Unique in Europe, Monte Marcella is a resort with patented altitude rooms. This means you can set how low oxygen or at what altitude you sleep. Ideal if you don't want to travel too far for altitude training. Or if you want to live close by really like a pro. Because that's what this resort is geared towards. And not only the accommodation is pro-worthy. The surroundings, too, are dipped in racing history. During our stay, in early January 2026, we will ride some beautiful routes in the surrounding area. We will gladly take you to the Roubaix cobbles and the climbs of The Tour of Flanders!

Text: Thomas Bogaard - Photos Thomas Bogaard/Sander Kolsloot

Roubaix: “Unbelievable that these guys are going so fast here!”

I myself had never ridden over the cobbles of Roubaix. I did in Flanders and I found that intense enough. Even then I rode a gravel bike with 38mm tyres. Then I said with full conviction: “Roubaix, we're never going to do that!”. So there you are in Orchies a 45-minute ride from Monte Marcella on a grey day. Ready for a day of you docking over the cobbles.

We ride out of the French village and immediately we hit the Chemin des Prières. Fortunately, this one is not too bad and I can get used to it. But I immediately notice, this is not easy. It really takes power to maintain your momentum. A skill you need to develop. Because the slower you go, the harder it is to cross the strip. Clearly, this is going to be a tough day.

A little ray of sunshine

We continued on our way and the sun came slightly through the clouds, truly the perfect weather for a day at Roubaix. High veil clouds with thick, dark grey clouds hanging lower. It suits the desolate atmosphere of this region perfectly. Everything feels epic, but also very empty and desolate with a good scoop of nostalgia. You understand why they call this the hell of the north. I take it all in.

Soon the second strip follows and the dreaming is over, as there is a bend in this one. This is a bit of a scare, because this strip has clearly worn tractor tracks, so a high back. I slow down, stop, make the turn, but hit every stone and struggle to get going again. But I am beginning to get the hang of it. This is suffering and enjoying at the same time.

Forest of Wallers - Trouee d'Arenberg

We ride on to the dreaded Wallers forest. There we ride the unfamiliar gravel strips first. And these do not disappoint! If you are here, you really must take them. Just like the Arenberg Creative Mine, if it is open. When we get there, provided we dismount, we are allowed to enter the grounds. The buildings and installations impress as much as the cobblestones. It might take a breather before we face the day's obstacle, the Trouée d'Arenberg, a stone's throw from the mine. What a monster this is! You can go really fast on some sections, until you hit one of the bad sections. But you can't really tell where those are, because despite having speed through the sloping first section, you bounce in all directions. Despite both of us riding with 45mm gravel tyres, our bodies come off this strip in a different place. Logically, this is 5 stars in the race!

Bouncing off scotch

Having bounced over the jagged cobblestones, we turn left at the end and look for more iconic strips and landmarks in the landscape. Abandoned and dilapidated factories adorn our view after Pont Gibus. The desolate water towers at the ‘secteur John Degenkolb’, we take it all in. As we drive back to Orchies, one thing is clear: this was very fat! It's true, you must have done this once, there's no doubt about that with me anymore. Whether I would ride the whole route? Ask me again later... Because Roubaix is Crazy!

Amid the classics

In our stay in Ledegem, at Monte Marcella, we can review the day. In the huge common room, we relax on the comfortable sofas. Photo editing has already begun. We feast on a pasta made in the resort's professional kitchen and meanwhile we let the day pass by. Later, when we enter our altitude room, we understand why top athletes, cycling teams and teams settle here to prepare for the classics. Because from Ledegem, in the vicinity of Kortrijk, you are almost ideally positioned for the Flemish spring. From here you head west and come out on the Kemmel and then, via the Baneberg and Monteberg, you can continue straight to the gravel trails. In Flanders fields is a stone's throw away.

If you go east (which is what we will do tomorrow), you will end up at the cobbled climbs of De Ronde, of De Omloop, of Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, of E3-Harelbeke (or Saxo bank) and of Dwars door Vlaanderen. If you head south-east, you can be on the cobbled strips of Paris-Roubaix in 20 car minutes. What more could you want?

Flanders spring: count your blessings

Today we start in Zegelsem and head for the Chapel Wall. Holy ground once again awaits us. This time literally and figuratively. Again the weather cooperates, a few clouds, but otherwise blue and a lovely spring sunshine. Spring and the course are coming and we are taking you with us! From the start it is straight away climbing the Leberg, not to be underestimated with cold legs. We ride on to Oorloge on typical Flemish roads. Crossing meadows and small villages, we arrive at the second climb of the day. The hollow road brings us to the top and we turn and turn on to our next obstacle. Tenbosse awaits and does not disappoint, everything feels wonderfully Flemish here. We continue on our way to the highlight of the day. On to Geraardsbergen and the Kapelmuur!

Sacred ground

Geraardsbergen is quite lively on a Sunday morning. The bakeries and small cafés are open for breakfast. But for us, something completely different is on the menu. We drive past the big church on the market square. This is where the climb of ‘the wall’ begins. There are several ‘walls’ in the cycling world (Sormano, Hoei) with significance, but for the purists there is only one and it is in Geraardsbergen. At the market, the cobbles really begin. The cobbles are still a bit damp, but with our gravel tyres we have plenty of grip. We turn classically to the right and then the steep wall is our opponent. At the point where Cancellara once turned on and Tom Boonen parked, there it is extra damp. From that point, the chapel is almost in sight.

Close to heaven

Accompanied by the sun, we reach the top of the chapel. The wall of Geraardsbergen is also officially called the ‘chapel wall’. The chapel is beautifully lit in the spring sunshine. We decide to dismount and take a look inside. If you are here and have the time, definitely recommended, maybe even a must, even for the non-believers. It is a beautiful little Roman Catholic chapel. We settle down completely before continuing our journey. We descend slowly, because despite our gravel tyres, descending over these cobblestones is a thing in our heads.

That the race is alive and well here is evident on the way back. We ride behind two other cyclists, which immediately causes glances backwards. I don't hide my intentions, there's a climb coming up and only one can be first at the top. Our colleagues just take a different turn, there goes our self-concocted race. But he who says A must also ride off his fellow fugitive, so I push on full force. Smugly, I arrive at the top after my self-constructed “race”. Laughing at my “youthful” enthusiasm, we descend into Zegelsem together. Another small round of cobblestones around the church here, as it is hard to say goodbye. Then we get into the car, satisfied.

Monte Marcella is a perfect basecamp

After a stay which prepares you perfectly for the race in Monte Marcella and two wonderful days on the bike, we return home. As a base, Monte Marcella is eminently suitable. The facilities are excellent for cyclists. Especially if you take into account that you can sleep at altitude. If you then take into account that the surroundings breathe course, you really have a great combination! We would love to come back again.

Routes from Monte Marcella