Spring Classics

Today is one of the biggest cycling events in Belgium. The Ronde Van Vlaanderen Cyclo (Flanders Citizens Ride) is a hard and increasingly popular race that attracts upwards of 15,000 participants. Today, you are one of them! It’s an early morning with a shuttle to the start in Oudenaarde. You can choose between a distance of 134km and 75km. Both courses test your mettle throughout the rolling countryside of west Flanders on the same roads where the pros will do battle tomorrow. Ride the iconic climbs and cobblestone sections of the race like Eikenberg, Oude Kwaremont, Koppenberg, Valkenberg and Paterberg with the support, encouragement and expertise of your Trek Travel guides. Triumphant and tired, enjoy a well-deserved lunch and visit the Ronde van Vlaanderen interactive museum. We will head back to the comforts of our hotel to shower and relax. Tonight you will have a chance to enjoy the evening at your leisure.

It’s all about race today! Get up close to the action to watch the Pros battle it out and soak up the atmosphere of this historic and festive event as you wait with anticipation for the riders to fly by. This is Belgium, and cycling is not a sport, it’s an obsession! Enjoy Trek Travel VIP viewing right on the course, with catered lunch and drinks. First witness the cyclists in the Elite Women’s Tour of Flanders power over the course before the Elite Men’s peloton charges past. Witness racing history made right in front of you at today’s exciting and dramatic finish. Tonight enjoy your evening in Bruges where you are on your own to explore a quaint restaurant for dinner.

After all the excitement of the past two days, it's time to discover a softer side of Belgium. We start this morning spinning our wheels along the canal and through enchanting Belgian villages en route toward the town of Diksmuide. On our way we will stop to explore the World War 1 heritage site of De IJzertoren followed by a hearty lunch of local specialties and beer from a local brewery. After, we will make our way back to Bruges. Tonight we will toast to a great Tour of Flanders together and possibly visit the team hotel, meet team representatives and get a tour of the team bus.

This morning we will cycle around Bruges and its surroundings, tracing some of the canals that have made the city famous. This afternoon, take the time to explore this unique city. Considered the Venice of the North, Bruges boasts a wide variety of museums, chocolate shops, and pubs. Or you can take a boat ride along the many waterways to see the city from a difference perspective. Tonight, enjoy dinner of your choice in one of the local bistros.

The Grote Scheldeprijs is Flanders oldest classic, first run in 1908. The event is a race for sprinters held on 200 km of flat roads around Antwerp and includes seven cobbled sections. After an incredible race viewing, we will drive to Deinze to visit the Trek-Segafredo Service Course. During our private tour, you will have a chance to see what happens behind the scenes of the Trek-Segafredo team only days before one of its biggest races. Then it's time to move to Kortrijk, a town closer to the French border and your home for second half of the trip. Tonight is yours to explore Kortrijk for dinner.

Today you will ride the historic Gent-Wevelgem race course. You'll surely recognize the names of some of today's climbs, including Kemmelberg or Cassellberg. Take this opportunity to test yourself on the cobbles before the Paris-Roubaix challenge on Saturday. We'll also discover the town of Ypres and its many memorials dedicated to World War I, cross the French border to get some more miles and enjoy a well-earned post-ride beer. Tonight we toast and enjoy a fantastic meal together in a local restaurant.

Prepare yourself for race-lover’s nirvana as you head out on your Trek bicycle today as we'll be doing a little warm-up before tomorrow. Enjoy a ride in Flemish countryside and feel free to stop for a coffee or beer along the way. In the afternoon you may decide to hit the brand new Wellness Avenue Spa for a massage or relax in the pool. Check in with your guide to discuss final adjustments and fine tuning for your bike to ensure you're completely ready for tomorrow’s epic event. We'll have special tire setups specifically for cobbles riding as well as extra bar tape for additional padding. Dine in the restaurant of your choice before heading to bed early in anticipation of an incredible (albeit early) day tomorrow.

Welcome to the “Hell of the North”. It’s an early start with a morning shuttle to the start of the Roubaix Challenge. Test your mettle on the full (or partial) Paris-Roubaix race course over which the Pros will battle for supremacy tomorrow. You’ll have the chance to experience for yourself the iconic cobblestone sections of the race with the support, encouragement and expertise of your Trek Travel guides on amazing Trek bikes - the perfect way to enjoy a ride on one of the oldest and most grueling races on the professional cycling calendar! Traverse legendary sectors such as the infamous Arenberg Forest and Carrefore de l’Arbre. Later you’ll enjoy a well-deserved lunch near the finish of the ride before heading back to the comforts of our Kortrijk hotel. Shower and relax before sharing race stories and insights tonight during dinner together at another handpicked Belgian bistro.

Today is Roubaix day, and don't be surprised if you feel the same butterflies as the pros as we prepare for an exciting day of spectating. An early departure will allow you to choose your own vantage point along the course and feel the electric atmosphere of the crowds as you await the first glimpses of the leaders. You’ll have a chance to see some racers flying by before heading to the famed Roubaix Vélodrome to watch the explosive finish from your VIP seats! Tonight, toast to the great riding, new friends, big achievement and unforgettable race experience of your Spring Classics adventure!

Feel free to sleep in and ease into your day with a warm pain au chocolat and café au lait. You will say farewell to your guides at 10:00 AM at Park Hotel before taking the train from Kortrijk to your final destination. Please allow adequate connection time for a flight or train to accommodate possible traffic delays.