Looking forward, Spring in Europe means only one thing to the cycling fan — the Spring Classics.
One-day races like Paris-Roubaix and The Tour of Flanders draw huge crowds. The spectators are witness to the the hardest of pros battling over famous or infamous cobbles and climbs in often terrible weather.
Victory can make a pro's career and propel riders to legendary status.
Many of the Classics have amateur versions the day before so the enthusiast can ride the same bumpy roads and hills in the same conditions before cheering the peloton 24 hours later. The Tour of Flanders Cycle attracts 16,000 riders.
If you have the cash to spare a number of firms while provide a a bucket/bike-it list experience for the ages.
You too can live out your Flemish fantasies from Canada to California with the likes of the Hell of Hunterdon, The Belgian Waffle Ride, Paris to Ancaster, Gran Fondo Ephrata, The Dirty Devil, the NorCal Spring Classic and Battenkill, "America's Queen of the Classics".
Many events adopt the terminology and imagery of the Low Countries — looking at you Roubaixes — while others mix up the essential ingredients of the Classics, early season unpredictable weather, challenging surfaces and an emphasis on rider resilience.
In Europe the cobbles of Northern France and Begium are now carefully preserved for cycling and protected from the road-laying machines. Over here rural America and Canada are blessed with mile after mile of unsealed gravel and dirt roads to create a uniquely North American challenge.
Most of the rides can be handled on normal road bikes, but wider tires are normally a good idea and make sure your cages hold those bottles tight (I knot an elastic band onto each cage and loop it over the bidons for extra security). When, however, organizers suggest that a CX or gravel bike is best that may be a good hint to take ....
The "Spring Classics" - North America
Feb 26 Sourland Semi-Classic, New Jersey
March 4 Road Apple Roubaix, Ohio
March 11 Rouge Roubaix, Louisiana
March 11 Fish Rock, California
March 11 Land Run 100, Oklahoma
March 18 Milan - San Remo, Italy
March 18 Waterloo Grit and Gravel, Michigan
March 18 Redlands Strada Rossa, California
March 19 Gran Fondo Ephrata, Washington
March 24 E3 Harelbeke, Belgium
March 25 Hell of Hunterdon, New Jersey
March 25 Dirty Devil, California
March 25 Barry-Roubaix, Michigan
March 26 Gent-Wevelgem, Belgium
March 26 Love Valley Roubaix, North Carolina
March 26 Vermont Overland
April 1 Castell Grind, Texas
April 2 Tour of Flanders, Belgium
April 2 Gorge Gravel Grinder, Oregon
April 9 Paris-Roubaix, France
April 9 Steaming Nostril, Ontario
April 15 Fools Classic, Pennsylvania
April 16 Amstel Gold Race, Netherlands
April 19 La Fleche Wallonne, Belgium
April 22 Rasputitsa, Vermont
April 22 Battenkill Spring Preview, New York
April 23 Lu Lacka Wyco Hundo, Pennsylvania
April 23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Belgium
April 29 Muddy Onion Spring Classic Dirt Road Ride, Vermont
April 29 NorCal Spring Classic, California
April 29 Fleche Buffoon, Pennsylvania
April 30 Paris to Ancaster, Ontario
May 20 Tour of Battenkill, New York
May 21 Belgian Waffle Ride, California
Lu Lacka Wyco Hundo also makes the most of the terrain of Pennsylvania to "show you things you haven't seen, teach you things about yourself, and challenge your bike to keep you going when you can't see where the road and gravel and mud end, and civilization begins".
Four Roubaixes make the list -- six if you count Battenkill (Tour of and Spring Preview), which was Battenkill-Roubaix in the early years.
Rouge Roubaix in Louisiana is unlikely to see true Belgian weather, but the temperature can vary from freezing to 80 degrees and humid while the 106-mile course ranges from smooth tarmac to sandy gravel and the "plain bad". The open gran fondo runs the day before the licensed racing.
Road Apple Roubaix covers 40 miles in Ohio's Amich country and takes its name from the steaming deposits left behind the Amish buggies. The event flyer features much snow.
Heading North to Michigan, "like the classic it's named after, Barry-Roubaix will test riders against (80%) rolling gravel roads, pavement, one mile of rough two track, rocks, sand, mud, and possibly snow and ice", is the warning (or is it a challenge) issued. Entries are capped at 3,500 for the "largest gravel road race in the world".
The Battenkill Spring Preview and the Tour of Battenkill (Read a Ride Report) use the gravel roads of the Battenkill Valley in New York State to mimic the pave sections of Paris-Roubaix. Anthem Sports put on a great event. The Tour has moved from its previous Spring Classic-esque mid-April date to May, but we've squeezed it in anyway.
Paris to Ancaster, "Canada's Spring Cycling Classic", (Read a Ride Report) is a 70km ride that does everything it can to pump up the hardness factor to Paris-Roubaix levels. There are a number of mud sections that see most riders shoulder their bikes.
Earlier in April on the 3rd, and thus even more at the mercy of the weather north of the border, is the wonderfully named Steaming Nostril (and the shorter Runny Nose).
The same day sees the Vermont Overland with its seven sections of "Vermont pavé". The Green Mountain state also plays host to Rasputitsa, (Read a Ride Report) which features Yetis, maple syrup shots and, of course, Cyberia and the Muddy Onion Spring Classic Dirt Road Ride with its "beautiful, scenic and iconic dirt roads".
In Stillwater, Oklahoma, the Land Run 100 commemorates the first land run in 1889 with dusty roads or "peanut butter mud" depending on the weather.
And on the West Coast Gran Fondo Ephrata has become a Pacific Northwest "spring classic" with 80 miles of primitive central WA back roads, 5000′ of climbing. "Come prepared to be unprepared." To the South, The Gorge Gravel Grinder promises the best location in the Northwest for Spring riding due to its climate, and well packed, smooth and fast gravel. It is the opener for the Oregon Gravel grinder Series.
Continuing down the coast, California is home to the Dirty Devil, the NorCal Spring Classic, Fish Rock, the Belgian Waffle Ride and the Redlands Strada Rossa.
Nothing wrong with an Italian angle given that Milan-San Remo kicks of the Spring Classics and Tuscany's Strada Bianche in early March is growing in importance rapidly.
The Waffle Ride -- "the Country's Most Unique Cycling Event" -- shouts its Belgian inspiration and is a monster with 14 dirt sections across 140 miles and over 11,000 feet of climbing. Like Battenkill it has fallen back to May from April.
The NorCal Spring Classic from SuperPro Racing transports riders to the start by bus and then there's the small matter of 116 miles - about a fifth on dirt - and 10,000 feet of climbing to the finish line. Riders will not appreciate SuperPro's appeals for rain!
The Dirty Devil -- "California's premier (and most challenging) road bike ultra century" -- matches the BWR for climbing in 127 miles and 28 miles of that is dirt roads. You'll deserve that beer after either one.
No matter which event you choose channel your inner Walloon and feel Flemish.
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