Spacious Cycling Friendly Four Star Accommodation.
Location
- Belgium
2024 SPRING CLASSICS Best of Belgium Tour Join Ride International Tours on our Best of Belgium 4 Day Tour. Each day we’ve designed rides to explore the Northern region of Belgium and the Nertherlands. The tour format is designed to leave you with time and energy to explore off the bike too. If you are heading onto our Paris Roubaix weekend tour, you’ll be in great form for the Paris Roubaix Challenge/sportif.
Midweek you’ll experience the Semi Classic Scheldeprijs race in the Netherlands. We’ll be there to see all of the excitement of the race finish to marvel at some of the best sprinters in the world. We’ll ride the border region of Belgium and the Netherlands. If you’re after a shorter tour, the Best of Belgium Tour is the perfect tour to do after the Tour Flanders Weekend Tour or lead into the Paris Roubaix weekend tour.
We’ve broken down our 11-day Ultimate Spring Classics Tour into 3 smaller modules so you can mix and match to create your own tour that best suits your needs, we provide the transfers for you and your luggage between the tours.
TOUR | DATES | PRICE:
Best of Belgium 4 Day Tour Tour Dates: 1 – 4 April 2024 Price: AUD$2,950pp twin share Single Supplement: AUD$395 BOOK NOW
2024 Spring Classics Tour
Best of Belgium 4 Day Tour
Our combined experience in Belgium and the Nerthands allows us to put a superb series of rides together through quaint villages, small roads, laneways and see lovely places of interest.
we’ll coach you in the art/technique of riding the roads of Belgium and the Nertherlands, you’re guaranteed to love it, you’ll return home more relaxed on the bike and ready to take on new challenges.
When we’re not at the Scheldeprijs Classic race, or riding through the many towns, villages and cycling locations of the region, the Best of Belgium Spring Classics tour offers a unique cultural immersion tour where we transfer less and ride more.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
WATCH
•Semi Classic Scheldeprijs Race finish, Belgium
VISIT
• Leige, Belgium
• Valkenburg, Netherlands
• Belgium Brewery
RIDE
• 3 Daily Ride Options Available [Short, Medium, Long – Extra’s available each day]
Our Tour
Our Spring Classics Best of Belgium Tour provides the ideal mix of “ride more – transfer less”.
The proximity of our Team Hotel in Limburg Belgium is close to the Netherlands border region, it allows us to cross the borders with ease.
Our Best of Belgium Tour is the ideal way to ride plenty each day, and to sample iconic Spring Classics courses including: The Amstel Gold Race, Leige – Bastogne – Leige, Fleche Wallonne, A Eddy Mercx training route and time to recover off the bike, combined with plenty of time available each afternoon to explore Belgium and the 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. Let us know your passions, interests and things you’d like to see and do, we have plenty of great recommendations for Belgium.
We’ll see different aspects of Belgium, the Netherlands, 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 and the Netherlands is unrivalled, they 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 hotel.
There’s something endearing about riding a bike in Belgium and the Netherlands they are countries practically born and raised on bike 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 and locals 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-cyclists, 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 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
TOUR INCLUSIONS:
inclusions
- Spacious Cycling Friendly Four Star Accommodation.
- Daily breakfasts (Evening Meals, Lunches, Drinks Etc As Per Detailed Itinerary).
- Local guides for cycling and non-cyclists including former Belgium Professional Rider Rudy Rogiers “2nd place finisher – Paris Roubaix”
- Minimum of three guided ride options per day, to suit your preferred distance and amount of climbing
- Pro mechanical support on tour
- Support vehicle to carry daypacks, spare parts, hydration and ride snacks
- Hotels
- All breakfasts
- Welcome and farewell dinner and drink [additional evening meals as per detailed itinerary]
- Separate Spectator Itinerary for Non-cyclists
- Itinerary, including daily ride maps
- Free download of our GPS Ride Routes
- Complimentary return 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
DAY 1
DAY 1 – April 2024 [Date: TBC ]
Pick Up – Genk Train Station: 10am
Our Ride Start: 12pm
Ride Distance: 40km – 90kmClimbing: 200m-650m
5.30pm: Explore walk. 60minutes.
7.30pm: Dinner, meet hotel lobby
About our day: Arrival Day – Welcome to Genk, Belgium
Welcome to Belgium, The Spring Classics and our Best of Belgium 5 Day Tour
This morning we’ll meet you and your luggage at the Brugge Train Station. The Brugge station is very well connected with regular services to all of Belgium’s main train stations, Brussels – Paris and Amsterdam International Airports. From Brugge train station, it’s a very short transfer to our Team Hotel.
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 etc onto your hire bike.
After a quick bite to each for lunch, on the bike, we’ll ride from our Team Hotel on a ride designed by Phil Anderson on some of his old training roads around Brugge. If you’re non cycling after lunch there’s some time to explore the lovely old town area of Brugge
Late in the day we’ll regroup for our “Explore Brugge walk”, 90 minutes duration.
Non-cycling options:
Today, there’s plenty of time to explore Brugge’s lovely old city area.
We have plenty of great recommendations for things to see and places to visit in Brugge. Let us know your personal interests, we’ll suggest plenty of things of interest to you to do and see in Beautiful Brugge.
4.30pm: Discover Brugge walk, including the impressive Markt square. 90minutes.
Our Ride: Welcome Day Ride
Ride Start: 1pm • Distance: 40km • Climbing: 200m
Our welcome ride starts from our Team Hotel, it’s a nice way to get your body moving on the bike after travelling to Belgium. We’ll ride on flatter roads with a mixture of small country roads through quaint villages, ride along canals, bikeways and we’ll include a pave/ cobble skills session enroute.
We’ll take a scenic ride through Brugge’s old center as we head back toward our hotel, it’s a great way to orientate yourself with the old town center, it’s miniature water ways, shops and beautiful buildings.
Après Bike: Discover Brugge
4.30pm: Discover Brugge cultural walk, including the impressive Markt square, miniature waterways, local bike stores, galleries and shops. 90-minute walk.
Suggested Post Ride Rehydration: Belgium is the home of beer, let us know your preferred style and we’ll offer some suggestions, there are so many great options of Belgium beer, many are only available locally.
Dinner:
7.30pm: Informal Social Welcome Dinner, meet hotel lobby (non inclusion). We’ll make a plan for dinner – feel free to join us and meet fellow guests and staff or Let us know your preferred food types, budget and dining style! We’ll point you in the right direction for great local places.
Accommodation:
Historic, family owned and run hotel in Brugge. Walking distance to everything in Old Town.
1 of 4 Nights
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
Pricing
ADVANCED BOOKING DEPOSIT
$750 reserves your spot on the 4 Day Best of Belgium Tour.
*Note, our Spring Classic Tours are new each year, we maximise your experience with race viewing, sportifs, great rides and cultural experiences*
VIP 4 DAY BEST OF BELGIUM TOUR
Monday 1st April – Thursday 4th April 2024
PRICING
AUD$750 – (approximately) USD $480 *Advance Booking Deposit
INDICATIVE TOUR PRICING
AUD $2,950 (approximately) USD $1,890 *Twin Share
AUD $395 (approximately) USD $255 *Single Room Supplement
ROOMS / SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
* Our twin share prices are per person based on two people ie couples, partners, friends sharing one room. If you are traveling 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 with your bike and hire a bike for our 4-Day Spring Classics Tour.
5 DAY ITINERARY
2021 Belgie Training Camp – Spring Classics Tour With Phil Anderson
11
Years of Experience
67
Tours Completed
1,423
Trip Guests
36122km
Cycled on Tour
267
Hotels Visited
2024 Spring Classics Tours
11 DAY
Ultimate Tour of
Flanders & Paris Roubaix
31st March – 10th April, 2024 (TBC)
$975 – $7,650 AUD
4 DAY
Tour of Flanders
Long Weekend
31st March – 3rd April, 2024 (TBC)
$375 – $3,350 AUD
4 DAY
Paris Roubaix Long Weekend
7th April – 10th April, 2024 (TBC)
$395 – $3,395 AUD
OUR GUEST REVIEWS
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 |