been looking at the spring classics week, and I fancy a trip over.
big cyclo cross on one weekend, couple of good midweek races, and the paris Roubaix on the next weekend.

anyone been for the whole week, and done a bit of cycling/socialising?

YES!!! Not sure its going to involve a cyclo cross if you want Paris Roubaix.

I’d go for the Ronde on 6th April and then Roubaix the following weekend or Flèche Wallonne on the 23rd April and then Liege Bastogne Liege on 27th.

Depends on whether you want cobbles or hills. My preference is Flanders and Roubaix. You can see the hurt better and the beer/frites flow in an unrestrained way when you find the appropriate bar with the tele on on the course.

We stay with friends/family so not sure about the touring bit, but its a week when feelings generally run high so I think it would be worth it.

And just a thought – Dwars van Vlaanderen on 26th March, E£ Harelbeke on the 28th with Gent Wevelgem on the 30th. Results are always interesting and give good guide to form for latter races.

Just be aware that there are very few hotel rooms left in Roubaix over the weekend of P-R this year, and it’d be the 2 weekends before Easter as well.
Ride the public events the day before, then you’ll have an understanding of what the pros go through. RvV is madly oversubscribed and although we’ve done it 3 times, we won’t be going back as its not much fun queueing at the bottom of every hill, P-R is still fairly low key, and good fun.
Last year it was really quite cold out on the route on the Saturday – I just hope it doesn’t rain this year as Arenberg will be appalling in the wet. On the Sunday head down to the velodrome as they have beer, frites, big screen, beer, frites and the finish.

Not done a full week but your plan sounds good. I have been over for Roubaix, Flanders and LBL sportives. Doing Amstel this year. The spring classics are proper hard man cycling. None of your namby pamby smooth roads sunny weather grand tour nonsense in Belgium. Best beer in the world too.

just thought it would be nice and chilled. not to fussed to see the big races, but would be nice to catch a couple of the smaller ones.
and the little lanes meandering all over the place are the kind of thing I like.

beer is a added bonus, not a main reason for going….. 😉

beer is a added bonus, not a main reason for going…..

Their chocolate is superb too. As are the waffles, and the frites and mayo.

If you head up to Oudenaarde you can get maps showing you where loads of the RdV famous climbs are. If you only do one belgian berg though, make it the Koppenberg.

Do it!

booked some places to sleep, Ypres, Oudenaarde and Roeselare, will be there for the Paris/Roubaix weekend, so gonna catch some of that.
also gonna cycle up the Koppenberg, which is near where we are staying.
any more idea’s or tips.

Tony, I’ve got a nice loop from Oudenaarde I can send you the .gpx of?

yes please Rich. thanks mate.

Let us know what you’re doing nearer the time and we might get a STW peleton together.