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  • belgium
    Belgium and France

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We are looking forward to riding with you at the 2023 Spring Classics next year, see you then!

Official tour operator of the 2022 Spring Classics

Join Ride International Tours and Australian Cycling Legend Phil Anderson for a VIP experience of the 2022 Spring Classics, including the Tour of Flanders and Amstel Gold races.

Our 11-Day Ultimate Spring Classics Tour, includes both the Tour of Flanders and Amstel Gold Race 4 Day Weekend Tours, races and sportifs, as well as our Best of Belgium week, which includes attending the midweek world tour race the Scheldeprijs.

We’ll ride the border regions of Belgium, Netherlands and visit World War II memorials as well as cycling iconic landmarks including the Koppenberg, Kwaremont, Muur van Geraardsbergen and the famous bergs of the Dutch Limburg region including the Valkenburg.

If you’re after a shorter tour, we have broken down our 11-day Ultimate Spring Classics Tour into smaller modules so you can mix and match to best suits your needs and travel dates.

Phil Anderson Signature Tour2022 Spring Classics Tour With Phil Anderson

Join us in Belgium, and the Netherlands.

You’ll spend the famous race days of the Tour of Flanders and Amstel Gold Race on a VIP experience as we follow the races in our vehicles. Champagne – gourmet picnic lunch’s included enroute during both classics.

Phil Anderson was based in Belgium for much of his early pro cycling career, he was passionate about doing well in these early season Spring Classics races, including winning the Amstel Gold Race, 2nd at the Tour of Flanders and many podium places in the one-day monument races.

Our experience in these regions allows us to see the races at multiple viewing points en route.

We also participate in two of the worlds best amateur Gran Fondo’s, the Tour of Flanders Sportif and the Amstel Gold race sportif the day prior to each of the big professional races. Both sportifs can be achieved by anyone and will likely be the best single days you are ever likely to spend on a bike. There’s a distance to suit everyone and we’ll coach you in the art/technique of riding these famous courses, you’re guaranteed to love it.

When we’re not at the races or riding the sportifs, we offer a unique cultural immersion tour where we ride more – transfer less and visit many towns, villages and iconic cycling locations of the Spring Classics.

inclusions

  • Spacious Cycling Friendly Four Star Accommodation.
  • Daily breakfasts (Evening Meals, Lunches, Drinks Etc As Per Detailed Itinerary).
  • Tour of Flanders – Race Day, European-Style Gourmet Picnic Lunch including local / international foods, French bubbly, Belgium beer, Wine, Cool Drinks
  • Amstel Gold Race Day, European-Style Gourmet Picnic Lunch including local / international foods, French bubbly, Belgium beer, Wine, Cool Drinks
  • Complimentary entry into the Tour of Flanders Sportif – and Amstel Gold Race (Granfondo’s)
  • Local guides for cycling and non-cyclists including former Australian Pro Rider Phil Anderson
  • Minimum of three guided ride options per day, to suit your preferred distance and amount of climbing
  • Pro mechanical support on tour
  • Support vehicle each day to carry daypacks, spare parts, hydration and ride snacks
  • Separate Spectator Itinerary for Non-cyclists
  • Itinerary, including daily electronic ride maps
  • Free download of our GPS Ride Routes
  • Complimentary return airport – or Train station transfers
  • Daily Bike Spa including Bike Wash, Mechanical check and tune, by a Pro Mechanic
  • Cyclists Receive Our Premium Quality European Rider Pack including: Jersey, Knicks, Cycling Cap and Musette Bag
  • Non-Cyclists Receive a Spectator Pack including Designer Ride International Tours Polo Shirt, Cap and Musette Bag
The Spring Classics Tour in Europe
11 Day Ultimate Tour of Flanders & Paris Roubaix
Spring Classic 11 Day

itinerary

ARRIVAL DAY + RIDE – 1st April 2022

Pick up time: 9am Brussels Airport – or 11am: Local Train Station

Arrival Day Ride Distance: 45km  Climbing: 200m

Dinner: 7.30pm Welcome Dinner

Accommodation: Flanders

More About Our Day:

Welcome to the Belgium, The Spring Classics and The Tour of Flanders.

This morning is welcome day, we’ll meet you at the location of your choice: 9am Brussels Airport – or 11am: at our local Train Station.

Alternatively, we always highly recommend arriving at least one day prior to a tour start, it’ll alleviate travel stress, you’ll recover from your travel better and it’ll build in some wiggle room in the event your travel and connections don’t flow as smoothly as you’d like.

Once at our Team Hotel, we’ll assist you to build up your bike, or do the final fitting, put your pedals onto your hire bike etc.

After a quick bite to each for lunch, we’ll ride from our hotel to the Tour of Flanders event area to collect our registrations for the following day.

Non-cycling options:

Discover our local town, it’s a lovely place with plenty of heritage.

1pm: Join the group as we head across to the Tour of Flanders event area, here you can explore the beautiful town, it’s vast town square shops and visit the Tour of Flanders Museum, boutique, cycling restaurant and bar.

Late in the day return to our hotel and prepare for our Spring Classics Welcome Dinner.

Our Ride:

Ride Start: 1pm • Distance: 45km • Climbing: 200m

Welcome Day, warm-up ride to get the legs and body moving, we include a pave riding skills session en route from our Team Hotel to the Tour of Flanders Sportif event area. We’ll collect our entry packs, then visit the Tour of Flanders Cycling Museum.

Late in the day we return to our hotel to prepare for tonights welcome dinner and the following morning’s Tour of Flanders Sportif.

Après Bike:

Suggested Post Ride rehydration: Hops helps recovery, Belgium is the spiritual home of beer, be sure to enjoy a lesser know local Pils beer, they are light and freshing, you may want to leave the more famed, stronger Belgium beers for another night.

Dinner: 

Meet in the Hotel Lobby, tonight is our Tour of Flanders welcome dinner

 Accommodation:

Our Four Star Team Hotel in Flanders, Belgium 1 of 3 Nights

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Pricing

advanced booking deposit

$750AUD (approximately USD$550) reserves your spot on the 2022 Ultimate Spring Classics Tour.

*Note, our Spring Classic Tours are new each year to accommodate for changes to race routes, programs etc, we maximise your experience with race viewing, sportifs, great rides and wonderful cultural experiences.

11 day tour

Dates: 1st April – 11th April, 2022
Tour Price Twin Share: $7,550 AUD/pp* (approximately USD$5,500)
Single Room Supplement: $975 AUD (approximately USD$725)

ROOMS / SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

* Our twin share prices are per person based on two people sharing one room. If you are travelling alone, you’ll have a room to yourself by paying the additional single room supplement.

Spring Classic 11 day banner

YOUR HOSTS

Guide Phil

phil anderson

You’ll spend the famous race days of the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix on a VIP experience with Phil Anderson as we follow the races in our vehicles. Champagne – gourmet picnic lunch’s included enroute during both classics. Phil was based in Belgium for much of his early pro cycling career, he was passionate about doing well in these early season Spring Classics races, including winning the Amstel Gold Race, 2nd at the Tour of Flanders and many podium places in the one-day monument races. Our experience allows us to see the races at multiple viewing points en route, including being at the finish of the Paris – Roubaix in the velodrome.
Pat Fitzpratrick

PAT FITZPATRICK

Director of Ride International Tours – With a keen passion for improving riders fitness and technique in Road biking, MTB, Gravel and Cx riding. Originally Pat hails from Adelaide, South Australia, but resides half the year in Brunswick, Melbourne Australia – The balance of the year is spent in Europe hosting tours, while in Europe he's based out of lovely small medieval Spanish village, Solsona near the Pyrenees mountains. When not on tour, Dadding is the priority - doing the bins, clothes washing, dishes and cleaning up after our very energetic young twin daughters. Riding and racing from when I could walk, racing since the age of 7. BMX, Motorcross, Mountainbike XC, Downhill, 4cross, Road and criterium racing. Coaching and improving riders in their fitness and technique since 1997

OUR GUEST REVIEWS

Star rate
“Both Pat and Grace have excellent people skills, they build relationships quickly, they were always well organised with itineraries or plans for the day re weather, road changes, or unexpected issues that arose. Hard work from them made our tour of two weeks a dream holiday along with all the extra drama of the biggest cycling race in the world.”

- J. & I. Aplin . Napier, New Zealand

Star rate
“Thanks very much for a highly enjoyable and excellently run tour. You and your team certainly exceeded my expectations, not only with the rides but local knowledge which helped make life simple.”

- Daren A . QLD, Australia

Star rate
“It is the small things that you guys do behind the scenes that makes all the difference. It was an amazing experience to ride in Italy and experience the Giro first hand. Thanks again and looking forward to the next tour.”

- Stephen P . QLD, Australia

Star rate
“I first met Pat and Grace on a cycling tour in Europe in 2013. Pat and Grace make the perfect team to run these types of tours, both are friendly, bubbly and outgoing in their personalities and each bring their own invaluable skills to touring with a group.”

- A. Saunders . Victoria, Australia

Star rate
“Wow, two of the greatest tour guides I know. Knowledgeable, multilingual, always helpful, a great team to handle your once in a life time tour. I’ve done at least 4 two-week cycle tours with one or both of this husband wife team. Every one has been extraordinary. You will not go wrong with one of these two as your tour coordinators.”

- Tommy. E . USA

Advance Bookings:

We open up our Advance Reservations for trips so you can book well ahead. Guarantee your position by booking up to 12 months prior.

If you’d like to organise and book your trip more than 12 months prior, contact us via email or phone, we’ll arrange everything so you can make an advanced early booking.

An advance booking, accompanied by a fully refundable $750 AUD (Australian Dollar) ensures priority booking status when the trip details are announced. Note, an advance booking is not considered final until payment is received.

Once specific trip itinerary details are finalized, we’ll contact everyone on the advance reservation list via email, we’ll include the itinerary and offer a priority booking position before opening up bookings to the wider community.

If a trip fills – as it often does in the advance bookings, we create a waiting list and then offer reservations on a first-come, first-serve basis (based on the date the advance reservation was made) once our advanced booking guest have finalised.

To cancel an advance reservation a cancellation request must be submitted in writing/ via email within 14 days of the trip details being published. The (AUD) $750 advance reservation payment will be immediately refunded for any cancellation received within this 14-day period.

Payments

We offer increased payment flexibility – Book your cycling escape with confidence.
Payments from June 2020 onward are 100% refundable, should you need to alter your travel plans due to unforeseen Covid19 issues

Final Payments:

The balance of your trip payment is due no later than 120 days prior to your trip departure date, we will forward via email your final payment invoice. You can choose to make full payment earlier if you prefer to finalise your trip payment early, contact us and we will arrange for an invoice to be sent.

What if I have to transfer, change or cancel my trip:
We understand you may not be able to go on your trip, cancel, change or transfer due to personal or medical reasons. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to transfer to another trip that has places available. If you have a question give us a call or email.

Due to the high demand, limited hotel availability and the advance payments expected by our hotels and restaurants we use, the following cancellation conditions apply to all of our trips.

AFTER BOOKING, IF YOU CANCEL:

120 – 91 days prior to departure 50% cancellation fee of the trip price
90 – 61 days prior to departure 75% cancellation fee of the trip price
60 days and less prior to departure 100% cancellation fee of the trip price
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