The first cobble section was heaving with people. The windmill I had planned to use in my shot was obstructed by public toilets and a stage. A DJ cranked out tunes for party-goers, who, despite the early hour, looked as if they had already sunk a couple of Duvels. Good times.

Still, I didn’t have long to come up with an alternative shot, the police motos and road closure vehicles were already thundering across the cobbles.

Troublingly, the car was now surrounded by people, preventing my escape. Some well-practiced, ample use of the horn did the trick, and we were able to part the crowd and speed off to the Eikenberg.

Some decent route planning then paid off, helping us arrive with plenty of time to pick out the best spots. I handed a camera to Bruno and, after a quick tutorial on how to use it, suggested he shoot from the hill to capture the riders passing below. “I’ll head down and capture them on the steepest section”. Our plan was a success and we rendezvoused back at the car for the drive to the Oude Kwaremont.