Ardennes Classics Race Tour

Overview

Your Ardennes Classics cycling tour begins at Hotel Maison Maastricht at 11:00 AM, where you'll meet your guides and fellow travelers for the first time before a 15-minute shuttle to the Shimano Experience Center. Over a light lunch and coffee at the center's espresso bar, your guides lead the introductions and walk you through the week ahead, followed by a bike fit and time to explore the facility at your own pace. Then the riding begins. The first spin is all about settling into the saddle, feeling the road beneath your wheels, and getting a sense of the terrain waiting for you — the proper way to loosen the legs ahead of tomorrow's Amstel Gold Gran Fondo. You'll ride into Maastricht and return to Hotel Maison, your base for the next three nights. This evening brings the group together for a relaxed social hour before dinner at a local bistro, the first taste of the regional food, local drinks, and easy conversation that will carry the week.

Overview

Today is your chance to ride one of the most celebrated events on the Spring Classics calendar. After an early breakfast, we'll transfer to the start of the Amstel Gold Challenge in Valkenburg, joining riders from around the world on these storied roads. The course weaves through the rolling Dutch Ardennes, threading narrow farm lanes, constant twists and turns, and a relentless rhythm of short, punchy climbs. You'll take on ascents like the notoriously steep Cauberg lined with cheering fans—along with dozens of other climbs that define the character of this classic race. The villages pulse with supporters, café terraces spill onto the streets, and the energy builds with every ascent. After crossing the finish line, we'll return to the hotel to rest and relive the day's highlights. This evening, we'll gather for dinner, tired legs well outweighed by wide smiles and a well-earned sense of accomplishment.

Overview

After yesterday's big ride, this morning is all about easing into the day. Following a leisurely breakfast, we'll shuttle just beyond the summit of the Cauberg to the finish line of the Amstel Gold Race, arguably the most iconic finish in Dutch cycling. From our VIP viewing area, with food and refreshments in hand, watch both the women's and men's races unfold on the Cauberg circuit. The riders don't just pass once — they return again and again, each lap building tension, speed, and anticipation. From these front-row seats, you'll take in every moment as the race surges up the final climb, sprints to the line, and erupts in celebration. We'll stick around for the podium presentations and the crowning of this year's winners, marking the opening chapter of the Ardennes Classics week. With the roar of the crowd still ringing in your ears, return to Maastricht for an evening on your own. Settle in for dinner with new friends, find a quiet spot for a drink, or simply wander the cobbled streets. Tomorrow we cross into Belgium, where the Ardennes await.

Overview

The time has come to leave the Netherlands behind and ride into the heart of the Belgian Ardennes. The shift is immediate. Smooth Dutch lanes give way to winding Belgian roads, where climbs rise steeper, forests grow thicker, and each turn feels more remote than the last. We’ll ride from hotel to hotel, settling into a steady rhythm as the landscape unfolds around us. Midway through the day, we’ll stop for lunch at Le Vert de Pommier, a favorite mid-ride stop among local pros. Settle in for a relaxed meal featuring fresh, seasonal Ardennes fare before heading back out for the afternoon miles. By late afternoon, we arrive in our next home base of Durbuy, often referred to as the smallest city in the world. With its stone streets and riverside setting, it’s a fitting place to land after a rewarding day in the saddle. Take time to refresh, then dinner is on your own tonight. Your guides will be happy to point you toward the best of what Durbuy has to offer, with plenty of options just steps from the hotel.

Overview

This morning, we shuttle 30 minutes to Huy, home to one of cycling's most race-defining climbs. The Mur de Huy doesn't ease you in. At just under one mile long, it climbs 420 feet and averages nearly 10%, with pitches rising above 17% as you grind toward the chapel at the top. Short, sharp, and relentless, it demands everything you have in the final stretch. Roll onto the climb and you'll notice the painted road beneath your wheels with the names, messages, and memories from races past layered into the asphalt. Afterward, take time to explore Huy and find lunch on your own, in a town where race-day energy is building up fast for tomorrow's La Flèche Wallonne. From there, a steady spin through the Ardennes brings us back to Durbuy, giving the legs room to recover after the morning's effort. For dinner, we'll gather at the hotel restaurant, sharing stories from the day over seasonal, locally sourced dishes.

Overview

Today, we return to the slopes of the Mur de Huy, this time as spectators for La Flèche Wallonne. After a short shuttle to Huy, you'll watch the drama of both the women's and men's races unfold, the peloton passing multiple times before the decisive final ascent. The VIP zone at the summit offers a rare perspective on one of cycling's most intense finishes, made all the more meaningful for having ridden the climb yourself just yesterday. With cocktails and continuous refreshments on hand, watch each passage up the Mur tighten the contest until the final push for victory over the finish line, taking in the energy of the crowd while you watch the world's best riders suffer the same gradient. Tonight, dinner is on your own. Unwind from an action-packed day with a quiet stroll of Durbuy or dinner at one of the hotel's top-rated restaurants.

Overview

Following the excitement of yesterday's La Flèche Wallonne, today shifts to a more measured pace. Start your morning with breakfast at the hotel, fresh coffee and pastries, and time to ease into the day. From there, we head out on one of our guides' favorite local loops, a ride that captures the character of the Ardennes without the race-day pressure, threading quiet roads, forest-lined climbs, and rolling terrain that keeps the legs turning. We'll pause along the way for a relaxed lunch before making our way back toward Durbuy. The afternoon is yours to unwind at the hotel spa, wander Durbuy's stone streets, or simply put your feet up. This evening, we'll shuttle to the nearby team hotel for an exclusive evening with the Lidl-Trek Pro Team. Over a social hour and casual dinner, you'll hear directly from team representatives covering stories from the road, race week perspectives, and a closer look at life inside the pro peloton. After dinner, we return to Durbuy for one last night, with Liège and the final classic waiting in the morning.

Overview

The final chapter of Ardennes Classics week begins with Liège in our sights. After breakfast, we leave Durbuy behind and head north through quiet roads of the Ardennes, now familiar terrain. Along the way, we'll make a stop at the Maison du Cyclisme (House of Cycling), dedicated to the history and legacy of La Doyenne. Take time to move through the stories and moments that have shaped this race before taking on the route yourself tomorrow. From there, we continue to the Hotel Van der Valk Sélys Liège, your base for the next few nights. This evening, we'll gather at the hotel restaurant to talk through the route, the climbs, and the strategy for tomorrow's ride over a quiet meal. Then, it's an early night as the Liège–Bastogne–Liège Challenge awaits.

Overview

First raced in 1892, La Doyenne is the oldest of cycling's five monuments and today, it's yours to ride. After an early breakfast, you'll head to the start of the Liège–Bastogne–Liège Challenge, joining 8,000 riders from around the world. The terrain is deeper than anything the week has offered so far, the effort more sustained, and the story longer. You'll ride into the heart of the Ardennes and back again, linking climbs that have decided this race for generations, including Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons and La Redoute, each steeped in racing history. Between the climbs, forested roads and quiet valleys stretch out, giving the day a rhythm that's immersive yet demanding. After crossing the finish line, a well-earned lunch awaits before we return to the hotel. Dinner is on your own tonight. Celebrate the day with new riding companions in the streets of Liège, or make it an early night as the anticipation builds for tomorrow’s pro race.

Overview

This morning, you'll step into the heart of Liège to witness the start of La Doyenne. With exclusive VIP passes, you’ll enter the official departure village, where you can stroll between team buses, watch the pros warming up, and feel the energy build in the moments before the race begins. From our vantage point along the Quai des Ardennes, a riverside stretch at the center of the start zone, indulge in a light breakfast just steps from the action as the final preparations unfold and the peloton rolls out. Once the race begins, we'll shift from the start-line excitement to a more intimate vantage point. A short walk brings us to a nearby café, a favorite among locals, where the race still stops the room every year. Settle in, follow the action on screen, and soak up the atmosphere alongside fans who have been doing exactly this for decades. This evening, we'll gather at the hotel bistro for a social hour and dinner, raising a glass to a week of racing that few cyclists ever get this close to.

Overview

Your final morning in Liège begins at a relaxed pace. After breakfast, you’ll say farewell to your guides at 10:00 AM at the Sélys Liège Hotel & Spa before checking out and continuing on to your next destination. Please allow adequate connection time for your onward travel.