Experience an unforgettable weekend cycling adventure in Flanders, Belgium!
What’s included:
- 2 nights in a hotel in Flanders (single bed, breakfast included)
- car (Citroen C4 Cactus) and ferry transport from London to Flanders
- bike transport
What's not included:
- Lunches and snacks
- Dinners
We depart from London on Friday morning and return Sunday evening. Your bike will travel safely by car while we cross the Channel via the Dover–Calais ferry. Over three days, we'll take on the legendary Flandrien Challenge – conquering all 59 iconic climbs of Flanders, made famous by cycling legends like Eddy Merckx and, more recently, Tadej Pogačar. If you complete the challenge, you’ll earn the right to place a personalised cobblestone with your name engraved on it in the famous Flandrien café in Oudenaarde – a memory to last a lifetime and a chance to put your name in cycling history!
We’ll be a small group of 4 riders.
Meeting point - Roehampton Gate near Richmond Park.
Good or very good fitness level required. You need to be able to cycle up to 190 km in a day, and 3 consecutive days of cycling on a hilly terrain. You need to be able to fix a puncture and be an independent and confident road cyclist.
Iconic climbs include:
• the brutal Koppenberg,
• the legendary Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg,
• the steep Muur van Geraardsbergen,
• and many more cobbled bergs featured in the Tour of Flanders!
The riding plan:
Day 1: Warm-up ride around Ypres (75 km)
We depart London at 7:15 AM, driving around 2 hours to Dover to catch the ferry to Calais. After the crossing, we continue with a 1.5-hour drive to the beautiful town of Ypres. In the afternoon, after lunch, we’ll ride a 75 km loop around Ypres, ticking off the first few cobbled bergs of the Flandrien Challenge in the surrounding countryside. In the evening, we take a short car transfer to Ronse (approx. 1 hour) where we’ll check into our hotel, have dinner and rest up for the big ride on Saturday.
Day 2 – Saturday: The big loop around Oudenaarde (190 km)
After breakfast at the hotel, we set out for the toughest day of the challenge — a 190 km loop around Oudenaarde. This route takes us over some of the most famous and brutal cobbled bergs in Flanders, including the iconic Koppenberg, the legendary Oude Kwaremont, the steep Paterberg, and the historic Muur van Geraardsbergen. We’ll stop for lunch along the way to refuel, then continue conquering these legendary climbs that have shaped cycling history. In the evening, we return to our hotel for a well-deserved rest and enjoy dinner either at the hotel or in one of the local restaurants. Get ready for a full day of cycling, stunning scenery, and the real spirit of the Flandrien Challenge!
Day 3 – Sunday: Final challenge and celebration (142 km)
After breakfast at the hotel, we set off for the last day of cycling — a 142 km route featuring more famous climbs such as the Eikenberg, Taaienberg, and Berendries. Along the way, we’ll enjoy a lunch break to recharge before completing the final kilometers back to Oudenaarde. Our epic journey ends with a well-earned meal and beer at the famous Peloton Café in Oudenaarde. Here, we will proudly attach our personalised cobblestone with our names engraved to the café wall — a unique and lasting mark in cycling history! After a quick shower, we’ll head off to catch the ferry and drive back to London, arriving around 10 to 11 PM.
Where will we be staying?
Hotond Sport Hotel in Ronse: https://hotond.be/en/
Ready to ride like a true Flandrien and earn your cobblestone?
Watch to get inspired: a video of the GCN team attempting to complete the challenge in one day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFG_PWkdArY
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### Disclaimer & Responsibility
By joining this event, you acknowledge and agree to the following:
- You participate entirely at your own risk.
- The organiser accepts no liability for any injuries, accidents, damage, or loss that may occur during the event.
- You are responsible for ensuring that your bike is in good working condition and suitable for the planned ride.
- You must have your own travel and accident insurance that covers cycling abroad (if applicable).
- You are expected to ride safely and responsibly and to follow local traffic laws at all times.
This is a self-supported, informal ride among like-minded individuals. By signing up, you confirm that you understand and accept these conditions.
You are responsible for your own passport, travel documents, insurance, and any necessary visas. The organiser is not acting as a tour operator or travel agent.
