Tour tip Belgium - Road bike tour in the Belgian Ardennes
The hotelier promises a sunny autumn day at breakfast. As I push my bike out of the door, my breath becomes visible. As I set off, my arms are shaking and the cold air hurts my lungs. When I arrive at the Centre Sportif in Bastogne, Bernard Gillaume from the local cycling club "La Rustine" welcomes me. After warming up in the foyer, we set off. The sun has now eaten through the fog.
The Ardennes are now showing their best side. Cycling fans know the low mountain range, which stretches from Belgium via Luxembourg to France and the German border, primarily from spring classics such as the Flèche Wallonne or Liège-Bastogne-Liège, also known as La Doyenne. This oldest of all one-day races brings the remote region into the public eye for at least one day in April. Bernard takes part every year, standing at the side of the track, "whatever the weather", as he says. "I love cycling, I need it." Bernard picks up the pace a little on one of the many climbs. He is short and wiry, and particularly quick uphill. I have to push to keep up with him. On the crest, he drops his legs again - it's a different kind of steady training. But steady is also boring. The constant ups and downs of the Ardennes are more of an invitation to do the same as Bernard. "You can roll along the many lonely country roads here in a relaxed manner, but you can also blast up the ramps. The Ardennes offer you all kinds of possibilities," he enthuses.
You can download the complete travel report with these tours and the GPS data below:
- Tour 1: On the trail of "L-B-L" (90 kilometres, 1,500 metres in altitude, max. 25 % gradient)
- Tour 2: Small border crossing (97 kilometres, 1,600 metres in altitude, max. 14 % gradient)
