Belgian Cycling Events & Festivals

Planning your cycling holiday to coincide with Belgium’s racing calendar or festival season adds an entirely new dimension to the journey.

Whether you’re cheering roadside as the peloton flies past or joining locals for a beer festival after your ride, Belgium’s cycling spirit is impossible to miss. This is a country where bike racing borders on religion — and where every village, cobblestone, and market square seems to celebrate two wheels.

Cycling Events:

1. Tour of Flanders (Ronde van Vlaanderen)

Participation Type: Professionals (WorldTour) + Amateurs (We Ride Flanders)
When: Early April
Where: Flanders — starting in Antwerp, finishing in Oudenaarde

The most iconic one-day race in Belgium, the Tour of Flanders is pure cycling heritage. Steep cobbled climbs, roaring crowds, and flags flying from every house create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the world. 

The amateur version, We Ride Flanders, lets riders experience the same legendary bergs a day before the pros. Oudenaarde’s cycling museum and lively fan zones turn race week into a full celebration of Flanders’ enduring love for the bike.

Time your Flanders Cycling Experiences trip to coincide with race week — you can tackle the same climbs, then watch the pros battle over the same roads the next day.

2. Liège–Bastogne–Liège

Participation Type: Professionals (WorldTour) + Amateurs (Challenge Liège–Bastogne–Liège)**
When: Late April
Where: Wallonia – starting and finishing in Liège

Known as La Doyenne (“The Old Lady”), this is one of the world’s oldest and toughest classics. The route winds through the Ardennes’ steep climbs, forests, and river valleys, blending natural beauty with fierce competition.

Amateurs can ride the Challenge LBL event, following the same legendary climbs a day ahead of the peloton. With roadside villages decorating their streets and church bells echoing through the valleys, it’s one of the most atmospheric weekends in Belgian cycling.

Combine your Five Countries Cycling Tour with the Liège–Bastogne–Liège weekend for a front-row seat to cycling history and a taste of true Walloon spirit.

3. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Participation Type: Professionals (WorldTour season opener)
When: Late February
Where: Ghent and East Flanders

This race traditionally opens the Belgian cycling season, setting the tone for the classics that follow.

Fans line the roads near Ghent and along cobbled climbs like the Muur van Geraardsbergen, cheering riders on in crisp winter air. For locals, it’s more than a race — it’s the signal that cycling season has officially begun, with cafés filled and roadside fires lit. 

Plan an early-spring Brussels to Bruges Cycling Tour to experience the electric buzz as professional teams launch their season on Flanders’ iconic terrain.

4. Binche–Chimay–Binche

Participation Type: Professionals (UCI Europe Tour)
When: Early October
Where: Wallonia – between Binche and Chimay

A smaller but classic Belgian favorite, this autumn race mixes cobbled streets, rolling countryside, and lively fan zones.

It finishes in Chimay — home to one of Belgium’s six Trappist breweries — making it a perfect cycling and beer pilgrimage. The blend of fall colors, village cheers, and the scent of malt in the air makes this one of the most authentic end-of-season experiences in Belgium. 

Add this stop to the end of your Five Countries Cycling Tour for a taste of local racing and a post-ride Trappist beer at the source.

5. Tour de Namur

When: August
Where: Namur, Wallonia
For whom: Enthusiastic amateurs and local riders

A multi-day amateur race looping through the Meuse Valley, known for its friendly spirit and challenging terrain. 

Participants cycle past castles, citadels, and rivers, ending each stage in festive town squares filled with music and local specialties. The atmosphere blends competition with camaraderie — more about shared effort and scenery than speed — making it one of Belgium’s most welcoming cycling events.

Plan your Five Countries Cycling Tour in late summer to overlap with the Tour de Namur and experience Wallonia’s scenic climbs alongside hundreds of Belgian riders.

Belgium’s Festivals & Cultural Events

1. Gentse Feesten (Ghent Festival)

When: July
Where: Ghent, Flanders
For whom: Culture lovers, families, and city cyclists

One of Europe’s biggest cultural street festivals, Gentse Feesten turns Ghent’s historic center into a 10-day celebration of music, theatre, and food. 

Cyclists arriving during the festival find the city buzzing with open-air concerts and art installations that spill into every square and canal corner. The blend of heritage architecture and contemporary creativity makes Ghent a truly unforgettable summer stop.

End your Brussels to Bruges Cycling Tour or Flanders Cycling Experiences in July, and trade your bike shoes for dancing shoes among the canals and squares.

2. Belgian Beer Weekend

When: Early September
Where: Brussels Grand Place
For whom: Beer enthusiasts, couples, and social riders

Belgium’s national beer festival fills the Grand Place with dozens of brewers, live music, and golden pints under ornate façades. The scent of malt and the hum of laughter carry through the historic streets, making it one of the capital’s most anticipated weekends. 

For cyclists finishing their ride, it’s a perfect place to toast the journey in true Belgian style.

Finish your Brussels to Bruges Cycling Tour just as the Beer Weekend begins, and enjoy your recovery drink among the best brewers in the world.

3. Zythos Beer Festival

When: Late April
Where: Leuven, Flemish Brabant
For whom: Beer aficionados and cultural explorers

The Zythos Beer Festival in Leuven is one of Europe’s largest tasting events, bringing together hundreds of Belgian breweries under one roof.

Riders cycling through the region can sample a vast range of Trappist, Abbey, and craft beers in the hometown of Stella Artois — a city that lives and breathes brewing heritage. The festival’s lively yet laid-back atmosphere makes it a perfect cultural pause mid-tour.

Plan your Flanders Cycling Experiences route to include Leuven in spring and join locals in celebrating Belgium’s brewing craft at its best.

4. Binche Carnival

When: February
Where: Binche, Wallonia
For whom: Culture and history enthusiasts, photographers, and curious travelers

A UNESCO-listed tradition dating back to the 14th century, the Carnival of Binche is one of Belgium’s most iconic cultural events. Locals dressed as “Gilles” parade through the streets in vibrant costumes, throwing oranges to the crowd as a symbol of good fortune. It’s an explosion of color and folklore that adds a magical twist to any winter adventure in southern Belgium.

Our tours don’t operate in winter, but this UNESCO spectacle is reason enough to visit Belgium in the colder months. 

Ride, Race, Celebrate

Belgium blends cycling passion with world-class festivals and a cultural calendar that never slows down. Whether you’re chasing the cobbles of Flanders, watching pros climb through the Ardennes, or relaxing at a beer festival in Bruges, every event adds new color to your journey.

Get in touch and we’ll help you plan your cycling holiday around Belgium’s iconic races and celebrations — or even join one yourself.