Ardennes Classics

HELMETS ARE MANDATORY

ON ALL CAMP RIDES

ARDENNES CLASSICS

Thursday, April 12 to Monday, April 23, 2012

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

REGISTRATION

Cost US$3,195.00
includes lodging [double occupancy; single supplement ($495.00) available],
breakfast, and SAG + much more!

What's Included & What's Not Included

Link to Registration.

Itinerary Below.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

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 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 GPS files.
Lodging in welcoming hotel.
Cyclist-friendly breakfasts every day. Dinners are paid out-of-pocket for flexibility, but reasonably priced locations will be chosen.
Full van support on some days, and snacks and drinks on the ride each day.
Light 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 12
Arrive and pickup at Brussels Airport. Check-in at hotel in Tongeren, Flanders, Belgium. Explore Tongeren via bike or on foot.

Day 2, Friday, April 13
Light warm-up and shakedown ride in the eastern Flanders and Maastricht regions. 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 14
Ride parts of the Amstel Gold course. Multiple route distances are available in the Limburg region.

Day 4, Sunday, April 15
Ride to and/or van transfer to watch AMSTEL GOLD RACE. Watch the race live as we move setup camp on the Gulpenberg. See the races comes through multiple times. Slip into the bar each time they pass to continue to watch the gladiators battle it out on the course. For the finale, enjoy the local ambience as the fans pack the bar to scream for their favorites.

Day 5, Monday, April 16
Transfer to La Roche en Ardenne via van or bicycle. Start training on the same roads as the Pros in the Ardennes, plus training on the Liège course. 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 6, Tuesday, April 17
We'll participate in a local club sportif, which tackles most of the La Flèche Wallonne race course, including the infamous Mur de Huy.

Day 7, Wednesday, April 18
Ride to and/or van transfer to watch the women’s and men’s professional LA FLÈCHE WALLONNE. See the Pros tackle the Muur three times, while enjoying the festival atmosphere at the top of the climb.

Days 8 to 9, Thursday to Friday, April 19-20
Training on the same roads as the Pros 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.

Days 10, Saturday, April 21
Ride to and/or van transfer to Liège to enjoy this lovely city which sits among two worlds: Flemish and Waloon. Ride the Liège-Bastogne-Liège race course to the hotel.

Day 12, Sunday, April 22
Watch the start of LIÈGE-BASTOGNE-LIÈGE. We''l then head over to the first decisive climb of the race: Col de Stockeu. This narrow steep path, which the Pros tackle, provides the opportunity to get within inches of the races as they battle for position. stand back as the team cars come whipping through the tight knit crowd.

Day 12, Monday, April 23
Depart and drop-off at Brussels Airport.

For more information, contact robert@ccsd.com