Spring Classics Spectator Tour

Today will be an epic day as you get to experience the Tour of Flanders! We’ll head over to the course early morning, before the roads close. The race brings to area to a halt with its thousands of fans waving their flags, lining many of the tiny farm roads and cobbled sections, waiting in anticipation for the riders! We will head to the VIP fan zone on Oude Kwaremont, joining hordes of fans in an unbelievable atmosphere! Bars, local food, music, flags, excitement, we will get our prime spot for the viewing. It has to be seen to be believed and it’s a real bucket list item! In the race build up you can even stroll to the Paterberg to see the famous climb, before heading back to our spot. The women’s race tackles this section once, with the men’s passing three times! A real locals day out!

Today’s a chilled day after all the excitement yesterday! We’ll visit the famous Flanders museum in Oudenaarde, the town where the Tour of Flanders finished yesterday  The entrance hall has each winner’s name displayed on its own cobblestone, an excellent gift shop and is steeped in history. Explaining bikes through the ages, how they were used in the war, a tour through the decades – it’s a must for cycling fans! After lunch in the peloton café and a short stop in Oudenaarde we’ll head back to Ghent.

We’ll take the short train ride to Brussels today. Brussels is known for its cuisine and gastronomic offer (including its local waffle, its chocolate, its French fries and its numerous types of beers), as well as its historical and architectural landmarks; some of them are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A short journey on the hop on hop off bus will navigate us around the city and you’ll be free to visit some of the famous landmarks on foot afterwards. The Grand Place hosted the Tour de France presentation in 2019 and is the deemed the finest town square in Belgium!

We’re back on the race circuit and heading to watch the Scheldeprijs! The oldest of the Flanders classics is gradually gaining more recognition. Teams taking part in Flanders and Paris Roubaix will be taking part in this race too. We’ll head over to Schoten early morning and watch the start of the Women’s race, which also finishes here. Then its over to our VIP area for a Welcome Reception. Champagne and Oysters before we settle down to a culinary 4 course lunch on our personalised VIP table. A live broadcast will allow us to follow the races until we see both the Women’s and Men’s race finishes, as they lap 3 times, sprinting to the finish line!  A fantastic day out in this beautiful municipality of Antwerp.

Today we will head to Lille via Roubaix. We’ll visit the famous velodrome and get access to the showers, where many a legend have sealed their win. You can also visit the gift shop to buy any memorabilia, including your own piece of cobble and other Roubaix goodies. It will be great to see the empty velodrome before we head back in 3 days for a very different experience! We’ll head onto our next Hotel in Lille, drop our luggage and head out to explore, taking a tour on the open top bus. Founded in the 11th century and influenced by several cultures over the centuries before at last becoming French. See the evidence the Flemish, Burgundian and Spanish left on the city in Lille’s varied architectural styles, including the old city, the Grand Palace, the Town Hall and belfry and the Fine Arts Museum. Its a buzzing town with a great vibe and will host the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in 2025!

Today we head into Belgium to visit its most stunning city – Bruges. This is Belgium’s most perfectly preserved medieval town, and it’s jaw-dropping, beautiful architecture attracts more than two million visitors a year. With its wealth of interesting old buildings and canals, Bruges still retains a distinct medieval air. Take a walk through the narrow streets or a boat trip on the canal and fall under its spell, charmed by the atmosphere of what many consider the most delightful city of Flanders.

Today is recon day for the cobbles! As the men’s Grand Fondo takes place we’ll head to Arenberg trench to check out the 5 star section and cheer them on! It’s a sight to behold as the bikes come hurtling towards to cobbles and the cyclists hang on for dear life. We’ll have lunch and then head to the Carrefour d’Arbre to experience another 5 and 3 star section of cobbles. You’ll get to see the terrain first hand and hear the rattling of bikes as they navigate this sketchy terrain!

Could you even think of a better final full day than this? You’ve seen them on the cobbles. You’ve seen them battle it out in Schoten and now you’re going to watch the legendary Paris Roubaix! We’ll leave early and drive to the start in Compiegne where we will have breakfast in a VIP lounge and have access to the exclusive team warm-up and sign-on area! Watch the bikes been prepped, the cyclists warming up and passing by inches from you, as crowds stand behind barriers and you’re in the paddock with the teams. A spectators favourite! As the cyclists head off we’ll get in our private vehicle with its VIP sticker, allowing us to drive on closed roads and we’ll head up to the velodrome. In our VIP area, a 3 tiered viewing platform, we can watch the race on giant screens, enjoy the free snacks and open bar and get ready to see the cyclists as they head into the velodrome. An exhilarating day.

Unfortunately, our trip must come to an end. You can walk to Lille Europe TGV Railway Station. From here you can catch a high-speed train to Paris downtown or to CDG airport. We hope to see you back in the future! Join us at the Tour Down Under,  Tour de France or La Vuelta.