Spiritual Home of Cycling?

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On our club run this evening, we had a great chat.
Among the really interesting topics that we discussed was where is the spiritual home of cycling?

That got me thinking.

Many locations come to mind.
D'Huez.
The Galibier.
Champs Elyssee.
The Paris-Roubaix route.
The Dolomites.
The Pyrennees.
Flanders.

It's hard to pick one, when you think about it.

For me the spiritual home of cycling is Belgium. They race in hard, inclement
conditions with a constant wind off the North Sea/English Channel.
So my vote probably goes to P-R, Flanders locations.

Where do you consider the spiritual home of cycling to be and why?

La Chiesa di Madonna del Ghisallo.

La Chiesa di Madonna del Ghisallo.I second that. All cyclists should visit it.

But should any of you want to get spiritual, try riding the Tre Cime di Lavardo or the Stelvio. :eek:

I can't really say, since I've never been to Europe. From just watching on TV, and reading, I'd have to say it would be an epic climb. Probably D'Huez.

Considering most fanatic fans, I will say Flanders and the Basque country.

To me it is Flanders/Basque too.

PS: Do you know where that yellow flag is from on the left of your avatar?

It`s famous flemish flag! There are plenty of them at Belgian races. They made special rules how to handle with flags on races, because it became very dangerous with so many people waving with them when riders came past!

Oh..now I see you`re from Belgium and you probably now all that..:)

Cafe Madrid Paris.

L'Alpe DHuez. not even a contest.

rightly or wrongly, EVERYONE knows it. everyone wants to win it. people gravitate to it. 100,000's attend it.

Mortirolo,
do it with your own legs, or be part of a 100000 crowd and u can understand

Many locations come to mind.
D'Huez.
The Galibier.
Champs Elyssee.
The Paris-Roubaix route.
The Dolomites.
The Pyrennees.
Flanders.

All are important places to cycling, and hard to pick from.

I'd say (A) the cobblestones of the Low Countries & northern France, because that's where many of the first pro races were held, and (B) the northern Italy/Dolomites region, because that's where Tullio Campagnolo cut his teeth and built his shop, along with countless other Italian frame makers.

being basque I would second Basque as the spiritual home of cycling. besides we have a madonna too like in Ghisallo. The Virgin of Dorleta, theoretically the patron saints of spanish and Basque riders( many first class females riders around this area are called Dorleta, a beautiful name and a nice ride, too, as the santuarty cold only be on a rather high hill

I suppose that Belgium lays claim to it as much as anyplace. Is there really anyplace like the Muur. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoEGWTCFQQI&mode=related&search=
M

For personal reasons, I have to also toss in a minor climb in Majorca called the Col de se Creu.

Paris-Roubaix for me, especially one when it rains.

Nothing seems as classic and dramatic as PR. The history, the weather, the elements of luck (painful punctures just at the wrong moments), the crashes and then the finish in the velodrome.

And, it all starts and finishes on one grueling 265 km day.

It's like a Shakespearean tragedy.

I love Paris-Roubiax the most.