Like Dante on a bike, it seems I’m about to descend into Hell tomorrow. With a little luck, I’ll make it out.
I’ve been generously offered a press trip by Freewheeling France, a new France cycling website; and Pavé Cycling Classics, a new tour company in the north of France. Below is the schedule I just received this morning. It is absolutely jam-packed with rides on famous Spring Classics, like Gent Wevelgem, the Tour of Flanders and of course a long 120 km ride on the rough cobbles of Paris-Roubaix (affectionately known as the Hell of the North) – the whole reason for the trip.
I just read through this and thought it might give some idea about how bone jolting the cobbles might be.
I have a feeling this is my kind of tour company. They even have ‘beer time’ scheduled!
The Vicious Cycle 
Have a good weekend. I’ll be thinking of you on those cobblestones!
Thanks, Stephanie. I can almost feel the whiplash now…
Fear not Gerry, if you suddenly fall ill to a mystery virus, I’d be happy to do the honourable thing and take your place!
Have a great weekend, make sure you drink plenty of that cloudy beer 😉
They seem to mention beer a lot on their website, so I’m hoping the fridge is full 😉
Can someone slip him a mickey before then.
I will with heavy heart help you on this most onerous of crusades Andrew.
If it’s as brain jostling as I think it’s going to be, I probably should give my spot away…
Bad arse. Thanks for the heads up on this, will contact them for a tour next year, as I am heading over for Paris-Roubaix, RVV, LBL, Amstel and the Giro.
Have fun you lucky bastard.
Remember, if you do 50km/h the cobbles are easier!
Good couple of guys, it seems. One Irish, the other Belgian. I’m sure they’d appreciate the business.
And coming over for 5 races next spring…who’s calling who the lucky bastard?
What happens at 30 kph, cause I’m sure that’s about as much as can muster…
What an opportunity! Talk about sensory overload. Just imagine the helocopter flying overhead and don’t let your bidon bounce out!
Interesting tip. I was more concerned about my internal organs bouncing out!
a sample of cobblestone reporting…..Here ( thud) we ( wump) are ( bang dam there goes a shock ) Race ( bump ) Fans ( bumpity bumpity bump bump ) ( gotta stop taking breaths ) We are about ( bump ) to ( bump ) start (whack) the race ( bang) …..***seems as though the reporter has gotten his share of bumps and he has not even started the race…… well done now can you use a Camera while race reporting? Great job you deserve it for all your hard work
Luckily this one’s not a race (for me at least), so I won’t have a hundred riders to bring down with me when I inevitably fall on the cobbles! Thanks for the well wishes…maybe save them for next week though, when WILL have a race 😉