Classics of the North - De Ronde & Paris-Roubaix Cobbles

  • Location

    Belgium & France

  • Duration

    7 days | 6 nights

  • Length

    42 to 145+ km daily

  • Climb

    400 to 1,500+ m daily

2 Apr 2024 - 8 Apr 2024

Welcome to Belgium! Home to the world’s best beer and even more importantly, some of the oldest and most epic classic races. Not to mention, your own Belgian cycling guide, Michiel, who has been riding these roads for years and will help guide you through this cycling paradise, together with the rest of the GTP team.

Flanders is the Alpha and Omega of cycling, the cradle of the sport. But it isn’t the only region we’ll discover during this week. We’ll also venture on the famous cobbles of Paris-Roubaix in northern France on Saturday and watch the pro riders tackle this extremely tough race just one day after we have ridden the Paris-Roubaix Challenge.

Be warned, however, beautiful weather in April is not a guarantee, for us and for the pros! But fear not: riding in real ‘Flandrien weather’ might just make this week even more memorable and epic than it already is.

Weather aside, everyone in Flanders will have been waiting anxiously for the spring cycling season to start and now that it’s really here, we will ride all the biggest spring classics in the span of one week!

Early arrival for a Flanders Experience with a couple of days longer is available: there’s the option to arrive early enough to watch the Tour of Flanders race as a VIP on the Kwaremont. Get in touch by clicking here for more information.

Total price: FROM €3,890

  • Experience the best of the Northern Spring Classics.
  • Ride race routes of 4 Spring Classics, including the Cyclo sportive Paris Roubaix.
  • Local knowledgeable guide: Michiel Van Ooteghem will show you his homeland and will take professional photos on the way
  • Cobblestones guaranteed. Weather not guaranteed. Memories forever.
  • VIP access to witness the Paris-Roubaix arrival
  • Expert planning, guiding and support from GTP team
  • Maximum group size: 7 guests per guide
  • Premium bike rental available
  • Level of fitness: FIT TO ADVANCED - fit enough to ride 3 to 5 hrs or 110 to 140 km per day
  • Day 1 - Tuesday 2 April

    Welcome ride in Geraardsbergen

    45 km | 400 m


    When you arrive, we will transport you from Brussels Airport to Geraardsbergen, the city that sits right in the middle of the first Classic of the year: ‘Omloop het Nieuwsblad’. Not coincidentally, we will start our epic trip with the same race with which the pro riders start their season. After having checked in to our beautiful hotel, we will go for a short welcome ride to test our bikes and get a feel of the Flemish roads.

    Grupello Hotel ***
  • Day 2 - Wednesday 3 April

    Omloop het Nieuwsblad & Muur van Geraardsbergen

    85 km | 800 m

    Today marks the real start of our Classics week. We will do a 110km loop from and to our hotel, taking on the most famous hills of the race, ‘Omloop het Nieuwsblad’, including the ‘Muur van Geraardsbergen’! ‘De Muur’ is one of the most iconic climbs in Flanders and will propose a challenge to even the strongest of riders. Who will step into the footsteps of last year’s victor, our very own Wout Van Aert? After a hearty dinner, we spend the night in the same hotel. Tomorrow awaits another Classic!

    Grupello Hotel ***
  • Day 3 - Thursday 4 April

    De Ronde

    Your choice 75 km | 144 km | 179km

    Today is the day - DE RONDE! Just 4 days after the pro riders have made history here, we will write our own, conquering the hills & cobblestones AND the cobbled hills!

    Who will persevere and make history this year? Mathieu Vanderpoel again? Or will Wout Van Aert finally fulfil his destiny? The Tour of Flanders has existed since 1913 and transforms the country each year into a complete cycle mania.

    Today you will get to experience ‘Vlaanderens Mooiste’, Flanders finest. At the end of the ride, we will have a coffee and a piece of cake in the ‘Centrum Ronde Van Vlaanderen’, before we check into our splendid hotel in Oudenaarde.

    Hotel Leopold
  • Day 4 - Friday 5 April

    Gent-Wevelgem

    100 km

    Get ready for yet another classic because today we transfer to Kemmel to ride the most important sections of The Classic Gent-Wevelgem.

    The race was witness to a historical win for Biniam Girmay last year and our route takes us through the most challenging parts of the race, encompassing 11 hills and 3 semi-off road sections, called ‘plugstreets’.Believe me, these plugstreets will make this 100-kilometre ride feel like a lot more. Especially if you find yourself racing up those hills with your friends or the guide!However don’t forget to pace yourself, because tomorrow is no piece of cake, to put it lightly. Let’s get a good night’s sleep to charge our batteries for tomorrow and ‘The hell of the North’.

    Hostellerie Kemmel or Hotel Ariane in Ieper
  • Day 5 - Saturday 6 April

    Hell of the North - Paris Roubaix Cyclo Sportive

    70 km | 145 km ...there is a longer 172 km too

    If you look at today’s elevation profile, you might think this is going to be an easy riding day, but nothing is further from the truth. Today you will test yourselves (and your bikes) by riding the official cyclo sportive of Paris-Roubaix, arguably the most brutal and harshest race of the year. We have an early transfer to Roubaix and will then do the 70 kilometre or 145 kilometre loop to finish back at the velodrome. Yes, you read it right: the velodrome!

    Who will ride their victory lap here? Or will there be a small bunch sprint? Tie your shoelaces and let some air out of your tires: this is the Hell of the North.

    Alize Apartment Hotel****
  • Day 6 - Sunday 7 April

    watch Paris-Roubaix as a VIP!

    After a refreshing sleep in our delightful hotel, we will let our legs and bikes have a well deserved rest. Today, we are spectators of the race we tasted ourselves only yesterday.

    We have arranged VIP passes for you to watch the finish of the race in the velodrome itself! The whole afternoon we will watch the pros on big screens, while we sip from some refreshing beverages and fill our bellies with a selection of Flemish hors d’œuvres. As the race draws to a close, we’ll get to cheer on the contenders for the win!

    Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof****
  • Day 7 - Monday 8 April

    tot ziens - Goodbye


    Unfortunately, the morning sun never lasts a day, and today the day has come to leave the cradle of cycling and return home. We’ll transfer you to Brussels Airport and sadly say our goodbyes. I’m sure you will be back for more epic adventures in Belgium!


    **If you want to make your adventure in Flanders a couple of days longer, there’s the option to arrive Sunday 2 April to watch the Tour of Flanders race as a VIP on the Kwaremont. You will see the female pro riders pass by and you will even be able to cheer on the men thrice as they tackle this epic climb! Click here for more information