retsalfpnietsfpoK Carousel in Gö – April 9 2021 ´Road´ Ride

The Kopfsteinpflaster Carousel tour in reverse.

It feels special to ride the roads of the Low Countries made famous by such races as the Tour of Flanders, Fleche Wallonne, Liege Bastogne Liege, Amstel Gold and Gent Wevelgem. But almost wherever you live you can find cool roads and this ride sees the Kopfsteinpflaster Carousel stand in for the infamous Kemmelberg.

On March 29, 2021 I paid my respects to the Gent Wevelgem pro cycle race held in Belgium (and all such races). This race doesn´t feature too many substantive cobbled sections, but there is the major cobbled climb of the Kemmelberg (Göttingen has few cobbles of note).

I rode the March 29 route in reverse order, which means a long climb (3.3km) from Benniehausen and the Garte River via Gelliehausen up to a high point at the foot of the Gleichen Hills (max of 10%). Then, after a wee bit of descending, there is a Betonweg wall to climb (9.5%) to reach the Kopfsteinpflaster Carousel. At least we now descend the long gravel trail rather than to climb it as we did on the March 29 edition.

To mark the ´ Ploegsteerts´ which are part of the Gent Wevelgem race route the ride includes sections of gravel trails.

Link: March 29 route, information about the race, Ploegstreets and Flanders etc.

The Ride (64km)
I began my ride in the Leine Valley at Geismar.

– Onto the B27/L564 Landstraße cyclepath.
– Off the cyclepath turning left past the Wendebachstasse (lake) to Reinhausen.
– A climb and descent on a cyclepath, then its public roads through Diemarden.
– Asphalt cycle path to Klein Lengden.
– Gravel and then broken Betonweg along the Garte River at Steinmühle.
– Long ascent on asphalt beginning at Benniehausen via Gelliehausen to the Gleichen Hills (60kph+ when going down!). (3.3km long, max of 10% to Gelliehausen and then a max of 9.5% to the Gleichen Hills)
– Descend past Appenrode.
– Sharp right turn on broken asphalt at Appenrode and a climb of a Betonweg ´wall´ (max of 9.5%).
– A mix of asphalt, Betonweg, gravel to the Kopfsteinpflaster Carousel.
– Cobbles and a switch back descent and ascent of the Kopfsteinpflaster Carousel.
– Gravel and Betonweg followed by a long gravel descent.
– Betonweg (plus a section of asphalt) to Reinhausen.
– Smooth rolling asphalt to Ballenhausen.
– Mild gravel at Ballenhausen.
– ´Mind the Gap´ Betonweg to Groß Schneen.
– Two sections of Betonweg to Reckershausen via Friedland.
– Asphalt roads and cyclepaths (across Autobahn) to Marzhausen.
– Medium gravel to Elkerhausen.
– Open asphalt public roads through Elkerhausen, Klein Schneen to Obernjesa.
– A wee bit of cobbled road at Obernjesa (there aren´t that many cobbles in the race).
– Modest gravel section along railway line toward Niedernjesa.
– Toward Sieboldhausen but turn away at roundabout taking asphalt cyclepath.
– Turn off onto series of asphalt farm roads to Sieboldhausen.
– Smooth asphalt from Sieboldhausen to Niedernjesa.
– Onto B27 Cyclepath to Göttingen.
– Asphalt farm roads to end at Geismar.