Velominati Keepers Tour: Cobbled Classics 2012
The Hardmen. They inspire us; we aspire to be one among them. They drive us to be better cyclists. They are the solitary voice among the thousands in our heads that tell us to keep pushing when all the others tell us to stop. Their long shadows look on in approval as we pull on our cold and wet weather gear and head out into the elements to ride.
Every Professional Cyclist is a hard man or woman; it comes with the territory. But to be given the title of Hardman, one must be more than just tough. Grand Tour champions are not given this title, nor are the winners of World Titles or King of the Mountains competitions. The Hardmen stand out among the rest as the ones who ride over the savage, jagged cobblestones of Northern Europe with a supplesse that is possessed only by those riders who thrive in the most torturous of road cycling’s domains: The Cobbled Classics of Northern Europe.
Velominati has partnered up with Pavé Cycling Classics, based in Northern France, to offer the Velominati a chance to walk where Giants tread and pedal through the trench of Arenberg and up the devastating steeps of the Kapelmuur. To pedal with the Pros during their reconnaissance of the Paris-Roubaix route. To visit the Merckx factory, and to spend an afternoon riding with Johan Museeuw, the last Lion of Flanders.
We have arranged for 9 days of Cycling in Glorious Hell, hosted by the Founding Keepers, Frank and Brett, and organized by Pavé Cycling Classics. We will be staying in a Bed & Breakfast Cottage in Gent, and all services are included in the package. *Hangovers and massages for your aching guns and back sold separately.
Alex and William at Pavé Cycling Classics really know the Classics, and have put together an itinerary befitting a Velominatus, including rides on the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Roubaix routes, as well as visits to the Prophet’s factory, and a ride with Johan Museeuw (pending confirmation of scheduling confirmed). It’s the trip of a lifetime for anyone who has ever dreamt about Springtime on the stones.
Here is the Preliminary Itinerary:
- Friday March 30th: arrival in Lille – lunch & introductions at the cottage in Gent.
- Saturday March 31th: Ride Paris-Roubaix course (at least 180km from St Quentin to Roubaix, full ride available to those who dare) – Visit of the Roubaix Vélodromes (both old and new).
- Sunday April 1st: Rest or short ride around the cottage in the Flanders area (morning) – Watch the Tour of Flanders in Oude Kwaremont and/or Paterberg.
- Monday April 2nd: Visit to Eddy Merckx factory to pay our respects to The Prophet, followed by a Brussells downtown visit (more detail to come).
- Tuesday April 3rd: Short ride around the cottage – visit to bicycle museum in Beveren (Roeselare) – 2 hours practice with a coach on the Eddy Merckx Velodrome in Gent (track bikes provided).
- Wednesday April 4th: Follow the Grand Prix de l’Escaut Pro Race (http://www.scheldeprijs.be/nl)
- Thursday April 5th: Ride with the Pros on their Paris Roubaix recon around Arenberg. Visit to the Brunehaut brewery in Belgium (where our Malteni beer is produced). Tour of downtown Lille.
- Friday April 6th: Ride Tour of Flanders course (150 and 200km routes available, full ride available to those who dare). Visit the Tour of Flanders museum in Oudenaarde.
- Saturday April 7th: Cyclo Fléche Brabançonne (http://www.flandersclassics.be/nl/cyclo/brabantse-pijl) or ride in Flanders area.
- Sunday April 8th: Follow the Paris-Roubaix race (taking in cobbled sectors around Valenciennes + Arenberg + L’Arbre). Depart.
All participants will be greeted with a Velominati Musette stuffed with a commemorative V-Pint and V-Shirt. Given the abundance of Belgian beer, the V-Pint will be well used. We will also have a Velominati Flag to wave at the races. As a final note, a Cogal welcoming all riders will also be arranged, details pending finalization of the itinerary.
Everything is included in this 9 days/9 nights package. Food, drinks, support car with spare wheels, visits, Gent velodrome ride, Cyfac bicycle for the rides (limited sizes and quantities available), energy food, and insurance. The only thing you have left to do is find your way to Lille. All-inclusive price for this trip of a lifetime is 2250€.
There is very limited availability for this program; reserve your seat at the table by signing up below. Priority is given in a first-come, first-served basis. Email [email protected] to register; serious enquiries only, please.
Wow. That is one seriously cool trip. I am jealous of everyone who attends.
I love the picture. Will it be available as VVallpaper? BTW: trip is nice and should be a lot of fun.
Sounds like an awesome trip, although €2250 is not really Velominatus Budgetatus terrritory.
I’m planning a trip over from England to watch the races myself, and it would be great to be able to hook up with those on the official tour if it’s possible.
Great trip but even asking to spend two grand on a holiday for myself would get me in so much trouble. In fact I would get demerit points just for thinking about it.
If there’s a chance to come over and maybe do the Friday ride and stay for the final weekend that might be an option.
Holy shitballs!
Somewhere in the world, a man is preparing to ask for the Mother of all leave passes…
BTW, this was an itinerary that my club was planning. The Ronde van Vlaanderen sportive is on Sat Mar 31, the day before the race.
If any other UK/Euro Velominati are up for this then I could probably do it. I’m not sure of the geography but the possibility of meeting up would appear to be for watching the RdV.
Friday, March 30
Eurostar to Brussels (£80 return) – bookings open in early December, I’m aiming for the 7:34 departure
Local train to Bruges (1hr) – cost included in Eurostar ticket
Check in to B&B and pickup starter pack
Saturday, March 31
7am sportive start – finish in Oudenaarde
Train back to Bruges from Oudenaarde (1hr)
Sunday, April 1
Watch sign-on and official start of the pros in Bruges
Sample many Belgian beers and watch race in local drinking establishment(s)
Monday, April 2
Local train to Brussels (1hr) – cost included in Eurostar ticket
Eurostar to St Pancras – aiming for 12:29 departure
Booooooooooo. I could swing this, I reckon, as the price is okay, and the timing is almost exactly our school’s spring break, apart from us finishing on the Friday.
BUT the VMH has already flagged that week to travel to Australia for her Masters’ grad ceremony. Can’t begrudge her, either.
Effing great trip. Looks great.
That looks awesome although the price and duration are beyond me at present. Is there any room in the scheme for people to drop in join in for a ride?
@ChrisO Your trip to the Ronde also looks pretty enticing. Unfortunately, I’ve got cycling scheduled for the weekend before and while Mrs Chris is generally quite supportive, consecutive weekends away would be pushing it.
There had also been mention by someone on here of the Liege Bastogne Liege sportive/race weekend which is later on in April. If there are any Velominati who fancy Belgium in the spring but can’t commit to a full nine days, that might be a possibility.
As much as it would be the trip of a lifetime, this life wouldn’t be worth living if I went alone.
Already jealous of the lucky bastards who make it over there. Perhaps if it becomes an annual type of thing there will be another opportunity in the future for those of us who unfortunately don’t make it this time ’round. Enjoy
unfortunately cash flow is a real problem atm, so there is no way, also i’m trying to beggar a slightly beaten up cervelo s3 off one of my club mates atm. but if you let me know where you’re watching the Ronde then i’ve been hampering for an epic trip across the channel to the sacred cobbles, i’m with @il ciclista medio on at least making it a annual or every coupla years event, cos i will absolutley be saving right this second for that
oh and i would definitely be there for a Cogal if that is allowed
I’m wrecked cause I know I can’t make it. But wow, any one who does make have a damn good time for the rest of us.
This is a great deal, in my opinion. All lodging, food, rides, possibly riding with the Lion of Flanders, etc included.
Man, if this becomes an annual thing, or a semi-annual, I’ll be in for the next one.
I just know that the VMH would NOT be down with me taking this trip when we are trying to set up a two week trip to Northern France for the late June time frame for the whole family that is costing a small fortune!
So unbelievably jealous of those going, though. Truly the trip of a lifetime!
Also just double checked the dates. I’m going to be in Honduras on a medical mission throguh the 31st of March.
Doubly out of this one.
Guess I’m with ChrisO in that I do not even need to mention this one and possibly invoke the wrath of the VMH for even dreaming of it this year! :)
It’s a good thing I just bought that 9mm because I’ll have to off the missus and collect insurance money to make it. Seriously though, that is one unbelievably cool deal. The Keepers have truly outdone themselves. Thanks Frank (and Brett).
I think I posted this in the first Cogal write up but don’t remember any responses.
Any Velominati have recommendations on travel bike cases? If I can swing this trip, it would be a shame not to ride my Roubaix on Paris-Roubaix.
Not to sidetrack the infinite awesomeness of this thing but I’ve always thought a “fantasy training camp” type deal would go over big time. Maybe the Keepers could use their connections (or maybe I’ll talk to my good buddy Max Testa) to get the Velominati in on a training ride with a U.S. based ProTour team like BMC or something.
@itburns
I’ve got a soft one like this. I’ve only used it a couple of times but it seemed to work fine and held up to the baggage handlers although I did put a foam style gym mat around the bike to give it a bit of extra protection. The only things you need to unbolt are the handlebars, rear derailleur and take the QRs out of the wheels.
The slots allow you to pop the whole lot onto a boot mounted bike rack without getting the bike out or just strap the whole lot to the roof although I wouldn’t recommend that for long journeys at high speed and your rental car co might not approve (The lad who we handed the car back to in Spain thought it was cool but he was a mountain biker/surfer. I can imagine there are probably many more jobsworths out there who’d get very worked up at the idea).
If I was travelling with my bike more than a couple of times each year, I would splash out on a rigid case but the down side to that type is that you can’t stuff much other stuff in as all the spare space is taken up with padding. I’d also always carry my helmet with me, experience has taught me that they’re the most delicate thing in a bike bag!
@itburns
I use this one and have had absolutely ZERO damage. Highly recommended.
http://www.excelsports.com/main.asp?page=8&description=Ironcase+Lockable+Bike+Case&vendorCode=TRICO&major=9&minor=1
@all
There will be a Cogal open to everyone, details coming pending confirmation of the schedule. And, of course, we’ll also let everyone know where on the routes we’ll be.
Wow! I’m going to to pretend I didn’t even see this. I can’t make it, can’t pay for it.
Well, maybe next year. This gives me motivation to finish my degree, get a job, get some loot!
@ChrisO
We looked at including the sportives, but the conclusion was that it’s better to flip-flop the weekends and ride Roubaix before Flanders and Flanders before Roubaix in an effort to avoid the massive crowds and queues that form during those events.
Looks like a great weekend, though!
The ultimate Cogal. Looks exciting, sure wish I could do it. Looking forward to seeing pics and video. Bon voyage!
Excuse me, I think I have just come….
WOW! Seriously, this is awesome. Everyone who goes will have a freakin’ blast. A support car would make any long ride feel PRO, that’s for sure.
Frank, Brett, and the other Keepers; y’all have really outdone yourselves this time.
And regarding the V-Flag: you should make it available in the Gear page for general purpose. I would love to hang one in the room where I suffer on my trainer for extra inspiration, and I bet lots of folks would take them to cyclocross races and the like.
er, that should be “general purpose purchasing”.
I need more cowbell.
The alternative cobbled classic could be held in Milwaukee next spring. Weather should be crap, Old World 3rd Street still has some fearsome cobbles and many of the other
city streets are total shite too.
Jealous as hell and wishing I could be there for the experience of a lifetime.
So an epic trip, requiring extreme personal sacrifice on the turbo throughout Jan / Feb….sick.
I could potentially join for one of the rides if it’s an option? Flanders by preference.
That’s nay ordinary Tour! Frank and Brett have cooked up an unbelievable week of fun and exhaustion. Riding around the courses, watching both races, touring the Merckx factory, face time with Eddy, Museeuw, Eddy Maertens, track riding, drinking Belgian beer in Belgium. Damn. You have flown too close to the sun.
1) I’m not man enough, I’d have to snort a line of Viagra every morning.
2) Do these B&B cottage owners know what they are in for?
3) This is a cycling trip of a lifetime in 9 days. Chapeau Brett and Frank
@Cyclops
Plenty of cows where you live, yeah? Just hop a fence and steal one!
okay, had my afterwards cigarette, now – I am doing Mallorca from 17-21st April, and late June for a week in France, so can only come for the first weekend if invited/ possible – might just do the P-R cobbles route, and after attending A+E, join you for some post ride Belgian quaffery, and enjoy the RVV the next day, but would have to go homeski monday mornin
I’ll email you
My VMH is expecting little one number 3 at the end of March and so will be massively pregnant at that time. As such, as much as i would love to, I will have to wait for next year …
Wow! Let me say that again, Wow! Outstanding effort by the Keepers.
I’ll mark my calendar to ride through pot holes (or snow banks), drink Belgian Beer, and dream of being part of this.
@Mikel Pearce
So you’re saying that you’d only need to spring for one ticket as she’s obviously not going. Cool!
@Cyclops
“I’ve got a Feeeva'”
WOW. Trip of a lifetime. One day I’ll do something like this.
Speaking of hard men, Velonews is running a Hard Man photo contest. Would expect a few Velominati have entered their own photos but for the rest, you can vote on the final eight here. http://bit.ly/swlv58
Trip looks like a blast. Have witnessed the E3 race twice and ridden the cobbles. It’s the trip of a lifetime and worthy of the Velominati here. Rule #9 in effect!
Spot fuckin on! Y’all have a great trip, and we expect a full report on your return. I’d go, but upon my return, I’d have to be living at Franks house.
@itburns
A coworker just went began his 3 month stint in Spain and used the AirCaddy. He said it would have worked AWESOME if TSA didn’t decide to open it up, remove all the padding, then box it back up sans padding. He said no major damage occurred, just some scratching. As his was a MTB, that isn’t considered major. If that happened to my carbon Prophet, I’d be super pissed.
Wow, this trip looks seriously awesome for those that attend. I’d have to sell my first born to get there though.
Like rest of us non-attendees, I’m hoping for a full report, plenty of pics and a video or two of the rides. ;-)
@draffenator
I haven’t voted yet, but some of the initial pics up for consideration were a tad lame.
Awesome, just awesome.
how about the belgian velominati that live in a radius of +-50km of both the velodrome the roubaix and the muur , is there possibility to just join the ride and meet velominatii for a beer afterwards ?
sounds a bit to testoed for me. this or follow andy hampsten around italy? hmmm … is he a hardman?
@Tartan1749
tsa will always poke around not put things back right. that’s their mo. make it easy for them to see everything. use clear bubble pack. very hesitant to risk anything expensive that could not take a beating. i use pika + soloist. no pbs. plus the thing looks like you are packing a massage table so airline doesn’t charge for bike. just say sports equipment.
@Belgian Cobblestones
Oh hell yes! Local Brethren are always welcome for riding and beers, that is the very nature of Cogal. And L B know where the good bars are, most important information.
Very. Very. Tempting.
@Belgian Cobblestones
@Gianni
Yes, a cogal is for everyone to join in. The Keepers Tour though, where we have guides and support and extras, is a paid gig. We will look to have a cogal during the week, and also are negotiating some weekend packages to accommodate Velominati who can only make either weekend. Stay tuned.
@all
Thanks for the enthusiasm and ideas, everyone. To @brett’s point, we’ll definitely explore options for allowing people to join us for portions of the Tour and for joining the events and guided rides with your own accommodations. Space being limited, priority on housing would go to people doing the whole trip, and it gets messy management-wise, so we’ve got a few things to sort out with Pavé Cycling Classics before we can confirm anything there.
But to be clear, the trip isn’t a Cogal – it’s a guided Tour, fully supported and accommodated. We will, however, have a Cogal during the week to which everyone and all the beer they can carry in their bidons will be welcome to join. And, of course, the watching of the race is wide-open. Just make sure you bring your Harris-Tweed suit, gents – and ladies, bring your Prada.
@ChrisO
I’m sure any self respecting sun lover who is told that their upcoming holiday would involve 3-4 massive sessions of bone jarring and falling onto bumpy stones with likely associated fractures, getting hosed with road shit and nearly dying in the process (leave out the camraderie, revery and Belgian beer bit), they would likely respond, “that doesn’t sound like a holiday Chris, not for me, you go break a leg chap!”
…..at least that is how I sold the £1700 Trans Pyrenean “Endless Misery Training Trip” to my family….