Reason 30: Michele Bartoli gets it

My friend @Wielergekblog shot me this tweet from 1996 Ronde Champ Michele Bartoli. 

During his run Bartoli was one of my favorite riders.

Reason 28: Stijn Devolder and Peter Van Petegem get it

Quotes from http://www.xpats.com/en/features/tour-flanders

“If you had changed the route 30 years ago it would maybe not have been big news, but now the race is international – it’s shown on TV all over the world and everybody in cycling is always talking about it.” - Van Petegem

Source: http://blog.seniorennet.be/wielergekte_original/archief.php?ID=55484

“The Muur was unique – there’s never going to be a final like that without the Muur.” - Devolder

Source: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7949/Stijn-Devolder-Boonen-should-be-scared-of-Cancellara.aspx

Reason 26: Psycho's come out.

This is not really a reason but more of an exasperation.

Someone actually sent the Mayor of Oudenaarde a threatening letter suggesting that tacks will be thrown onto the route.

Seriously?

 I agree with @SSBike in his tweet "they are not fans"

While I may think the route should revert back to a previous state, lets be real here. It is a race we love and want to see happen at its highest possible level. If some mook decides to ruin the race by doing something this stupid, they should be drug up and down the Muur and Bosberg until their skin is ripped from their bones. That is all.

Article here.

http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/120327_tourofF

Reason 24: Weaker looking photographs

Graham Watson and Kristof Ramon took some photographs at the 2012 E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. The photos did not do the Muur or the people of Geraardsbergen any favors. 

Obviously when the Muur is not in a decisive position during a big race it does not look near as exciting and important.

Source: https://twitter.com/grahamwatson10/statuses/183315395636244480

http://twitpic.com/90c1kt

Also check out Kristof Ramon's shots here:

http://www.flickr.com//photos/kristoframon/sets/72157629288648492/show/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristoframon/7009537079

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14538377@N06/7009537481

Reason 22: Charging fans 

In my purely fan based opinion, viewing the race from any location along the road should be a free  (no cost) affair. I believe that keeping the race in a point to point format reduces the opportunity for race directors to create sections blocked off from the average fan. Keeping the Muur and Bosberg forces the course to remain spread out and thus helps prevent the creation of a lot of VIP sections along the course.

 

"The Tour of Flanders could lead the path to a new business model, in 

which the money earned and spent will be different from the way it is now."

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/11195/Debate-continues-over-new-Flanders-route-organiser-explains-change.aspx#ixzz1p9ayfJH3 

Reason 21: Reduced role during the classics season.

The fact that the following statement was issued by the Omega Pharma Quick Step Team's twitter stream during the GPE3 Harelbeke and will not be able to be contradicted during the Tour of Flanders stinks.

Makes me sad that the Muur will not be given a greater role at a later time. 

"The upcoming Muur is causing a little concern in the peloton"

When this statement was made in the past I would think..."Yeah but wait until April..." 

Reason 18: Heinrich Haussler gets it

"Why did they have to change it? The prestige of the race has changed. It’s just really hard. I don’t like it. Why do they have to change a race like Flanders? It’s like not having Roubaix finish in the velodrome — it’s just stupid."

 

Source: http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/03/news/qa-heinrich-haussler-the-legs-are-back_209363

Reason 17: Riis will be upset

http://cyclismas.com/2012/02/tour-of-flanders-2012-riis-is-briefed-on-muur-and-bosberg/

Reason 16: The cycling art of Geraardsbergen

Incredible Tour of Flanders inspired art, from sculpture to poetry, will be left behind without proper context.

The RVV cyclo tourists from the earlier post will also miss out on 50 years of homage to the great race.
http://wielersport.slogblog.nl/post/1/5279

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/37690648

Willy Verhegge poems on Eddy Merckx and others

Source: http://n-io.no-ip.biz/GC00001/tct2009/website/nieuws/nieuws2006.htm

"The Spectators"

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/21394815

There is also a poetry route in Geraardsbergen
http://www.marf.be/nl/html/brons_frameset.html

Reason 15: Depression

All of these folks are now sad.

I feel depressed already staring this sorry lot and thinking of what they will be missing this year.

The race directors need to help fight mental illness by bringing the Muur back.
Bring back the Muur, and a ray of sunshine will enter into the souls of the people pictured here.

Source: http://www.steephill.tv/2009/tour-of-flanders/muur-fans-banner.jpg

Reason 14: The amateur version will also skip the Muur.

20,000 riders will NOT have an opportunity to spend their time AND MONEY in Geraardsbergen in 2012.
This guy from last years event was already pissed he could not drop $20 at the local tavern in 2012.

Source: http://sport.be.msn.com/cyclingtour/rondevanvlaanderen/2011/fotospecial/index.html?fotospecial_id=7686&foto_order=79&language_id=3

Reason 13: The town council of Geraardsbergen approved and paid for new cobblestones in 2004.

That kind of commitment deserves respect...not a kick in the ass followed by a kick in the face.

Source: @Brakethrough http://instagr.am/p/HyuLzJoJAk/

Reason 12: Sayings like this will disappear.

“The Muur is a rendezvous with your character,” 

Eddy Planckaert, 1988 Tour of Flanders winner

Source: http://www.cyclesportmag.com/features/iconic-places-the-muur-van-geraardsbergen/

Reason 11: Tom Boonen gets it

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/5314134/Tom-Boonen-barred-from-Tour-de-France-after-second-positive-drug-test.html

"Not finishing in Meerbeke would be like removing the track from Paris-Roubaix"

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/7773/Tom-Boonen-Not-finishing-in-Meerbeke-would-be-like-removing-the-track-from-Paris-Roubaix.aspx#ixzz1oXyu3ioV

Reason 10: Context

When people ask how the race is going
 the next question is always in some way shape or form like the following.

How far are they from the Muur? How long to the Bosberg?
Pardon the language in the video...keep the sound down at work ;)

Reason 9: The Muur was the Logo of the Brand

"Logos are the entry point and the shortcut to the brand for your mind."
It can take years to craft an identifiable brand and the associated logo. Fools throw that away.
The Muur was the identifiable logo for the brand that is the Tour of Flanders.
Read this: http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6929

Source: http://zuzie.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/images/2011/04/08/dsc_0137.jpg

Reason 7: This framed scene

Every year we see some version of this picture and put ourselves right there.

Every year we wish we were the camera man.

Every year we gawk at the freakish faces captured through the lens.
No longer...


Source: http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/PM00639975B.jpg



http://www.flandriacafe.com/2012/02/photo-of-day-eddy-bosberg.html

Source: http://www.bnr.nl/topic/sport/2011/04/03/belg-nuyens-snelste-in-vlaanderens-mooiste

Source: http://www.cyclesportmag.com/features/iconic-places-the-muur-van-geraardsbergen/

Source: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/chain-gate-voted-cyclingnews-biggest-moment-of-the-year/113629

Source: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/ronde-van-vlaanderen-goes-with-traditional-route-in-2008/32961

Source: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/belgians-mourn-decapitated-tour-of-flanders/110850

Source: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/photos/now-online-the-2010-cyclingnews-reader-poll/114626

Source: http://www.colchonero.com/stijn_devolder_en_kapelmuur-fotos_del_atletico_de_madrid-igfpo-158760.htm

Source: http://now.rabosport.nl/user/rabosport/view/9137473

Source: http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/113823

Source: http://cyclingart.blogspot.com/2010/04/gone-with-wind.html

Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2358/2394807983_a7a515ff5c.jpg

Reason 2: Passion

The people of Geraardsbergen even had a funeral procession

 for the loss of the race course coming through their town. 

This kind of passion for the race should not be overlooked in the future.

http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/mediatheek_en/1.1119295

Reason 1: The Muur is iconic. 
Just take look at the bend to the Kapelmuur.
The images captured on the Muur exemplify why the race is so special to cycling fans everywhere.

Source: http://wielerdier89.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/geraardsbergen11.jpg