Graham Baxter Sporting Tours - (Spring Classics 2010)

We have been running trips to the Spring Classics for many years now, and our expert knowledge means that you will always get close to the action.

Choose from the Spring Classics such as the Tour of Flanders, The Tour of Flanders, or the Queen of the Classics, Paris - Roubaix.

Bikes may be brought, giving cyclists the chance to ride parts of the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix courses.

The Tour of Flanders, trip also includes the option to ride a "Cyclo Sportive" mass participation events over the race course.

All trips use luxury coaches, which begin their journey in the north of England and makes pick-ups at various locations en-route, before making the short sea crossing from Dover to Calais.

Action from the 2004 Tour of Flanders (Copyright photo)

Our 3 nights trip to the Tour of Flanders will allow you to see the start in Brugge, then see the race at numerous locations, including the feeding station, and the famous cobbled climbs, including the Murr de Grammont.
The trip features a 3 nights stop in Ghent with no overnight travelling and the option to bring your bike and ride the Tour of Flanders Cyclo.

Find out more:

3 Nights in Ghent (No overnight Travelling) - FULLY BOOKED

What one of our clients on the 2004 trip to the Tour of Flanders had to say:
Dear Graham and Team,
There can be no better way to spend a (cycling related) weekend than the trip we just enjoyed with you to Flanders. The layed back but always in control atmosphere leads to everyone enjoying themselves, but also achieving individual goals in their own way. From the pick-up by coach, through the choice of hotel and location, to the support on the Flanders Cyclo event, and then the numerous times we had quality views of the actual race on the following day - everything was spot on.

The trip out to the 140 Km 'Wielertoeristen' cyclo Tour of Flanders on the Saturday, and the support Jonathan gaves us on the ride was great. Everytime you felt you could really do with a fresh bidon in between the official Ronde feeds, there was the Sporting Tours minibus.

Staying in Ghent for the first time in a while was fantastic. I had forgotten how lovely a town it was, and also how easy after a hard days ride it is to get a meal. Even after our late evening arrival on the Friday it was possible to find somewhere nice to eat. When my clubmate Dennis Clarke was unable to do the cyclo due to a recent injury, he found Ghent an absorbing place to spend a day in.

As far as the trip out to see the main event on the Sunday, the Sporting Tours organisation was incredible. Getting to the start and four other places on the route. It was great to sample the atmosphere in the early stages at Museeuw's home town of Gistel, where his fan-club were going mad, and we could see the speed of the bunch. At Doorn/Oodenaarde we got to see a fast flat cobbled section, but I have never been so close to the action. The bar we stopped at over the top of the Kwaremont was a great find, enabling us to catch up on a few Belgian beers we hadn't yet tasted, watch the race unfold on TV as it sped towards us and be ready outside in time for it to make another live appearance. Then on to the ultimate vantage point, where we were able to see the winning moves on the Muur de Gramont, and continue watching the race to its climax on the huge screen in the village centre.

I think you will be picking more of us up from this neck of the woods next year, as our tales and photos have whetted appetites amongst our clubmates, and Dennis and I are already questioning whether we can find the time to include the Ghent-Wevelgem and Paris Roubaix options next time around.

Many thanks, and congratulations on a superbly organised trip,

H. Blackburn
Guildford

Action from the 2002 Paris Roubaix

Paris-Roubaix is one of the oldest cycle races of the professional road cycling calendar. First run in 1896, it was created by two Roubaix textile manufacturers, Théo Vienne and Maurice Perez, who were hoping the race would become a training for the then more famous Bordeaux-Paris. They suggested the idea to Paul Rousseau, director of sports newspaper Le Vélo and he was immediately convinced, sending his cycling editor Victor Breyer to research and scout the original route between Paris and Roubaix. The race has been contested every year since 1896, stopped only by the two World wars.

The first edition of the race was held in Easter, April 19, 1896, receiving the nickname of La Pascale(English: The Easter). A total of 188 competitors left Paris from Bois de Boulogne park for almost 300 kilometres to Roubaix. Josef Fischer, the winner of this first edition, received 1000 francs.

Today things are slightly different.
As of 2007 Paris-Roubaix, there are 28 cobbles sections included in the race, three of them considered to be of maximum difficulty. As well as the famous Trouée d’Arenberg, other difficult sections include the 3000 m Mons-en-Pévèle (after 213 km) and the 2100 m Le Carrefour de l’Arbre (at 244 km) — often decisive in the final kilometres of the race.

We are running two different trips this year, a day trip, or for the really adventurous, a 3 night trip staying in Valenciennes on which you may bring your bike and actually cycle the latter part of the course the day before the race itself!

On both of the trips, you will see the race several times, including the start, several locations along the route such as the infamous Forest of Arenberg, and the finish on the velodrome at Roubaix.

Find out more:

Day Trip

3 Nights with bikes

Action from the 2004 Liege Bastogne Liege (Copyright photo)

Liège-Bastogne-Liège is well and truly the oldest of cycling’s classics

First run in 1892, it rides through the hilliest parts of Belgium, along routes typical of the Ardennes. Along the way, famed ports of call bring to mind great moments in cycling history, as well as one of World War II’s fiercest battles – Stavelot and Houffalize were two of the focal points of the Battle of the Ardennes.

Previous winners include Bernard Hinault, who pulled off a memorable solo breakaway in 1980, won amidst blizzard conditions. Eddy Merckx, having managed five victories in a seven year span from 1969 to 1975, including three in a row. Moreno Argentin, Italy’s maestro, with four wins between 1985 and 1991.

Others include cycling legends such as Ferdi Kubler, Josef Fuchs, Sean Kelly, Rolf Sorensen, Adri Van der Poel, Jacques Anquetil, Laurent Jalabert, Alexandre Vinokourov and Alejandro Valverde.

Witness the newest legend to emerge in 2010.

Find out more:

3 Nights in Liège