Ardennes Classics

HELMETS ARE MANDATORY

ON ALL CAMP RIDES

ARDENNES CLASSICS

Thursday, April 14 to Monday, April 25, 2011

See Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne, & Liège-Bastogne-Liège, plus participate in the Amstel Gold CycloSprotif event, while getting in quality hard-man training on other days.

REGISTRATION

Cost US$2,295.00
includes lodging [double occupancy; single supplement ($795.00) available],
breakfast, and SAG + much more!

What's Included & What's Not Included

Link to Registration.

Itinerary Below.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Entry into the Amstel Gold Amateur Cyclosportif with 6 course lengths from 65 km to the full 250 km of the Pro route
Ride to and access at the following Professional events:
- Amstel Gold
- La Flèche Wallonne
- Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Training in the beautifully scenic Limburg region of the Netherlands
Training on the famed race climbs of the Walloon region of Belgium:
- Côte de la Redoute
- Côte de la Roche aux Faucons
- Côte de Saint-Nicolas
Training on the famed race climb of La Flèche Wallonne, Mur de Huy
In addition to spectating, riding, and site-seeing, this trip includes optional structured training with professional coaching!

PREVIEW

When it comes to bicycle racing, the one-day classics pack the most punch. Pro racers line up with one mission—to be the last man standing when it comes to the finish. Races fans come out in droves to spur these gladiators on as they make there across the country side in formidable environmental conditions. Specifically, the Ardennes classics are notable for their action packed short, steep climbs, relentless attacking, and courses lined with bicycle racing fanatics. The races are held within an 8-day time-frame building to a veritable week-long cycling frenzy.

Amstel Gold, held in the Limburg region of the Netherlands delivers a milieu of successive steep, narrow climbs (31 in all). Dutch fans line the endless string of bergs and jam outdoor beer gardens to cheer as the Pros thunder across treacherously narrow roads. The course ends atop the Cauberg climb, just above Valkenberg, the place to be if you are in the party mood. This course favors climbers, hilly course specialists, and hard-men of the similar variety.

La Flèche Wallonne, a 199.5 km mid-week event starts in Charleroi and heads east to Huy. Here the riders tackle a circuit, which includes the steep Mur de Huy (The Wall of Huy) climb. The Mur boasts several sections steeper than 15%, making the finish at the top after three laps a battle for the strong and the cunning.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège, one of the oldest one-day races in Europe, first took place in 1894. The second half contains most of the infamous climbs, such as the Haute-Levée, La Redoute, and Saint-Nicolas. The successive hills provide ample opportunity for riders in the hunt to attack, always ending in an exciting and tactical finish.

The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and old mountains. The forests are known to have abundant population of wild game. The region, known for its scenic beauty and wide range of outdoor activities, including hunting, cycling, walking and canoeing, make it a popular tourist destination.

Limburg has a highly distinct character. The south of the province is remarkable when compared to the rest of the country, as it is one of the few hill regions of the Netherlands. The highest point in the Netherlands, the Valkenberg, is situated at the Dutch-Belgian-German border.

AIRPORT ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE CITY

Brussels or Maastricht Airport

AVERAGE DAILY MILEAGE AND TERRAIN

We’ll ride and train an average of 40-80 miles daily, over challenging terrain⎯bergs, cobbles, and narrow lanes. The routes are designed that you can do a shorter option or a longer option, and include areas where optional structured training can be employed. Professional coaching is included everyday. For those that want more, this cycling friendly region offers numerous roads to tackle after the set day’s route.

WEATHER

More information about the weather in this area here.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Professional coaching, on-the-road clinics, and ancillary written or electronic training material.
Experienced Rider Leaders and coaches. This is more than a tour; this is training with coaching.
Daily detailed maps, route notes, and GPS files.
Lodging in welcoming hotels.
Cyclist-friendly breakfasts every day. Dinners are paid out-of-pocket for flexibility, but reasonably priced locations will be chosen.
Full van support and snacks and drinks on the ride each day.
Mechanical support.
Transportation and luggage transfers during the tour.

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

Airfare.
Lunches are on your own, so you have maximum flexibility in your day.
Dinners. We'll choose reasonably priced locations for those interested in a group dinner.
Bikes.
Personal services, including laundry, telephone, hotel minibar charges, etc.
Travel insurance.

ITINERARY

Day 1, Thursday, April 14
Arrive and pickup at Brussels or Maastricht Airport. Check-in at hotel in Maastricht. Explore Maastricht via bike or on foot.

Day 2, Friday, April 15
Light warm-up and shakedown ride in the Maastricht region. A mixture of tough climbs and small roads make this serenely, beautiful area special for cyclists. the Netherlands is known for its flat country, where cyclists have all the rights to the road. This part of the "Low Countries" does not live up to its namesake, as it has numerous hills—Maasberg, Adsteeg, Camerig, Gulperberg, Keutenberg and Cauberg to name a few

Day 3, Saturday, April 16
Ride the amateur AMSTEL GOLD AMATEUR CYCLOSPORTIF. Multiple route distances (from 60, 100, 125, 150, 200 , and 250 km Pro route) are available at this well-organized and well-supported event.

Day 4, Sunday, April 17
Ride to and watch AMSTEL GOLD RACE. Enjoy VIP access to the start in Maastricht. Our van equipped with Digital TV allows you to watch the race live as we whisk you to multiple locations, while the gladiators battle it out on the course. For the finale, we’ll bring you back to the finish at the top of the Cauberg to complete the adventure.

Days 5 to 6, Monday/Tuesday, April 18-19
Training on the same roads as the Pros in the Ardennes, plus training on La Flèche Wallonne race course, including the infamous Mur de Huy. On-the-road clinics to include cornering and descending & training and racing nutrition. Keep an eye out for Pros who are reconnoitering the race course! All specific training is optional.

Day 7, Wednesday, April 20
Ride to and watch the women’s and men’s professional LA FLÈCHE WALLONNE. Enjoy VIP access to the race start. Our van equipped with Digital TV allows you to watch the race live as we whisk you to multiple locations. See the Pros start and finish, while between we’ll guide you to some storied and awesome passages along the course—the highspeed passage through Huy, the feedzone, and race deciding hills will be our stops.

Days 8 to 10 Thursday/Friday/Saturday, April 21-23
Training on the same roads as the Pros in the Walloon and Limburg regions, plus training on the Liège-Bastogne-Liège race course, including the infamous Côte de la Redoute, Côte de la Roche aux Falcons, and Côte de Saint-Nicolas. On-the-road clinics to include VO2 Max intervals, on-the-bike Strength intervals, and bike handling. Keep an eye out for Pros who are reconnoitering the race course! All specific training is optional.

Day 11, Sunday, April 24
Ride to and watch LIÈGE-BASTOGNE-LIÈGE. Enjoy VIP access to the race start. Our van equipped with Digital TV allows you to watch the race live as we whisk you to multiple locations. Your knowledge of cycling lore will be gratified by viewing the race at Côte de Saint Roch, Côte de la Roche-en-Ardenne, Côte de la Haute-Levée, Côte de la Redoute, plus a drive past last part of the stage to witness Côte du Sart-Tilman-Tilff and Côte de Saint-Nicolas. For the finale, we’ll bring you to the finish line so you can have the best view of the those vying for the win on the final climb, final right hand turn, and final 200 meter push to the finish line.

Day 12, Monday, April 25
Depart and drop-off at Brussels or Maastricht Airport.

For more information, contact robert@cyclingcampsandiego.com