Benelux / Vosges & Black Forest, May 2005

The initial idea was to eschew the mountains and get the Ks (and border-crossing) in - while also sampling some of northern Europe's most famous cycling roads - those used in the great spring classics Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Amstel Gold Race. But then we realised we're happiest when it's mountaineous, hot and sweaty. So we added the Vosges and Black Forest. Schnapps country clearly had something to offer.