Spacious Cycling Friendly Four Star Accommodation.
Location
Belgium and France
2024 ULTIMATE SPRING CLASSICS.
Official tour operator of the 2024 Spring Classics
Join Ride International Tours as we experience the best of the Tour of Flanders, Paris Roubaix and experience the highlights of the other famous Spring Classics races and events.
Our 11-Day Ultimate Spring Classics Tour includes both the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix 4 Day Weekend Tours, races and sportifs, as well as our mid-week Best of Belgium and Netherlands tour.
We combine great rides on various Spring Classic courses, with visits to some wonderful towns, villages and take in the stunning vistas of Belgium and the Netherlands. Our midweek includes visiting and riding the other famous Spring Classics courses of: Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Amstel Gold Race, Gent–Wevelgem Flanders Fields, La Flèche Wallonne and experiencing the Elite Women’s and Men’s finish’s at the midweek semi classic race, the “Scheldeprijs”.
We’ll ride the border regions of Belgium, Netherlands, Northern France and visit a moving World War I memorial and experience the “Last Post”, as well as cycling iconic landmarks [to name a few] including Koppenberg, Kwaremont, Muur van Geraardsbergen, Mur Huy, Côte de La Redoute, and the Forrest of Arenberg.
If you’re after a shorter tour, we have broken down our 11-day Ultimate Spring Classics Tour into 3 smaller modules so you can mix and match to best suit your needs, travel dates etc
2024 Ultimate Spring Classics Tour. Join us in Belgium, Netherlands and France.
You’ll spend the famous race days of the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix on a wonderful experience designed in co-operation with former professional riders: Rudy Rogiers & Phil Anderson, we intercept/follow the races in our vehicles. You’ll enjoy Champagne – gourmet picnic lunch’s en route during both classics.
Rudy Rogiers [Belgium] a native to Flanders, and Phil Anderson assisted to co-designed this tour with us, Phil was based in Belgium and France for much of his early pro cycling career.
Our combined experience allows us to plan our days to intercept the races at multiple viewing points en route, including being at the finish of both the Tour of Flanders, and Paris – Roubaix in the velodrome.
We ride two of the world’s best amateur Gran Fondo’s, the Tour of Flanders Sportif and the Paris Roubaix Challenge the day prior to each of the big races. Both sportifs can be achieved by anyone, they are 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 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 Below).
- Paris Roubaix – 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 Paris Roubaix Challenge (Granfondo)
- Local guides for cycling and non-cyclists
- Minimum of three guided ride options per day, to suit your preferred distance and amount of climbing
- Hotels
- All breakfasts
- Welcome and farewell dinner and drink [additional evening meals as per detailed itinerary]
- 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 ride maps
- Free download of our GPS Ride Routes, designed in conjunction with former Pro Riders Rudy Rogiers, and Phil Anderson
- Complimentary return airport – or Train station transfers
- Daily Bike Spa including Bike Wash, Mechanical check and tune, by a Pro Mechanic
- Our Premium Quality Rider Pack includes: Jersey and Custom Scicon Wet/Rain Bag
- Our Premium Quality Spectator Pack includes: Designer Ride International Tours Polo Shirt, Custom Scicon Bag
sample itinerary
11 Day Ultimate Spring Classics: “Itinerary in Brief”
We’re pleased to present to you our 2024 – 11 Day Ultimate Spring Classics sample itinerary.
Below are the initial details for the itinerary, we’ve outlined the basic details to assist understanding the tour, a snapshot of how your daily program on and off the bike will look and feel.
We understand these basic details may raise as many questions – as they do provide answers, yet we’ll layer in additional information to everyone who has placed an advanced booking deposit for the tour. We update guests as details come together from our suppliers and the race/event organisers. After booking your place on the tour, we’ll follow up with your comprehensive, detailed electronic itineraries, and provide your comprehensive – final tour itinerary 14 Days prior to your tour start.
Contact us for the most up to date information, previous itineraries, and current Spring Classics Tour Itineraries in Brief.
Day 0
Day 0 – Pre Tour-Day: Thursday 28th March, 2024.
Today is our suggested arrival day to Belgium. We highly recommend arriving the day prior to your tour start, arriving the day prior helps reduce travel stress, especially in regard to any transport connections you may have enroute, as you’ll have built in some wiggle room should something not go to plan. International travel is not fully back to “normal” yet. The additional time you’ve allowed will also improve your adjustment to any time zone changes you’ve had. Win win.
Should you like an additional night at our Team Hotel contact us, we can add you to our group booking for our Team Hotel. Stay: Flanders region, Belgium [non-inclusion].
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
DAY 6
DAY 7
DAY 8
DAY 9
DAY 10
DAY 11
Pricing
Payment Options
ADVANCED BOOKING DEPOSIT
AUD$750 – (approximately) USD $550 reserves your spot on the 2024 Ultimate Spring Classics Tour.
*Note, our Spring Classic Tours are new each year, we maximise your experience with race viewing, sportifs, great rides and cultural experiences.
11 DAY ULTIMATE TOUR
Friday 29th March – Monday 8th April 2024
TOUR PRICING
Booking Deposit: AUD$750 – (approximately) USD $500-$550
Twin Share Room: AUD $8,450pp (approximately) USD $5,000-$5,550
Single Room Supplement: AUD $990 (approximately) USD $650-$725
ROOMS / SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
* Our twin share prices are per person based on two people ie couples, partners, friends sharing one room. If you are travelling alone, you have the option to have a room to yourself by paying the additional single room supplement.
Bike Hire
Take the hassle out of travelling and hire a bike for our 11 Day Ultimate Spring Classics Tour.
-
Reserve your hire bike
In stock
$250.00 AUD
Our Tour
Our Ultimate Spring Classics Tour provides the ideal mix of “ride more – transfer less”.
The proximity of our Team Hotels in West Flanders, Limburg close to the Netherlands border region and finally Northern France allow us to cross the border areas with ease. Our Ultimate Spring Classics Tour, is the ideal way to ride plenty each day, recover off the bike, combined with plenty of time available to explore our local areas.
You’ll have your fill of riding, optional extra rides are available each day for those that are keen for more. Plus we visit many places of interest including a small local Belgium Brewery, Chocolatiers, Local Artisan Producers, Bike Stores, lovely cafe’s / coffee shops as we indulge in a Spring Classics immersion. Let us know your passions, interests and things you’d like to see and do, we have plenty of great recommendations for Belgium, the Netherlands and Northern France.
We’ll see different aspects of Belgium, the Netherlands and Northern France mixed with a cultural, historic, culinary and beverage experience. April is a beautiful time to visit and ride, there’s plenty of seasonal produce available, along with the bursts of Spring flowers.
The atmosphere, passion and knowledge of the fans in Belgium, the Netherlands and Northern France is unrivalled, the enthusiastic local cycling fans create an electric atmosphere. We’ll show you the smaller roads, ride classic roads, see famous monuments, picture postcard villages, beautiful cities and stay in a lovely hotels
There’s something endearing about riding a bike in Belgium, the Netherlands and Northe France, they are countries practically born and raised on bikes and cycling racing. The terrain is almost purpose-built for cyclists, cycle racing and cycling is still regarded as the nation’s number one sport in Spring.
Our Spring Classics tours are led by our experienced team who’ve been hosting tours to these races and areas for many years, we’ll get you up close and personal with the Pro riders to experience the excitement first hand. We know how to get the best out of your riding, Spring Classics experience, all in a safe, supported, team like environment.
This tour is perfect for passionate cyclists, cycling fans, non-cyclist, non cycling partners or people who’d like to do a bit of riding and race watching. $750 (per person) reserves your spot for the 2024 Ultimate Spring Classics Best of Belgium Tour. Come ride with us, we’re the Spring Classics experts.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Spring Classics in April.
Ciao Pat, Grace Fitzpatrick and the Ride International Team
Meet your hosts for our 2024 Spring Classics Tours
Alpine Expert - Thierry Favre [Swiss]
Chief Fun Officer - Andrew Pike [AUS]
Directeur Sportif - Pat Fitzpatrick [AUS]
TOUR INCLUSIONS:
2024 Spring Classics Tours
4 DAY
Tour of Flanders Long Weekend
31st March – 3rd April, 2024 (TBC)
$375 – $3,350 AUD
5 DAY
Belgie Training Camp
3rd April – 7th April, 2024 (TBC)
$395 – $2,950 AUD
4 DAY
Paris Roubaix Long Weekend
7th April – 10th April, 2024 (TBC)
$395 – $3,395 AUD
OUR GUEST REVIEWS
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
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 10 days of the trip details being published. The (AUD) $750 advance reservation payment will be immediately refunded for any cancellation received within this 10-day period.
Travel Insurance:
As a Ride International Tour participant, it is compulsory to have your own travel insurance. We recommend activating your travel insurance as soon as you’ve placed your booking deposit to ensure you are covered from the outset. Please ensure that your policy includes coverage for:
- Cancellation charges
- Medical expenses in the event of an accident or illness.
- Baggage
- Cycling activities and associated risks
- Cycling equipment
We encourage each participant on our tours to contact your travel agent, and or travel insurance provider directly. Your travel insurance experts are best equipped to provide clarification, recommendations for best providers and or further information on the cover that suits your specific needs.
Final Payments:
The balance of your trip payment is due no later than 150 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:
| 150 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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ABOUT US
We are a passionate family business that prides itself on hosting exceptional cycling vacations since 2007.
Whether it’s your first time cycling abroad, or you’re an experienced rouleur, our team takes care of all the details on and off the bike to create wonderful travel experiences.
