Amstel Gold Race — Liege-Bastogne-Liege — Fleche Wallonne
Ardennes Classics Trip
April 2020
If you are a true Cycling Enthusiast then you have to see a Classic once in your life!
Hosted by Eric de Clercq, a Belgian former professional cyclist with a passion for Spring in the north of Europe!
Amstel Gold Race, Liege-Bastogne-Liege Trip Details
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
- Ride the Amstel Gold Race cyclo-sportive and the Liege-Bastogne-Liege cyclo-sportive.
- See last two major races of the classics season and a semi-classic:
- Amstel Gold Race
- Liege-Bastogne-Liege
- Fleche Wallonne
- Ride the famous roads with Eric de Clercq, an ex Belgian Pro
- Visit the historic Limberg region and the Gallo-Roman Museum
- Visit historical Huy and ride the challenging Mur de Huy
- Experience Belgian hospitality and share the passion for all cycling things
- Visit the Formule 1 track in Francorchamps (TBC)
- Visit Flanders bike valley and the Ridley wind tunnel (TBC)
- Immerse yourself in a true Cycling Culture
Dates: April 2020
Start: Brussels, Belgium
Finish: Brussels, Belgium
Group Size: 15 guests – 3 staff
Price: $6850AUD
Single Supplement: $900AUD
Note: All trip costs are per person, not including airfare and based on two persons per room. If travelling alone we will match you with a person to share. Alternatively, you may choose to have a room of your own by paying the single supplement.
Note: It is a requirement of Bikestyle Tours that you have Travel Insurance for your trip.
RIDE RATINGS
Our trips allow you to choose a suitable ride each day. Alternative ride options are available on most days. We use a consistent ride rating to help you choose your ride. We rate each ride on various factors; distance, total climbing, intensity and altitude. The table below is a guide to our ride rating system.
Unfortunately, we can’t forecast the weather when designing our rides, but your trip leader will advise you on any precautions.
| Distance | SHORT: less than 30km |
| MEDIUM: between 30km and 80km (depending on the total climbing). | |
| LONG: more than 80 km | |
| Ascent | Total climbing (ascending) for the day, anything over 2000m is a big day |
| Intensity | Some rides may have time constraints. Our rides vary from EASY, MODERATE to HARD. |
| Altitude | Some of our rides may go into alpine areas where thinner air affects your intake of oxygen. |
Spectators and Off the Bike
Racing fans are always welcome!
Social Riding and Leisure
We understand that your cycling holiday is a HOLIDAY! We understand that you don't normally ride everyday at home. Our ride routes cherry-pick the best areas.
Some training will always enhance your experience!
Experienced Riders
Your cycling holiday is all actually about the bike! Our epic and challenge ride options seek more vertical metres and longer miles.
Tour cost is per person twin share and includes:
- All Transport
- Services of experienced Tour Guides, including former Belgian pro cyclist, Eric de Clercq
- Return transfers from Zaventem Airport
- Accommodation in a boutique hotel (Tongeren), a quality 4 star hotel in Zaventem
- Buffet breakfast daily
- 3 course evening meals on 3 nights
- VIP Lunch on 3 days
- Mechanical assistance with your bike
- Sightseeing as listed
- Ride files and Bikestyle Tours itinerary
- Bikestyle Tours cycling jersey & bibs
- Entry to Amstel Gold and Liege-Bastogne-Liege cyclo sportif
Note: All bike hire costs include 2 water bottles for you to keep. We also provide a saddle bag with a spare tube, pump, tyre-levers and multi-tool. The pump and saddle bag with its contents must be returned with the hire bike at the end of hire.
AT A GLANCE
- 11 Days
- 3 Dinners, 3 VIP Lunches
- Amstel, Fleche and Liege
- Luxury Transport
- High Staff Ratio
- Intermediate to Experienced
- 3 & 4 Star Hotels
When is the Amstel Gold Race?
Ardennes classics are raced in the weeks following the Spring Classics races. The Ardennes is a region with dense forests and rolling hills. There a a number of ridges created from erosion by the many river systems, this creates challenging cycling terrain.
You would not normally associate Holland with hilly terrain. But, the border-region between Holland, Germany and Belgium creates some of the most exciting races on the UCI World Tour calendar.
Amstel Gold Race and Liege-Bastogne-Liege are very exciting races as the earlier races in Flanders and Roubaix tire some of the riders. Driven to redeem their earlier spring classics disappointments, their tired legs come up against fresh riders that are more suited the longer climbs.
Ride with a former professional cyclist Eric de Clercq
Eric is a native Belgian whose career spanned 11 years from 1991 to 2002, in which he had 19 victories including a stage win in the Tour of Britain. He is one of the hard men of Belgium having raced the big classics such as Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix. He rode with:
- La William-Duvel from 1991-1993
- Collstrop from 1994-2002.
Since retiring, Eric became a Director Sportif from 2004-2007 for the Vlaanderen Women’s Professional Cycling Team. It was here that Eric learnt the organisational skills that make him the a great cycling guide.
Eric has been with Bikestyle Tours for many years and runs many trips every year. Speaking three languages, you will find Eric to be a very capable guide and great to socialise with after a ride.
He still has many associations with the professional cycling teams, including looking after their VIP’s and being a team soigneur.
Ardennes Classics Tour Itinerary
Welcome to the Ardennes Classics
Your trip starts today in Brussels where we will take you to the oldest city of Belgium, Tongeren, our base for the next 6 nights where you can unpack and settle in.
Amstel Gold Cycle Sportif
Today we will travel over the border to Holland for your own Amstel Gold Race. You will experience what it feels like to grovel over these steep climbs. If you think Holland is flat, think again.
Amstel Gold
Today we will do the Amstel Gold Race again but this time as a spectator. The beautiful area with a mixture of tough climbs and small roads in such a small area makes this race special.
Amstel Gold without the crowds
Today we go back to the Netherlands to ride a part of the Amstel without the other 16,000 cyclists. We will start and finish our ride in Valkenburg. After our ride, we can have some lunch in one of the many restaurants in Valkenburg.
Fleche Wallonne Ride
Today we will ride the final circuit of Flêche Wallonne, which means that we start in Huy at the feed-zone. This 100km trip offers 7 hills and ends at the Mur of Huy (9,3 to 17 %).
Fleche Wallonne Race
Today we will see the first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne (the Walloon Arrow) is held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Liege-Bastogne-Liege Ride
Before the pros hit the circuit for Sundays Liège-Bastogne-Liège, we will attempt some of the climbs of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. and Côte de la Haute Levée.
Riding through the water & Bike Valley.
Tomorrow’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege Sportif will be a tough day on the bike so we offer an easy ride today to keep the legs fresh for tomorrow. We also visit the Flanders Bike Valley Ridley wind tunnel near Beringen.
Liege-Bastogne-Liege Sportif
Today is our day to ride the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Challenge, the day before the race itself. We will offer 2 distances today 164km and 84km (TBC).
Liege-Bastogne-Liege Race
The start of today’s race takes place in the centre of Liege. We will see the start of the race before heading off on our own little race.
A Bientot from the Ardennes
Sadly our trip ends this morning after breakfast at our hotel. We hope you have enjoyed your week at the Ardennes Classics with us.