Can you train somebody, who has never been on a road bike before,
to finish the Tour of Flanders within 50 days
I didn't know whether I was cold or warm, hungry or thirsty
Welcome in Flanders' Finest
That was a moment where I thought...
Okay guys, recover from this chaos now
Amazing, this is unbelievable
50 days ago, we begun with the ultimate challenge
Reach the finish line of one of the craziest races of the year
The Tour of flanders,
Are you sure?
You are insane
I have never ridden a road bike before
270 kilometers
That's impossible, why in 50 days?
No alcohol for seven weeks
This is going really well
So many hills, and they are all steep, there are cobbles...
What a bad idea
I am totally knackered
My legs are super heavy
For the first time I am really tired
There is still some work to do
Rain, rain, rain, rain
30% chance, if he has got some character
Do you think this all comes with the wind?
Over a period of 50 days, we ate, slept and lived as a pro
My body just wanted to stop
This sunday, it is finally there
Good luck!
This is our road to the
Tour of Flanders
Tomorrow it must happen+++
I am a bit nervous
Do I look out to tomorrow? That's actually a good question
The last 50 days were really insane to be honest
A rollercoaster with many ups and downs, trial and error
Whatever is going to happen tomorrow, it will surely be something we will never forget
To really see how much we improved in 50 days
we did the FTP test again
I was really nervous for the second FTP test
The past years I haven't really been on the bike that much
Is that the result of two years ago?
And 3 years ago
I have put on some weight,
well, I did have some extra kilo's
86.5
In this season you were 77.5
So you put on a small 10 kilo's
Tour de Tietema kilo's
The coach is really satisfied
Well done Bas, that's 100 grams a day
It's quite bizar that if you invest in something for 50 days
You can really see the result of that, in fitness or in weight
It's really nice to really see the result of what you are doing
He lost 5% of fat
That Tietema?
3 Kilogram
He has got calves again, look at that
I had no gummybears or winegums, I ate nothing
After not riding for 2 years
the result of my first FTP test
was 307 watt over 20 minutes
And I really felt over this 50 days I was growing stronger
What are your expectations?
330 maybe
That's ambitious
You are not getting a racing license, are you?
No, not yet
3,2,1
We have started
It went quite well, I got my head into it quite fast
Wilbert was triggering him with the wondrous sentence "You can't let go now"
Take it easy now
And then the bear of Zwolle pushed 500 watts for minute
That's incredible
This is really frightening
Above expectations I could stay above that
and ended with 340 watts over 20 minutes
Well done!
Bas shows that in a short timeframe, he gained a lot
And that's really good, because he is doing this with 5 kilo's less
He is really showing he is a real natural
If he would start training more, he would be racing for the win
Very nice
Good job
Satisfied Bas?
Just so much faster, with the same effort as last time
I am getting nervous watching this
I have been to the toilet three times already
Are you feeling the pressure?
If you have seen this you really don't want to be on the bike anymore,
Josse started with the same weight issue I had...
I noticed that many people told me I lost quite a bit of weight
and I saw that on my body too, but I have not been on a scale
so than the big moment was there
How much did you weigh the last time?
76 point...
3 or 4
76.4
Okay I believe you
Go and stand on that thing
There it goes
Since my birth I have been heavier than this
73.6
Also minus 3 kilo
Nice!
Are you happy with that?
Dedication, he really did his best for it
the past 50 days, and the result is there on the scale
Proud?
10% isn't nothing
Josse started with the FTP test,
and days before he was texting me about at which level he should be at
Josse is really competitive, and you noticed right away that he wanted to do better than last time
Heartrate is already...
125
And we haven't started yet
Stress, pure stress
Pre-race stress
I didn't take it easy in the first test
so I was really afraid I wasn't going to do better
Last time 260, what are you expecting now?
I just want to end up higher than that
So the goal is 261
If I will do 270, I will be very happy
I think he will be close to 300
That would be very good
I can't do this anymore
Come on
Ah, it's so heavy, I want to quit
I think that footage is deleted, I really didn't hear me say that
Come on, put your head up, don't stop now
My body just wanted to stop
Just a couple of minutes
There is no stopping with Wilbert
Come on
Keep on pedalling, shift down
That was really not to bad actually
He already started with a good level
But he managed to step up his game another time
Losing 3 kilo's
10% less fat, 280 watts
I really did not see that coming, so I am really satisfied
I have never been this tired as in this moment
and that is not even the most difficult
And than the big moment we were all waiting for came
Well Devin..
There you go
Under 70 kilo's
Our pencil neck has lost another rib
That's another 2 kilo's left to take up the Koppenberg
Just ride?
It was quite difficult to really pin point his improvements
We did ride together, but it was really difficult to really read that of him
Clicking into the pedals will be better than last time, so there will surely be progression
That is progress atleast
Last time he did 181 watt over 20 minutes
I am expecting he will be doing around 200, that will be very good
the hills will be easier to do at that wattage
Your expectations?
205
No higher, 212
At least I am excited to suffer as much as you did
It was really difficult to determine what level Devin would have
When he started Bas and I looked at each other like, not a bad start
but last time he also started quitte fast
Your heartrate is 10 lower than last time
and 20 watts higher, try to ride a bit relaxed
Focus on your cadence, breathe well
Keep on breathing, that's the most important right now
Come on Devin, this is really going to hurt a  bit
This is going to be a beastly score
He found his good rhythm right at the start, and continued that till the end
That was a huge improvement
I really did not expect this kind of improvement in just 50 days
Relax, keep on breathing
Very good
Last time he had a sprint left at the end, you remember that didn't you?
Yeah a sprint
Come on Devin, give it your all!
2,1
Keep on pedalling
Lay your hands on the handlebars
45 watt improvement!
45 watt!
That's one watt per day!
In 300 days he is faster than Bernal
Someone like Devin, someone I describe as
someone without a real talent for cycling
Can, in just 50 days, make 20-30% progression
And get to a beginner, to a really solid cyclist
Starting with cycling is something quitte special, because the first step
Is also the biggest step forward
How do you sit on the bike, how to click in, what to wear...
You improved 45 watts
That's insanely much
It's more than a quarter more
Once you are comfortable on the bike,
Then you really start enjoying
That's nice, isn't it?
That smile on his face
Someone is really happy with this
Even hurting yourself
and really going all in, after a while you start enjoying that
That's the beauty of the sport
I've worked 50 days on this
This is victory number one
The numbers are nice and all
but today is the day to really test it in Flanders
Oudenaarde
It is going to happen here
At a final rehearsel, a good massage is also needed
And I arranged that at a real masseur from the pro peloton
Were did we end up?
A kind of museum
It's beautiful, isn't it?
All big names in cycling, you've had under your hands
Not all
But I had some
Miles Scotson, former Australian champion
Vegard Stake Laengen, Trentin
Here the world champion jersey of Mikkel Bjerg
Scheldeprijs, Scheldeprijs
Robbie his jerseys
I thought you were pointing at Josse
I am missing the old jersey of Bas
Behind you
The massage was enjoyable at the start
Till Pascals big surprise
came out of the cabinet
Devin, you are filming right?
Now I am getting nervous
This will not be fun
This is fun
You are going to enjoy this
What is this for machine?
This is 18+ content
A Flandrien? Never
It feels very weird, like your whole body is being shaken
Turn it up a notch?
That's a bit different from 69
This is feeling much better
When we came to the hotel in Flanders, there was a pleasant surprise
Your room is upstairs, and someone left a surprise for you
Go and take a look!
Nice!
What is on it?
The organisation of the Tour of Flanders
wishes us best of luck with our preperations
I've got an "ANANAS" (pineapple)
Good luck!
What's that?
Bib numbers!
We have got them too!
You've got number?
This is beautiful
This is our first victory
What does this mean?
The number one is most of the time the leader of the team
Something went wrong with the administration
You are the first supporting rider, the water carrier
That's a real collectors item
The only one who rides with one, is usually the winner of last year
And Devin
Bettiol and I are both riding with number one this year
Good morning!
You put on socks matching the temperature
The last real test before the Tour of Flanders
The plan was to do a 180 km ride over the hills in Flanders
Strategically very bad, it was the hottest week ever in Flanders
Lets do the final rehearsel
The rehearsel was a real test for me, the furthest I've ever ridden before was 120 km's on the flat
It is starting to get hot
But we are actually doing allright
But we still have to do the climbs
Also in the Tour of Flanders, the hardest climbs are in the end
The Kwaremont, Paterberg, and the Koppenberg
They are going to make it hard
These are really going to make this a hard ride
I am curious how we will tackle them
The hills were really though for me
I had to give it my all to get up them
Behind me, on the Paterberg I had to step of for the first time
I almost fell over, so I had to
Did you expect this?
Actually, I did
Right now we did
120 km, that's more than I ever did
And with these climbs
Walking on a hill
The climbs are really steep
Even pro's have to step off sometimes
"There are even champions who have to walk to get up"
Getting of does not matter
If you just get up and ride on
The first time I had to step off I could laugh about it
But when he stepped of for the second time
Then he really broke down
I have known Devin for a couple of years now
But I have never seen him like this before
The second time
I really wanted to get over it, but I couldn't do it
Then I was really done with it
Cycling is a mental game too
You are suffering all the time
You have to keep pushing your body forward
You really have to deal with that during such a long ride
I am curious how I will be laying here next week
We are at our hotel, it is just 10 hours to go till the start of the Tour de Tietema
We are getting nervous
Some people are getting here especially for us
There is the big coach
Are you ready?
I am ready
The bike will be well prepared
No, that will be fine
You will make sure we will not starve tomorrow
And won't be thirsty
This is beautiful
On the right is Richard
I will make sure that on Bas' channel there will be live coverage
with updates
So you can type, Devin is suffering, Devin is suffering
#Teamdevin will not be found on the channels
I am actually world our record holder of cycling in a garden
That's you
Everything is taken from you this year
The Olympics
Now I am this desperate I will just fly a drone
But apparently it's in the family
He is the driver of the drone pilot
It's bib number 3 for me!
Look at them lying
They got everything in order
He is in an interview
An interview during the massage?
Who is on the call Josse?
The Leeuwarder Courant
Frieslands Finest
Are you feeling the pre-race nervousness?
Yeah, a little bit
Yeah, you can drop my Gopro
Now I know exactly how you are feeling
for the start of the Olympics
It takes some time, this talk next door
He said it would be this small item, but this is...
I gave him some tips
Tips from the masseur
But this masseur lives just around the corner of the Muur
And what is talked about between the rider and the masseur always...
Only secret tips
We will not get them?
You had different ones
We only talked about...
About butcream
Well guys, the last preperations
Pinning the numbers
Do you know what they say?
You have to crumple them, that's better for the aerodynamics
Devin is taking an advantage already
You are crumpling them now
This is going bad
I attached my shirt to the pillow
How late will we get up?
Half past 4
Half past 4
Half past 4
The past 50 days I did everything to be in the best shape possible at the start
He is not really awake yet
This is the conclusion of 50 day's blood sweat and tears
Nobody knows what is going to happen, it's a crazy challenge
I am looking forward to this
The past 50 days were all for this day
I did everything which was possible
I couldn't be more ready for this
I will do everything I can do by helping and supporting you
So we can get as far as possible with the three of us
I just want us all to finish with us three
Nervous?
I really don't know what to expect
What will it feel like?
After 250 km
Two months ago you came back from drinking all night
Half past 5 is a good time to get home from that
Now we are in the car, going to...
With cycling shorts on
What is this?
Now I am getting really nervous
Good morning dear cycling fans
It's sunday the 16th of August 2020
The big day of the Tour of Flanders
Because of Corona, the start is in Sint Niklaas, instead of Antwerpen
Welcome in Flanders' finest!
There we are again
We arrived and it was
It was a bit before 6
It is going to happen today
I hope everybody is ready for it
This is unreal
Is this all for us?
Look at all these people at this time
It's a quarter past 6
A real starting grid was ready and a presswall
with all sponsors
Bas is a bit nervous
This is the first time I am seeing this
He said in the car that he never rode this far himself too
That's special to hear that
Name tag, number on the back
It shouldn't get any crazier
The adrenalin is pumping through my veins
As always, Devin is already the last one
We are already 20 minutes behind schedule
Nervous piss
Together with Wilbert, we were planning our day
It's important that in the first 100 km's, Devin should not be in the front
You have to save the energy of the leader
He should just be in the wheels of you
When we finished our preperations, we went to the startline together
Then we had our last interviews
Have you slept well or was there some nervousness?
Sleeping? It was more like a little nap
It's so early in the morning
But...
Nerves? I don't know whether I am ready or not
I am going to do something which I just can't do
We will see where it ends
That's the qoute already
He is standing like this at his interview
I am going to do something I can't do
It's just a bit awkward, you are nervous and are joking with each other
You do realise that
You will be on the bike for 10-12 hours
3,2,1
Gentleman, go!
Then it really started
255 hard km's to go
The first cobbled sections are done
These men are riding at a good pace over the first sectors
Tietema and Wester are riding at the front
Van der Wiel is almost playing with the pedals behind them
For the first time, with a race director giving tips to us
You can do turns of 5 minutes in the front
So first Bas 5 minutes, then Josse
It was all very professional
The first 80 km's went really well
An average speed of 33 km/h
Let's hope that will not break them in the hard hillier section
Then the Oude Kwaremont came
Then the real work started
The first climb of the day, and directly an Iconic one
The Oude Kwaremont
Now the real work starts, come on!
On the kwaremont we already heard it coming,
then I saw firework and torches
all my friends were there
But I noticed directly that Devin did not have the possibility to look at his surroundings
and to see that his friends were there
At the latest moment I heard someone shout "Levi"
That's a nickname only my friends use
Then I thought, my friends are also here
What a ridiculous idea this is
The coming 150 km
There will be no flat km's left
The Wolvenberg was total chaos
That was incredible
As a small child you hope that one day
when you look at the Tour de France, that you will see something like that in your live
And then I was right in it
We went through a smoke curtain on that hill
Smiling and suffering at the same time
130 KM done!
We are halfway through
Big descent to Geraardsbergen
And then, right infront of you, there it is, the Stronghold
The holy grail in the Tour of Flanders
Best of luck!
The Muur van Geraardsbergen
Does it needs any introduction?
A cobbled climb with a percentage of 20 at the steepest part
We came into the fortress, and I got flashback from the last time we were here
A couple weeks back we trained this with Oliver Naesen, and it just didn't worked
I am lying if I would say I wasn't looking up to this
I said to Devin; "Come on Devin, last part, do it!"
I have to do it now
Van der Wiel shouted out of hapiness
It was a real primal scream when he reached the top
This came out of my small toe
Very nice to see this
What a beautiful moment
You can understand that, reaching the top of the Muur at this speed
Legendary
Devin was really shouting; "Yes I reached the top!"
To reach the top there was maybe the best moment of these 50 days
It gave me and Bas power like
This is giving Devin such a kick, he isn't going to let this go anymore
If we can do this, we can do them all
Devin rode well
If you look at it, Devin
They did the FTP test, the 0 measurement
He really never rode a road bike before
In the store we mounted the pedals
That was not scripted or anything
And look at him now, his position on the bike
His upper body stable, his legs turning
He is getting cold
He lost 2 kilos
Got muscle's back
It's really good
The only thing is, when he get's really tired, he can start making mistakes
After the Muur I was really flying
But not that much later, those wings became acidification in my legs, in my calves
till my neck
That was a moment in which I thought...
If you come to a stand still there, with what is left to Oudenaarde
Then it will be very difficult
I didn't know whether I was thirsty or hungry, warm or cold
It felt terrible
If he wouldn't had problems till 200 km to go
Then I would see it happening, but now...
That was a moment on which everybodies hopes were really low
We will take a right, take it easy on the Oude Kwaremont
The Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg is the deadly combination in the Tour of Flanders
I thought that was going to be the moment Devin will be going to crack
On top of the Oude Kwaremont Nikolas Maes was waiting for us
Pro rider of Lotto Soudal
He helped Tom Boonen win the Tour of Flanders
He knows exactly how the roads are right there
He was coaching us constantly
There is a hill coming up, shift into an easier gear when I tell you
That gives so much rest mentally
Just listen to him, then I will reach the finish
With Nikolas Maes from Lotto Soudal as support, the Paterberg was near
Since 1986 this is the decider in the Tour of Flanders
Maybe Peter Sagan's favourite hill
20% at it's steepest
What is the condition of the guys now?
Very tired ofcourse
Last week during the recon we couldn't reach the top
We are going right, and directly uphill
Ride at your own pace
And in the gutter on the left
On the top of the Paterberg, Laurens de Vreese was waiting as a surprise for us
I was riding behind you, and there were people coming from left and right
You were just focused on riding in the gutter ofcourse
But it is a real narrow piece of road
It was just like it was flat, some people pushed and then...
He already reached the top actually
Then it's about keeping your head up, getting on the bike
and continue to the next climb
Not standing still to long after a crash
Now he was trembling
He was trembling
That's adrenalin
Okay guys, recover from this chaos a bit
Laurens brought some fresh air
He brought Mattepie's for us, started talking our heads of
Race director
This is for the real men
Thanks, I will give it to them
Do you have a gel for them?
He came with gells, got us our bottles every minute
It really helps, especially after such a moment, to get in some flow
Laurens de Vreese strenghtened the peleton
While the Koppenberg is getting close
Many pro's find this to be the thoughest one of the Flemish Ardennes
The hump of Melde
Suffering guaranteed
This is what makes the Tour of Flanders this hard
You are at the top of the Paterberg, downhill for just 5 km's, and then
The Koppenberg
The Koppenberg was the breaking point of Devin at the recon
I knew how hard this was going to be, but I was really determined to get to the top
Seldom I went this deep as on the Koppenberg
Come on! Pedal! To the top!
All focus was to get you to the top of the Koppenberg
So I gave you a little push, but it was so steep I could just stay upright
Shift down once!
There was no real order left, but we got him to the top, which really did well for us
What a boss!
Is there some water for the guys?
He is really tired, isn't he?
Well now he is...
Koppenberg hè
This is the hardest
But he is doing well
That one is difficult after 10 minutes, so after 200...
My feelings were mixed
On one hand I knew the hardest part was done
But on the other hand we were really knackered
One of the things you don't want then is a cobbled section
The Mariaborrestraat
The blisters are still there
Strong, Chapeau
For an amateur
Devin is totally done
He should just keep pedalling
He is giving his all
Miraculously he is still on his bike
Now the Taaienberg
That's cobbles uphill
This is going to be difficult
He is really near the end of his energy stocks
Last time Oude Kwaremont, we said goodbye to our support
It was all us again
Thanks, Cheers!
One last time the Oude Kwaremont, towards the square
One last time, all you got on this Iconic climb
Then directly on to the Paterberg
What a battlefront, this is Flanders at its finest
If he passes the Paterberg, he will finish this
Turning onto the Paterberg, I was behind Devin
And you keep on asking yourself for the last 100 km's, how long he can keep on doing this?
How long will he stay on his bike?
He was really really done
Keep watching Devin
If the tank is empty, you can't go on anymore, than you stand still
I was happy this happened only at the last climb
So now I could say, from now on we are going towards the finish
It doesn't matter
You are there, almost at the top
If that would have happened one or two climbs earlier, I do not know whether I would have finished
This is the final
2.5 Km to go!
Our goal was to finish the Tour of Flanders together
Unbelievable
50 days ago I couldn't do a thing on the bike,
It became clear quite fast that I am not the biggest talent
But I showed determination and showed that
If you really want it, and you are having fun with it
you can accomplish so much
Devin, you are going to finish this!
You are going to finish!
What are you saying?
You are going to finish!
2 KM to go!
Very good!
All day there were guys at the side of the rode with a banner of me
I think 10 kilo's heavier
It gives so much satisfcation that we did this together
There is the finish guys!
We have trained like beasts for 50 days
to reach this goal
When you pass the finish
and know you pushed boundaries
That is what makes sport beautiful
This is so cool
What was this for lunacy
That was some kind of a ride
Well done Bas!
It was hard sometimes
That I improved so much, I really did not see that coming
It is so great to see that you can push your boundaries in such a small timeframe
I am so happy
Thanks!
It was not a real race, but it felt like we won
50 days ago I could not even click in
We lived as pro's for 50 days
If you look at what we have been through
and what kind of progression we had in weight, fatpercentage and power
and on Determination to get to this place
That is something we can all be very proud of
Last week I said, never a Flandrien, never
but now... they are
a bit Flandrien
Eventhough they are Dutch
Can someone who has never ridden a road bike before
prepare in just 50 days to finish in the Tour of Flanders?
Miraculously
That is possible
And now? Will you get rid of the bike?
He is already on Marktplaats (ebay in the netherlands)
If these muscle pains are gone, I will keep on riding
I really enjoy it
A race?
Would you dare that?
That's something completly different
If you crash in a race,
20 thousand likes?
How much?
20K
If you crash in a race, there will be 30 people on top of you
The following message is completely voluntary:
at 20 thousand likes
I will ride a real cycling race
Tour de France, here we come!
Guys, Josse got the disease from Retting, more fat on the calves than on his chain (ketting)
It's so hot here
500KM of cobbles, then a left to the Leeberg
Kilometer or meter?
500m, smartass
To their wheel, and finish this things
Showman
Put this on too
Showman
