Paris-Roubaix
Suffering…for the love of it

The Cobbles Week is a pilgrimage to the holyland of professional cycling, encompassing two of the most important one day races on the calendar.

If you haven’t seen it yet, check out issue #60 of the Australian magazine RIDE Cycling Review. Journalist Mark Johnson has written a piece on the adventures of stalwart Aussies Lew Targett and Steve Hicks, plus California-Frenchman Jean-Francois Thietard from this year’s La Fuga Classics Trip.

Below is a snippet from the article, and view the full story here Classics-The Experience.

This year Targett and Hicks rode the 133km version of ‘de Ronde’ cyclo event, a ride that took them over climbs like the Koppenberg, Paterberg, and Oude Kwaremont. While much shorter than l’Alpe d’Huez, in the halls of cycling mythology these hills tower alongside the Alpine giants.

After the Flanders sportive, Targett said climbing the Paterberg a day before Cancellera made his race-winning move in the same exact spot gave him new appreciation for both what it takes to race the Ronde, and for the Flemish public’s genetic disposition to support bike racing.

Because of the connection the flag-waving, beer-drinking, frite-munching locals have with the riders who are depositing their legs and souls on the cobbles, Targett said that he thinks the Flemish event is better than l’Etape du Tour. Even though it was cold, grey, and windy, “It was a sensationally good day.”

The digital edition of the magazine is available here www.ridemedia.com.au and to book onto the La Fuga 2014 Cobbles Classic Week, please visit our tours page – www.lafuga-staging.wlxyml6-liquidwebsites.com/our-tours