You can see a video presentation concerning the 1ste Flanders Fields Gravel Tour by clicking HERE !

 

FAQ...

1) Can I also participate in the Flanders Fields Gravel Tour with an MTB or cyclocross bike?

Answer: yes, on day 3 the “Roubaix stage” is even possible with a regular racing bike provided that you choose an appropriate (thicker) tire choice. Stage 2 is very suitable on a mountain bike if you do not (yet) have a gravel bike. We are currently investigating whether there are gravel bike manufacturers who would like to rent out some gravel bikes for promotion and testing for these three days. And what are the conditions for using such a bicycle for 3 days? It goes without saying that the bicycle must be returned in the same condition afterwards. The possibility of subsequent purchases must also be included in this rental option.

 

2) Can I handle those daily distances?

Answer: There are also shorter versions every day with the exception of the opening stage. At 123 km, the 1st ride is also not something for untrained legs. But we assume that anyone who opts for the full 3 days will be able to easily digest those largely flat 123 km. Given the time of year (end of May), anyone who includes this Flanders Fields Gravel Tour in their program should have sufficient preparation time to be able to physically handle this. For comparison: the Ardennes stages in the LCMT mountain bike tour were always around 90 km, unpaved, many elevation meters and even the often rocky descents required effort and energy.

 

3) What do I get for my registration amount?

Answer: a high-quality Herfenking cycling jersey, retail value €79, is automatically included in the package. Both for those who ride the full 3-day event and those who can only cycle the weekend stages. Furthermore, the goodie bag is not to be missed, €10 goes to the good “make PEACE not war cause" and you will of course enjoy the signposted top course, supplies, technical assistance, etc. We are convinced that you will come for either the 3-day or Only the weekend formula gives you a lot of value for your money.

 

4) Can I get accommodation through the organization?

Answer: the youth hotel 'De Iep' already makes 60 beds available that can be booked through the organization. The price for this will be very democratic. In any case, with breakfast and the rooms, which usually have 4 beds, can also be filled by 2 or by 3 without additional costs being charged to the participants. We are also looking at 2 or 3 other similar complexes in the nearby area to see if the same is possible. As soon as a concrete quote has been agreed with those accommodations, you will be able to book them directly online with us. If you are interested, please send an email in advance so that we can keep you informed.

 

5) How is the 'chrono' organized?

Answer: either via Strava (most people already know this principle, the technical explanation is communicated to everyone anyway. Or via a specialized company. However, for the latter - especially because it is the 1st Flanders Fields Gravel Tour - we require a minimum number of participants who are willing to pay an additional amount of EUR 10 for this. Or we must succeed in finding a sponsor for this (currently the plan) so that every participant can participate in that chrono formula at no additional cost. 2 demarcated chrono zones are organized every day. provided for this time recording. The intention is of course that outside those chrono zones you respect the highway code as well as other road users. How long will those 'chrono zones' be? This depends on their selectivity and the permission to work with signalers here (at any crossings or turns). The 'chrono' remains unofficial. The Flanders Fields Gravel Tour is therefore not an official cycling race or 'race'.

 

 

The organization of the first Flanders Fields Gravel Tour is taking shape. We have an agreement with KVK Westhoek – the football club from Ypres in the 2nd national amateur division – to organize the reception and the start there every day. There are plenty of showers and changing rooms in the catacombs of this footbal ground. And the cafeteria is also large enough to serve as reception area in the morning. In addition, there is a lockable area where your bicycle can be temporarily stored safely (of course also guarded). There is  ample parking in the area (see plan). Easily accessible via the Zuiderring and yet close to the center of the fortified city of Ypres. The intention is to finish at least the final stage on the Grote Markt (central square) in Ypres, because it feels so much greater after a final passage through the famous Menin Gate. So via the Menin Street (and Biking Box bicycle experience center) you will make a finish in style at the historic and a very impressive Grote Markt. From there you can cycle back to the football stadium within 2 kilometers, if you want to shower and change there afterwards or perhaps take your parked car again.

During this Christmas period, many of us are quietly starting to define our cycling dreams and ambitions for next season. The LCMT-new style in 2024 will therefore be a gravel tour: In Flanders Fields and including a portion of historic cobblestone zones from Paris-Roubaix on the final day.

2 daily timed zones will be announced later for those who enjoy a bit of competition. But also and especially the unique and very stylish souvenir shirt, the Poppy Graveltour jersey - included in your registration package! - appeals to the imagination and should convince you to come over for this 3 days Gravel Tour In Flanders Fields? View the preliminary shirt design here and know that you will get your own FIRST NAME + NAME (or 'nickname' if you prefer) printed on the back (shoulder height).

Member of your own cycling club? Maybe you and your club friends can send us your own club logo? This will also be applied to the side panels, so that the shirt will be completely personalized.

We are now busy reconfirming and looking for (new) sponsor partners. The goodie bag will certainly contain a lot of 'delicious' and 'interesting' items. Registering now is worth it, because until mid-January at a discounted rate!

After consultation with the local Ypres hotels and the City of Ypres, the organization date of the first Flanders Fields Gravel Tour has now been definitively determined. The three-day gravel tour will kick off on Friday, May 24. A weekday, we realize that. But a weekend at the end of May in which sufficient accommodation capacity for the participants can be guaranteed. And enough space in the already busy touristy Ypres to neatly plan this Flanders Fields Gravel Tour during that weekend.

Anyone who really gets a kick out of gravel bikes and who wants to fully take on the sporting challenge will hopefully be able to get 1 or 2 days off from work to be there on Friday for the opening stage. For those who are unable or unwilling to do so, we will retain the weekend formula. Both are possible and always including the unique and personalized Poppy-Flanders Fields Gravel cycling jersey retail value 79 EUR). The only difference will be the commemorative medal that can also be obtained. For this you actually have to be at the start for 3 days.

Please note that EUR 10 of your participation will also go to a Make Peace Not War-selected charity. More about that later.

Initially, the registration price (excluding accommodation to be booked separately by you) is EUR 199 for the 3-day event (with goodie bag, commemorative medal, cycling jersey and of course the full package service during and after the stages, in accordance with what was also customary in the LCMT) . Early booking pays off, because after January 24 there will be an additional charge of EUR 10.

Weekend only? Available for only EUR 139, also including the cycling jersey, which already represents a value of EUR 79.

Registrations open on November 11. Use the correct link, either above or via www.flandersfieldsgraveltour.bike

 

We are still updating www.lcmt.be, but know that all the most up-to-date information can be found on the flandersfieldsgraveltour.bike website.

Biking Events (since 1999 organizing also the LCMT mountainbike tour  in the Belgian Ardennes) is launching a new cycling event: the 1st Flanders Fields Gravel Tour. Also a three-day tour, but now from the home base where Biking Box Cycling Experience Centre is located: YPRES! With this we are fully committed to the many cycling and historical assets that Flanders Fields offer.

Recently we have been working hard behind the scenes to make this unique gravel three-day event possible in 2023. In close collaboration with the Royal Ypres Cycling Club, which itself will be responsible for the international UCI junior race "Route des Géants" on August 27, we will soon also officially present this new top weekend in terms of cycling experience in Ypres and the Westhoek.

The proven success ingredients of the LCMT are incorporated into the Flanders Fields Gravel Tour. An excellently arranged all-in package, coupled with the option to book accommodation immediately.

A maximum of 550 participants (by analogy with the nearly 55,000 names on the Menin Gate Memorial) can obtain a participation certificate as soon as registrations are opened.

On the final day it will also be possible for 'locals' to register for that one day only (always subject to registration in advance, so no longer the day itself). And there is the option to sign up as a 'gravel' cyclist for 'Coureur & Entrepreneur', a previously successfully proven bicycle concept for cycling entrepreneurs who get to know each other better in a cycling atmosphere. “Coureur & Entrepreneur” was already a direct hit in 2022, then only with a guided tour on the road. Now that the off-road option of the Gravel Tour also becomes possible at the same time, a maximum of 30 Coureur & Entrepreneur tickets for the Gravel portion will be made available.

You can ride the Flanders Fields Gravel Tour with a gravel bike, mountain bike or cyclocross bike.

The three-day Gravel Tour is also included in the cycling calendar of Cycling Flanders (those who have a license as a cycling tourist or cyclist do not have to pay any additional insurance).

Pending the official press presentation, as well as the new specific website, we as an organization will now first strive for all necessary permissions, in particular for the course section that we would love to run partly on northern French roads. To be continued.

Dear rider, with this LINK you can find the ROADBOOK of LCMT 2022!

Anyone who has booked a stay in La Fraineuse (ADEPS center, Avenue Amédée Hesse in Spa) will find an overview of all allocated rooms or chalets under this LINK. Practical information (such as key pick-up) is also explained there.

In this news item we also provide a lot of practical information about the start of the first LCMT in 3 years, for the first time in Stavelot.

* collection of starter packs in the STAVELOT sports hall: for CYCLO, TRIATHLON and COMBI only on Thursday morning (1st stage start) between 7:45 am and 9:45 am - for MTB and CROSS-DUATHLON it is also possible to pick up on Thursday afternoon between 4 and 6 pm in the same Stavelot sports hall to pick up your package. The pick-up time there is also planned on the morning of the first stage, so Friday 27 May from 07:45.

* parking in and around Stavelot is very accessible. Most parking zones are free. Here's a brief overview:

- near the sports hall and at the football stadium of RCS Stavelot (in front of the football stadium, however NOT on Thursday morning because there is also a tourist bike ride there)

- along the Route de Challes

- at the abbey (drive up to the back)

- Stavelot market square (but bumpy cobblestones there)

- near the shopping center (e.g. at Okay...)

- Spa Racing: corner of Rue St.-Laurent and Route de Malmédy

If you don't mind a little warm-up: 5 km from the start in Malmédy, there are also a lot of car parks, including at the local football stadium of RFC Malmundaria.

 

* GPS files will be delivered to all participants via DIRECT E-MAIL and this at the latest 3 days before the start. Why not sooner? To accommodate late course changes if they still need to be implemented.

* Interested in sports massage after the ride(s): reserve your place already on this phone number: +32 485 94 50 45 Massages will take place both at the arrival area (football stadium RCS Stavelot) and in the ADEPS center of La Fraineuse, but this last only in the evenings. The COMPEX electrostimulation devices will also be available to recover the tired muscles as quickly as possible.

* finish of each chrono stage: under the finish arc, only the start mat will only be passed after a run-up phase, this to avoid 'traffic jams' and drumming.

* roadbook with all further practical information will be emailed to every participant in the weekend before the start. However, most information about the course and starting times can already be found on this website.

* yes, there's filming again! Our video team will try to portray the event nicely with daily videos and impressions.

* from now on no more cancellations possible, unless you introduce a replacement yourself (on May 18, 1 week before the start), so no more free transfers. Thank you for understanding.

We want to express our gratitude to all participants, to all crew members and to all our sponsors for being all essential members of this tropical LCMT-experience!

We can announce already that although we do not think it still can be 'hotter' after this year's edition, the 2018 LCMT (10 - 13 May) will be great again. 

All riders will receive a digital inquiry in which you can give your opinion on several services. As a matter of fact, if less is more, we are convinced that our next step will be a bit less work for current people who run this event during the whole year and put their shoulders under the whole package during the 4 days. So we will start up the searching for a few extra high quality assistants who can take over some of the responsabilties. You can help us to keep up this already high standards by spreading the news. As for the competition riders we apologize not being able to publish the final results on day 3. Some technical problems with the time registrations urged us to wait another night before launching this online. We also will consider this aspect as a priority for our competition tour. It's an aspect that needs to be outsourced completely, so we only co-operate with a time registration company that does take this in a 100% engagement.

Check your data and verify your payment. How much still to pay? Or has it been confirmed already by our administration? This is how you manage:

• Button 'to subscribe' or go straight to www.lcmt.bike
• Use your e-mailaddress (the one you used to subscribe) + password
• Lost your password? Ask a new one -->will be sent automatically to your mailbox
• You have access again to verify what you wanted. And you can see also if your payment has been verified by us (status!)
• If it seems something is not as you thought to have asked for, contact us! Also if something must be changed. Only our 'admin' has the facility to modify anything on your participation.
• What can be done by you? If you are main-booker, it's only you that has the power to add another cyclist under your name.

A hard choice to make since we have 3 days of mountainbiking and 3 days of road cycling in this LCMT-event.
3 more options are now to be considered: the 'combination tour', whicht is on day 1 & 3 = use your road bicycle; on day 2 & 4 = go on your mountainbike!
Or you may ride the 4 days triathlon "King of the Ardennes": running, swimming and 3 days road cycling + final day on the mountainbike!
Now to complete our story we added the cross-duathlon: 3 days mountainbike, but also 2 times a day a trail run is waiting for you! Make a choice and achieve your personal goals!



Wat wordt het straks voor jou? 

1. MOUNTAINBIKE: 3-daagse 31/5 - 2/6 keuzes uit COMPETITIE XL-afstand, COMPETITIE 'large-afstand' en RECREATIEF (XL, Large of Medium-afstand)
2. CYCLO: weg-3-daagse 30/5 - 1/6 keuze uit CHRONO (goud - zilver - brons) XL-afstand of Large-afstand en RECREATIEF (XL, Large of Medium-afstand)
3. COMBI-TOUR: vierdaagse 30/5 - 2/6 enkel COMPETITIEF XL-afstand (dag 1 en 3 op de koersfiets, dag 2 en 4 op de mountainbike, laatste dag wel slechts de 'large'-mtb)
4. TRIATHLON: vierdaagse 30/5 - 2/6 enkel  COMPETITIEF maar 2 afstandkeuzes zijnde XL-triathlon en 'Large'-triathlon (bij dit laatste fiets je 3 dagen 'Large'-cyclo). 3 dagen op de koersfiets, laatste dag 'Large'-MTB, aangevuld met loop- en zwemproeven (details onder triathlon-pagina).
5. CROSS-DUATHLON: 3-daagse 31/5 - 2/6 enkel COMPETITIEF, dagelijks eerst 6 km lopen, dan de 'Large-MTB-etappe' en finaal nog eens 6 km lopen.

If you want the best price, subscribe NOW! 
With or without our hotel formula? This is entirely up to you! Go to our REGISTER page. First things first = to subscribe for our cycling & mountainbike tour, make a choice whether you want to mountainbike, cycle on road bike. Or perhaps you prefer the 'combi'-formula, the challenge of triathlon or cross-duathlon.
Also to be mentionned under mountainbike or road tour: with or without timings.

For your lodgings, several options available, but most participants will first check facilities in Vayamundo Hotel in Houffalize. This hotel will keep all rooms 'exclusively' for LCMT-riders untill 30 November only.

Of course, it's also possible to arrange your own lodgings elsewhere. Anyway, one can subscribe only till the LCMT is fully booked (600 tickets). By subscribing before New Yearsday, you are allowed only to pay a 100 EUR downpayment. The rest can be done before end of February. Cancelling is still possible, read our special terms on that particular subject in 'regulations' (under INFO).

What kind of a cyclist am I?
If you can say YES to one of the following describings, the LCMT is certainly typecasted for you!

• Competitive cyclist and having a good basic condition & well trained? --> choose XL-rides with or without time registration
• Recreative biker but pretty well trained and you are kicking on climbings (and downhills)? --> choose the XL or why not someday a Large-track >
• You kick on competition but on shorter distances? --> from now on also the 'large'-distance in our mountainbike tour will result in a seperate ranking. Same story for our triathlon!

• Recreative biker with busy job and sometimes a lack of training time? --> use the LCMT tour to get in your best shape again! --> go for  ‘medium’-distances or perhaps the 'large'-stages!