On Saturday, August 24, along with more than a thousand others, I was finally at the start of the Vélomédiane. I say "finally" because I had wanted to ride the Criq for several years, but it always clashed with other events. Until now!
This year, I made it a priority and traveled two days in advance to the start location, the beautiful La Roche-en-Ardenne, to ride a few laps. It turned out to be a great decision, as the weather was cooperative and the region is stunning for riding. No matter which direction you take, you'll encounter hills, climbs, groves, and fields. In some areas, the road surface isn't the best, but overall, it wasn’t too bad.
As we know, the Vélomédiane is no longer a true gran fondo because there is no official ranking or podium ceremony. However, your time and ranking are printed on the diploma afterwards. In all other respects, it has the features of a classic gran fondo, with a mass start and timekeeping. As a result, there’s less pressure to race for the win. I actually liked that, as the long distance of 171 km with 3,200 meters of elevation made me focus more on finishing well—suffering, but not too much.
The 3,200 meters of elevation are spread across 19 climbs, which worked well for me as I could count them down. It’s similar to the 21 turns of Alpe d'Huez but extended over 171 km. Between the climbs, the route is never flat; it’s constantly up and down. The course is exceptionally scenic, and there’s very little traffic.
Some climbs were particularly tough, like the Mur de la Vélomédiane (up to 24%) and Belgium's hardest climb, the Col de Haussire (up to 14%). At the top, you could stop to admire the monument honoring Claudy Criquielion. So, of course, a selfie was a must!
In addition to the long distance (Grande Challenge of 171 km), there is also the Pinarello Challenge of 138 km, the Petite Crique of 96 km, and a gravel version of 86 km. So, there's something for everyone. With more than 800 participants, the Grande Challenge was the most popular, followed by the Petite Crique with 500 participants, the Pinarello Challenge with 350, and the gravel event with only 50 participants.
The organization was excellent, with clear signage and marshals positioned at dangerous spots. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the after-party was great. The only downside I’d mention is that on the 171 km Grande Challenge, there were only two feed stations (at 71 km and 134 km). This was clearly too few, especially given the hot weather. I found myself struggling with empty water bottles before reaching the second feed station. Thankfully, I didn’t suffer any cramps.
All in all, it's a very fine gran fondo in a beautiful region, close to the Low Countries but with substantial elevation gain.
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