid by two great ex rider! I can not have a favorite climb in Flanders but see this vid I think i must go there and try out. Dan and Matt really deserved Flanders made bear after these epic climbs!

[@benleow6891]

What a great video. Nice work on the Koppenberg Matt!

[@johnmilliken982]

I second Ed Markey's comments - Brrrrrilliant lads! Thank you GCN.

[@kiverrussell8369]

Outstanding stuff! I have to get out there and ride these bergs...one day (with a full compact + wide range cassette)...

[@e.rijpstra6152]

That was awesome, impressed that you made it up in the big ring Dan..👏👏

[@brianr122]

Cracking video! I did the RVV Sportive a few years ago and you've just brought back some vivid memories. I did think I wanted to do Paris Roubaix before that ride, but finding out there were twice as many km's of pave put me right off! Can we see a presenter challenge on the Koppenberg holding a glass of Kwaremont please :)

[@Chase19898]

Had to rewatch this before the big day tomorrow. Still an amazing video!

[@FranckVillano]

This video is very very impressive! It shows exactly how hard are these brief but very hard climbs. And the Kwaremont is also my favorite! Hope to share one with you boys. Good job!

[@samzam4496]

You guys earned those cold beers.. One of the best videos!! Thanks for all your videos!

[@frazergoodwin4945]

Speaking as a Belgian (for about a year now) first rate job boys! You give a real impression for how challenging these short climbs are. The feeling I always get when I'm riding them is that I'm going to fall backwards on the steepest sections as the rough cobbles jolt the front wheel up! You could have added the Bosberg - which always seems incongruous as it suddenly becomes cobbled on an otherwise fairly wide main road.

[@KetzalSterling]

Superb video guys. Great shooting, nice work on the titles and editing. You've both got very very good at presenting. Keep it up.

[@MrGriff4256]

Celebrated my 47th birthday yesterday. Just watched Matt pass Dan on the Koppenberg, nice job ol' man. Keeping hope alive.

[@LUCYDIAMONDBOXER1]

My favourite Flanders is Ned....Thank you and good night.

[@edmarkey4057]

DOH

[@tychoroeland2184]

Stupid Flanders!

[@sudduthjonathan]

Hi diddly ho neighbor.

[@michaellee1663]

You & that Leftorium !

[@Deelom100]

Lol Flanders independent! The only English i know is British...thank you goodmorning

[@louisvermeulen324]

You guys should come to Leuven, Belgium this year and rate the climbs for the World Championship. With the Smeysberg and the Moskesstraat, I know from experience that there are some real treats in there.

[@lestandardmaruine]

jammer van de moskesstraat...

[@louisvermeulen324]

@@lestandardmaruine klopt, heb hem nog net gereden voor dat hij is heraangelegd, is een hele andere vibe

[@ChrisMurley]

A very nice video. I think the effort you put in to climbing, considering your fitness, really shows the level of effort required. Scary.

[@fahim113]

Quality stuff as usual. How about GCN vs GTN (running) up some of these climbs? :)

[@Roeban89]

Awesome video again guys! Now I don't know if I should be excited or afraid for this saturday when I ride my first Ronde van Vlaanderen as an undertrained amateur.

[@stuartdryer1352]

Great video. Really puts it into perspective for me. If you guys had to work that hard, most of us would blow up very early on. Chapeau for not having to walk up the last one.

[@minnahayman8400]

Such a fun video to watch, thank you for the great commentary, snippets of your racing experiences and showing visually what makes those climbs so tough!

[@alvingomez1990]

I have to say...watching you guys do the climbs was just as exciting as watching the pros during the race!

[@bradcomis1066]

Great video. Really nice pacing with the editing here.

[@darrinschwarz7446]

Great video...great bikes...great insight...great landscapes. The weather looks identical to Western PA. Will winter ever end???

[@coreybeatson1055]

Loved this video. One of your best. More please!!!

[@szabiakanich]

Badass video. So much epic climbing. You can really see/feel the hurt.

[@NicklausJoesph]

Great video guys! Has me amped for this weekend!!!

[@jmoore46jm]

Love it! Still got it Matt and that cheeky little grin 😜🤙🏼

[@bdewit5237]

Great video guys. Really enjoyed this!

[@robinseibel7540]

Well done, guys. This was a great episode.

[@JollyGiant0]

Great video and nice to see the old old adage of the tortoise (old man Matt) and hare (yup that's you Lloydy) coming true.

[@automat8]

Entertaining gents. Thanks! It is remarkable to me how we cyclists can't get enough of Flanders and those rocks.

[@chrism8187]

Brilliant video guys.....all your vids are excellent......keep em coming!!!

[@steppings5645]

Great vid guys, really enjoyed that.

[@jerktimusprime]

The Brick getting dealt with in tough climbs cool. See the Boss get put through the ringer EPIC!!!!!!

[@bobski36]

Thanks for this video. Mast the trip to Flanders last April and this video was really insightful in helping me with the climbs. Pictures/video do not do the Koppenberg justice...it's a wall.

[@harmsmit3924]

Epic video! Can't wait for the next classics

[@NicGalvao_Violin]

the famous "i'll lead you" and then BOOM haha. Nice vid, hugs from Brazil

[@nickw6175]

interesting but boring fact that one the climbs the cobbles were slightly offset at the front of the cobble with a little lip on the uphill part of the cobble so as to allow horses hoofs to catch and avoid horses sliding backwards in the wet ( I ride my horse nearly as much as my bike )

[@shmvon]

I always wondered, thanks!

[@neilanderson1997]

Can feel the pain from here!.. Great vid guys, thanks 👊😎👍

[@suitup-productions]

As a local that rides these climbs on a regular base I can only say you guys are spot on with this list! For anyone that will ride them soon: At the Koppenberg, after exiting the steepest part you have a part that has a lower gradient. Use that to recover a bit before the final 100m which are brutal to end with. Also, most people are tempted to begin the climb at the right hand side, swap to the left line before entering the part with the trees like shown here as the right hand line is much more greasy.

[@matthewlewis2072]

You'll be needing some mineral waters after that lot, then! Pretty scary to see two fit guys, paid to ride their bikes, struggling up these hills. WTF would it be like for my lardy frame?

[@batsminator]

I'm amazed you got up the Koppenberg in the wet! I tried riding the Koppenberg for the first time a few weeks ago when it was wet and my back wheel kept sliding. Time for another attempt, luckily it's only a 30km ride from my house!

[@_clemens_]

yeah I have done the Koppenberg at least 100 times in my life...and when it's wet I think it's about 50% chance I make it passed the steepest part (34 + 28 on my road bike), because of the slipping back wheel...

[@Baj64]

There are a few legendary ones in Wallonia too, you should maybe try to confront them sometimes.

[@kubapalinski6830]

Amazing video! One of the best You've ever done. Great video suits a great race ;)

[@noelharrington4786]

Good man Matt riding the power on the koppenberg

[@delivrance3961]

kemmelberg! it's a beast!app. 30 km from home, ride it a few times and the downhill is really something!!!

[@DanCave]

What a great video..sadly we didn't hear Matt's legendary and infectious laugh . You're both still very competitive.. Wasn't the kemelberg where Jimmy Casper had that crash where another riders bidon came out the holder and Jimmy's wheel hit it, he went base over apex and landed face first on the cobbles... Terrible luck..

[@lawrenceng7626]

The overlay piece of filming was cool.

[@earlfoss99]

Possible to interview Nico Mattan sometime? He's was winner on the bike and is now a Kwaremont Beer sales rep! Pure GCN gold.

[@stephenm8270]

well done matt ! one for the old gits ! Experience vs vainess !

[@libettrick]

Bodge of the week... love it!

[@griffinhinwiset]

I saw you guys struggeling on de paterberg🤣

[@Keepinitreal61]

Love this one, deffo earned the crust today chaps

[@harrie974]

Another gcn classic👊

[@abedfo88]

lads you should do a video of the cobbled climbs in and around Halifax like Shibden Wall

[@gcn]

There are some corkers up there eh?

[@abedfo88]

Just a few ! humancyclist.wordpress.com/2017/06/18/ronde-van-calderdale-cobbles/ credit to the author!

[@haroogatron]

Rode all the Halifax cobbles with a friend last year, in the rain! Trooper lane is a killer!

[@jonasdeschampheleire8203]

You also have to ride “de Molenberg”. It is short but explosive. I often ride it on my training

[@grainfrizz]

This is a good video. Good job, lads!

[@olly24c]

defo bucket list

[@sharim4376]

Bravo guys, pretty impressive!

[@maxxxkiller]

I ride kemmelberg each week, very nice cycling spot

[@billjones7580]

Great episode

[@marcderveeuw]

One common word for all 5: They are Brutal !!!! ; Can you share your route on gps? What is the best route for all five in one day?

[@samjol4562]

i love watching your video's ... wish i have one of GCN's jersey ... i can't reach one from my place :(

[@juergenzettner2523]

That amazing video, only mentioning strava shortly at the koppenberg, screams for a GCN presenters race there. Then we wouldn't see only Lasty crying there. Like to see carless, gravelled mountain climbs in the alps, capable for road bikes in a future video :)

[@basjansen4932]

Nice video. Small lesson in pronouncing Dutch here though: Oude is not pronounced in the French way you are saying it now. The 'ou' in Oude is like the sound of the 'ow' in owl. (Works for Wout van Aert as wel.)

[@matthewlewis2072]

so it's prounounced "Wowt van...": a) "Ert"? b) "Air-t"? c) "Art"?

[@snoepdehond8384]

I'm no expert in spelling words phonetically, but I would say "Wowt vun Art".

[@TrickyDickyBE]

Secret Sam999 option b is the closest

[@TrickyDickyBE]

I was good by to say the same thing. It’s one thing to ride up the bergs but you lose a heap of cred if you talk about Oooh de Kwaremont. Ow-duh! I rode the RVV sportif last year and Koppenberg was rammed with people pushing their bikes. Trying to thread them was so hard. I toppled over, both feet still clipped in, right on the steepest part. I was determined to ride up and I must’ve tried maybe 10-12x to get going until some gave me a bit of a shove and I just got the second pedal stroke in. The riders around let out a big roar as they’d seen me try and try. Without a doubt that was the very best moment of my entire life on two wheels . I’m lucky enough to live in Flanders (but on the other side of Brussels). Got to get myself back out west soon. Great vid guys. Thanks.

[@AndiamoEndurance]

D: AART

[@amih777]

Great vid! BTW, Mr. Boonen's favorite Flandrian climb is the Taaienberg

[@shmvon]

because it's not as hard

[@shmvon]

because it's not as hard

[@Pratalax]

BULLS ON PARADE!!!! Hahaha, those Kwaremont folks must love GCN!

[@philippbrauchli972]

👍🏻real Flandrien‘s riding on the Coppelstones! ✌🏻😍

[@NielsHeldens]

After watching this(a bit too late perhaps) I would love it if you also would so something similar for the Ardennes classics. Would love to help you guys with that ;)

[@justinbouchard]

I almost died laughing when you started to say if this was in the hack or bodge of the week hahahhahaha Spit and snot flying from bursting out laughing lol Tons of love from a new cyclist in Canada. Bought a might bit scratched up Giant OCR3 that has a new stock drive train, and cables and bar wraps to get me started. Already obsessed with watts and carbon wheels. You're giving me tons of inspiration to ride and explore my energy and brain. Thanks tons ladies and gents. xoxoxo

[@jonathanwood1817]

Great video chapeau to you guys

[@htukmumfie]

Cracking vid. Thanks.

[@ZOB4]

Great video gents. But, is it as good as the one where Matt absolutely ruined Si's lead out for the KOM on the Kop?

[@86309]

Good job fellas!

[@darrinschwarz7446]

Those ales look good!

[@jamespegram8843]

Cosmic edition of gcn

[@thecrowfliescrooked]

Great video!

[@ricardolaconfrancoliveira6818]

Chapeau boys, in special for matt

[@LordMelbury1953]

You rode those so we mere mortals won’t have to. Bedankt!

[@nstrug]

Tough climbs. We have plenty of similar profile and length climbs here in the Surrey Hills and I know how tough those short but ridiculously steep climbs can be on smooth (well, ok, smooth-ish if you dodge the potholes) tarmac. On cobbles they must be insane.

[@phil2492]

Can you please get Tom Last to do these climbs😁. The suffer meter