Beer, Frites and Mayonnaise

photo: Sherry Ott

Riding the stones of Paris-Roubaix, in the Spring, in crap weather (it’s possible) and finishing the ride in the velodrome in Roubaix* should be enough enticement for any right thinking cyclists to jump on to this event. It gets better, watching the race in a scrum of drunken-loud-mad-fans, everyone covered in a sheen of beer, frites and mayonnaise. It’s an experience of a lifetime. Do you still need more? Perhaps riding the last fourteen bergs of the Ronde van Vlaanderen, being your very own Boss of the Bosberg and then spectating this race, again the loud-drunk-fans, the sheen, the madness. Fabian Cancellara shall pass by so close he may wink at you as he drops the hammer on Boonen, again. How about a personal ride with the Lion of Flanders, Johan Museeuw? It does not get better than this, I’m sorry but it can’t.

It can’t yet it does, a tour of the Merckx bike factory and the Ronde van Vlaanderen Museum at Oudenarde. That is correct, we are going to museums, all right, a museum and it’s a museum about bike racing. There is much more fun crammed into this nine day holiday than should be allowed, please regard the original post for all the information.

This is the fantasy camp of a lifetime for cyclists. If not for yourself, dear reader, then bestow the holiday gift to end all gifts on your mate. The Velominati are united in a love and appreciation of cycling and the Spring Classics are a distillation of all things Hardman and beautiful.

Not to belabor the awesome factor, here are just a few more items:

Our guides, Pave Cycling Classics, are partnered up with a brewery.
We may not be invited back.
If you are ever going to break your clavicle crashing on your bike, breaking it on the stones of Paris-Roubaix would get you bragging rights for a lifetime.
There is the potential for shaking the hands Johan Museeuw, Eddy Merckx and Freddy Maertens on this trip.
Possibly the only chance to meet Frank and Brett at the same time, over Belgian beer, to argue the finer points of all things Velominati. Worlds are colliding and there are still open slots for this Tour. Spread the word to your fanatic friends.

[banner /]

*disclaimer from our legal department: unconfirmed but in the works.

Gianni

Gianni has left the building.

Next Unforgettable Rides: 1993 Paris-Roubaix »

Previous « Reverence: Velox Fond de Jante Rim Tape

View Comments

Cyclops says:

Dec 19 2011 at 12:05 pm

Why do visions of my suffocating my wife with a pillow and collecting insurance money always dance through my head when I read about this event?
Ron says:

Dec 19 2011 at 12:07 pm

So very tempting...both the Pave Classic & those fries & beer! I haven't had lunch yet. Thanks, Gianni...
Chris says:

Dec 19 2011 at 12:13 pm

Mmm frites! There is something about continental frites that hasn't been matched by any other potato frying peoples of the world.

I think that in the new year, I shall renounce alcohol and cut the calorie intake to an absolute minimum to make sure that I make it up the bergs and over the pavÃ© in the spring.
Chris says:

Dec 19 2011 at 12:16 pm

@Chris

...I shall renounce alcohol...

Obviously, specific, targeted training to ensure that I don't keel over at the merest whiff of ale post ride will be acceptable.
Bill says:

Dec 19 2011 at 12:26 pm

I'm already drinking more wine, since the legs aren't wanting to come back after a forced 8 month hiatus. But I'll keep working on them.

In the meantime, I may just need to make a quick road trip up to Belgium this weekend to build up my Leffe tolerance.

Either that or put a few more hours in the saddle.

Choices, choices...
DerHoggz says:

Dec 19 2011 at 12:27 pm

So cool, wish I wasn't a poor college kid. I'm jelly.

Not to be a pedant, but it is Freddy Maertens. I'm sure you know that and it was only a typo.
Buck Rogers says:

Dec 19 2011 at 12:36 pm

You're F@#k'in KILLING me here! Ahhhhh, not listening, not listening, not listening any more!!!
Souleur says:

Dec 19 2011 at 12:40 pm

i'm with buck on this, this kills

bla bla bla bla...can't hear you

yada yada yada

yes dearie

souleur simply needs more time to rack up brownie points, and stash cash in my matress
minion says:

Dec 19 2011 at 12:53 pm

@Cyclops

Why do visions of my suffocating my wife with a pillow and collecting insurance money always dance through my head when I read about this event?

Because you've spent too much time by yourself riding a bike in the middle of winter? My understanding is most women would do that to you over a pair of shoes, so it could be preemptive selection at work.

BTW is this going to be a semi annual/recurring event? I may need to get married and insured a few times between now and the next one.
Buck Rogers says:

Dec 19 2011 at 1:03 pm

@minion

@Cyclops

Why do visions of my suffocating my wife with a pillow and collecting insurance money always dance through my head when I read about this event?

Because you've spent too much time by yourself riding a bike in the middle of winter? My understanding is most women would do that to you over a pair of shoes, so it could be preemptive selection at work.
BTW is this going to be a semi annual/recurring event? I may need to get married and insured a few times between now and the next one.

Yeah, I mean, someone should have told me about this event 16 years ago so I could have written a pre-nuptial agreement into my wedding contract where I would be allowed to go to this event in the spring of 2012!

On a side note, I never got used to the mayo with frites thing. Mayo still makes me sick in pretty much any form, but esp on frites.

But, in all fairness, I only lived in France for one month and Germany for 7 months so I guess I am not much of a Continental.