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Belgium: Ardennes Classics Tour
Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège
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Conducted in partnership with Cycling Camp San Diego
Trip Highlights
- Entry into the Amstel Gold Toerversie Cyclosportif, an amateur event the day before the pro Amstel Gold race—choose from six courses, from 65 km to the full 250 km pro route.
- VIP access to watch the Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège pro racing events.
- Conquer famous Belgium race climbs, including Côte de la Redoute, Côte de la Roche aux Faucons and Côte de Saint-Nicolas.
- Test your legs on La Flèche Wallonne’s famed race climb, Mur de Huy.
- Optional structured training and professional coaching.
Preview
Train just like the pros on this training, racing and sightseeing trip for the serious cyclist. Receive professional coaching every day as you ride some of the best-known climbs of the region. This is a training experience of a lifetime!
This tour offers fantastic riding in the Ardennes and Limburg regions. The Ardennes, a popular tourist region, has extensive forests, rolling hills and mountains, and is known for its scenic beauty and wide range of outdoor activities including cycling, hunting, walking and canoeing. The scenic Limburg region is one of the few areas in the country that has hills, so get ready to climb!
The Races
- Amstel Gold, held in the Limburg region, delivers a milieu of successive steep, narrow climbs (31 in all). Dutch fans line the roads and pack into outdoor beer gardens to cheer the pros on as they race across treacherously narrow roads. The course ends atop the Cauberg climb (the place to be if you’re in the party mood). This course favors climbers and hilly course specialists.
- La Flèche Wallonne, a 199.5 km mid-week event, starts in Charleroi and heads east to Huy. The riders tackle a circuit that includes the steep Mur de Huy (Wall of Huy) climb. The Mur boasts several sections steeper than 15%, making the finish at the top after three laps a true battle of strength.
- Liège-Bastogne-Liège, one of the oldest one-day races in Europe, first took place in 1894. The second half contains most of the infamous climbs, such as the Haute-Levée, La Redoute and Saint-Nicolas. The successive hills provide ample opportunity for riders to attack, always ending in an exciting and tactical finish.
Airport Arrival/Departure City: Brussels or Maastricht Airport
Average Daily Mileage and Terrain
We will ride and train an average of 40 to 80 miles a day over challenging terrain, including cobbles and narrow lanes. The routes are designed to offer a choice of shorter or longer options, and include areas where optional structured training can be employed. Professional coaching is included every day. This cycling-friendly region offers plenty of great riding to explore after the set day’s route.
Weather: Get information about the weather in this area here.
What’s Included
- Professional coaching, on-the-road clinics and ancillary written or electronic training material.
- Experienced tour guides, and detailed daily maps and route notes.
- Lodging in quaint, welcoming inns and hotels.
- Hearty, cyclist-friendly breakfasts every day.
- Most dinners (four-course dinners, including wine).
- Full van support, snacks and drinks on the ride each day
- Light mechanical support.
- Transportation and luggage transfers during the tour.
- Gratuities for transfers, hotels and restaurants.
What’s Not Included
- Airfare, travel insurance and bikes are not included.
- Lunches are on your own, so you have maximum flexibility in your day.
- Non-group dinners on the free evenings. This gives you a chance to try the restaurants of your choice.
- Personal services, including laundry, telephone, hotel minibar charges, etc., are not included.
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| Trip Summary |
| Ability-Advanced
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Duration
A: 8 days/7 nights
B: 12 days/11 nights
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Price per person
A: $3,295
B: $3,795
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Tour Dates
A: April 15-22, 2010
B: April 15-26, 2010
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Riding
We will ride and train an average of 40-80 miles daily, over challenging terrain, including cobbles and narrow lanes. |
| Routes and Abilities |
| Coaching/Training |
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