I was on a hill in Belgium – a country not famous for undulating terrain – at the side of a narrow road. In front of me, some of the world’s best professional cyclists pounded past at astonishing speed. Behind me, a huge crowd of cycling fans roared encouragement. This was Flanders, the northern region of Belgium, and this was the Tour of Flanders, or Ronde van Vlaanderen, renowned as one of the toughest single-day bike races in the international calendar...