The Keisse saga continues

Iljo Keisse won the six days of Gent and put in a good showing in Zuerich. But when he went to Manchester to compete, he was sent home, apparently by UCI. That happened even though the Belgian courts had imposed a EUR100,000 fine to anyone who would step in Iljo's way.

Clearly someone does not mind paying 100,000 euros to get Keisse. Someone is out to get Iljo come hell or high water. Someone does not just want him out of the sport they want to wreck his career, maybe even burn him at the stake to save his soul?

If this does not smell like cruel and unusual punishment or vengeful behavior to you then I don't know what will. It is clear that this is no longer about sport or fair competition. This is punishing people for transgressing holy laws. Stoning for adultery? Does that sound excessive to you? Maybe you should think again.

This is taboo in the Old Hawaiian sense, but this time with no place of refuge.

Anyone who thinks this is acceptable behavior should ask themselves a simple question. Is there any other form of cheating that would result in this type of prosecution? And then bear in mind that Iljo did not show any evidence of forbidden fruits. Only masking agents were found in his sample. But hey, it's the thought that counts right?

Where to stay

There are many good places to stay in Belgium depending on your personal preferences. If you like cities, Gent is your best bet. It is cheaper than tourist-overrun Bruges, a lot more authentic and a whole lot more cosmopolitan. It has a great university and two wonderful velodromes. One is the "Wielercentrum Eddy Merckx" along the Watersportbaan, and the other is the famous "Het Kuipke," in the Citadel park where six day races have been held in the fall since 1947.

Kuipke--the little tank

In many ways, Gent is the most attractive city in Belgium and it has long been my favorite. You can find good hotel deals on the outskirts, especially around the University hospital. That location has the additional benefit of being near the Schelde (Scheldt in English) river, where a long bike path (all the way to the French border) provides one of the best places to ride intervals.

Gent is also a great place for extended stays as you may be able to find student housing known as a "studentenkamer" or "kot," for a reasonable price. Gent is easy to reach by train and has it has the best public transport connections you can dream of. It is also where the E17 and E40 motorways intersect, the main arteries that go north-south and east-west.

When it comes to bike tourism, Oudenaarde and environs are tops. Oudenaarde is a somewhat sleepy town on the Schelde river that has seen a revival recently. Much of that is due to cycling and the Ronde van Vlaanderen. While Oudenaarde does not have the same selection of hotels that Gent does, it has a lot of vacation homes and bed and breakfast places that are geared towards cyclists. Oudenaarde also has cyclist housing,  great bike shops and tons of fabulous riding. Nearly all climbs and cobblestone sections of the Ronde are within easy riding distance from here.

Tourism East Flanders (Toerisme Oost Vlaanderen) has a website where you can find information regarding rooms, vacation homes and bed and breakfast places. There is a special option to find bike-friendly (fietsvriendelijk) places. One place that comes recommended is Hof Ter Kammen, a bed and breakfast near the Koppenberg.

Hof Ter Kammen

Geraardsbergen, home of the infamous "Muur" is another excellent location. Here too you can find great bike routes, good bike shops, and tons of vacation rentals.

The Kapelmuur in Geraardsbergen

In Belgium lodging is nearly always sold "per person" instead of "per room," and most places include breakfast with a stay. For extended stays, vacation rentals are usually per week, or per month and typically you need to add a fee for utilities and a cleaning to the listed price. Regular houses are 3 year rentals, although you can find 1 year rentals in bigger cities. Student housing is more flexible (the academic year runs from October through June) and is usually negotiated on a case by case basis.

Belgium is a first world country and nearly everything you can find in the US you can find in Belgium. When it comes to biking there is absolutely no need to bring extra stuff, spare parts or lots of tools. All these items are easy to find locally at prices that are comparable to those in the US. Do not bring extra fancy, superlight race wheels to Belgium. Best is to bring a durable wheelset that you can train on and race on. There are no long climbs here but tons of bad roads and cobbles. The latter are favorites among race organizers so be prepared.

Unless you are sponsored by a deep pocket team, it is better to leave the carbon fiber stuff at home. Also avoid one of a kind components with proprietary nuts and bolts that are special order items.