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:
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*disclaimer from our legal department: unconfirmed but in the works.
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View Comments
@Chris
Not headed to the Classic Cogal, as the Ontario Cogal is all I can muster. I am, like you, headed to a Belgian bar tomorrow. Specifically, the Emporium location. 1/2 off Belgian drafts during happy hr. yummmmm. Then the pain cave the next morn....
Sorry, but I just noticed that Museeuw is misspelled as well.
I will now return to the couch to cry like a little girl.
Those frites look delicious. I can just about smell the duckfat from here.
Focussing on performance rather than looking fantastic MC SpandX has a few words of wisdom. Couldn't find any previous references to this, apologies if it's been posted before.
http://youtu.be/Vn29DvMITu4
@frank
Yeah, that's just fuckin Ace!
I hold the visualisation of this video in my head when I'm hammering up sharp rollers (hills). I'm sure its good for at least another 10 watts or so (if it were that I paid attention to that sort of thing).
@Chris
I knew you were a Londoner. there's another den of inequity called the Rake in Boro' market, run by the same outfit who own Uto beer. stay away from the Rochesfort, it's fiendishly moreish
@j.king
As much as I love my current museum, no, I don't work in one like that. Frankly, that would lead to a bit too much over stimulation going there every day. I mean, having carbone at work every day is not a good thing . . .
@zalamanda
Burp. Just make from lunch. You're spot on when you say the Rochefort is rather moreish. I only had two but I can feel a slight expansion of the senses already. That was only the 8, God knows what the 10 is like!
I only work in London, I live out in the flatlands of Cambridgeshire, on the edge of the Fens. Not a bad place to get used to Flandrian conditions (although you've got to look a bit harder for the ups.) Where abouts are you based?
The picture says everything........until you have been there...you can't even imagine the feeling!