How we did it

TRAVEL

A quick hop across the Channel either by ferry or tunnel leaves you with a 90-minute drive on the E40 to Oudenaarde. If you take the Eurostar or fly to Brussels you can take a connection from Brussels-midi train station straight to the town, or hire a car and drive for about an hour.

ACCOMMODATION

Not being a year-round tourism hotspot, rates in Oudenaarde are usually pretty reasonable. If you want the full pro experience, the Leopold Hotel (leopoldhoteloudenaarde.com) is right by the start of our ride and available from €73 per night. Alternatively, try the ‘t Juiste Verzet (currently closed), sitting at the foot of the Oude Kwaremont, for a warm welcome, rooms stuffed with cycling memorabilia and the best cafe around on race day.

FLANDRIEN CHALLENGE

Think you can handle more Belgium? Try the Flandrien Challenge: 59 iconic bergs spread across three Strava-mapped and measured routes. Complete them all in 72 hours and you’ll get your name engraved on a cobble and cemented into the wall of the Tour of Flanders museum in Oudenaarde. Visit flandrienchallenge.cc for further information.

THANKS

Big thanks to Dries Verclyte of Cycling in Flanders (cyclinginflanders.cc), not only for organising our ride but also for coming along as guide. Thanks also to Julie Borgers for dropping her plans in order to join us too, and een dikke bedankt to Johan Museeuw for sharing his memories as well as a few lessons in how to ride the bergs.