A craving for the Flemish spring, or just a really big thirst?
Equipped with retro racing bikes and matching cycling jerseys from the ’70s and ’80s rented from the museum, we’re raring to go—like true Flandriens—for our first group ride of the year.
‘Tour of the Local Pubs’
We’ve chosen this 35-km route along the cycling junction network. Opened in 2024, the route passes by eleven traditional pubs, neighborhood bars, and brasseries, guaranteeing warm hospitality in an authentic setting. Each of these cafés forms the beating heart of its (village or neighborhood) community. At the bar, there’s undoubtedly enough cycling knowledge to spark a discussion over a pint about the favorites for the upcoming Flemish cobbled classics. And we certainly don’t have to worry about refreshments along the way on this route.
Cycling history on display
Before setting off, we take a moment to look at the statue of Jempi Monsere next to the museum entrance and the street art in the museum garden, featuring portraits of Lotte Kopecky, Freddy Maertens, and Rik Van Looy, among others. But on this chilly morning, it’s really time to warm up. The first part of the route is a loop through the Krottegem neighborhood where Jempi Monseré lived. We also ride past the Rodenbach brewery, dating from 1821. Here they produce the city’s quintessential liquid heritage.
Fortunately, traditional neighborhood cafés still exist
The number of cafés is rapidly declining these days. That’s why it’s nice to still be able to get a taste of typical Flemish café culture. Café Sanseveria, near the harbor in Roeselare, is one such neighborhood café. It lives up to its name with the plants of the same name sitting on the windowsill. A quick glance through the window reveals the characteristic red-and-white checkered plastic tablecloths and old photos on the wall. Here, it’s all about the experience. With a retro bicycle in front of the façade, everything evokes times gone by.
A quick look at the track
Just past Kerkplein in Rumbeke, near Café Torentje—which also lives up to its name—a signpost leads us to the Defraeye-Secu cycling track. This velodrome was built in 1918 behind the former Café des Sport owned by cyclist Odiel Defraeye, who in 1912 became the first Belgian to win the Tour de France. Patrick Sercu made his debut there as a rookie in 1960 and learned the trade of track cycling there. The current track, built in 2011, has the same dimensions as the wooden track at the Kuipke in Ghent. It’s definitely worth a visit, though this is only possible with a guide.
Hooray, a cobblestone climb!
The temperature is rising, causing the mist to slowly evaporate as we ride out of town. This makes for some beautiful scenes. Muze’um L on Bergstraat in Zilverberg is beautifully integrated into the rolling landscape. The modern building is situated on the Light Meridian, creating a beautiful play of light. Here, near the highest point of Roeselare, we find the only (cobblestone) climb on our route—300 m at an average gradient of 2.7%. Time to test how strong our legs are at the start of the cycling season. For a quick drink after this effort, the Zilverberg Station—after all, the train used to stop in the village—is a great spot. The friendly atmosphere at the bar makes us linger for a while.
Further along rural roads
Via Beitem and Koekuithoek, we arrive in De Ruiter. Time to stock up. We stop at Café d’Oude Glorie. Here, you can still find “schelle van de zeuge” or a “stuute met kop” on the menu. You can literally and figuratively taste the atmosphere of the good old days. Whether that’s so good for our legs is debatable, but today we feel like true Flandriens from the old days. The farm boys from this region who went on to race were surely served the same at home.
Roeselare cycling tales
But of course, we can’t leave the cycling city of Roeselare without getting a taste of the local cycling history. With another 35 km of the Jempi Monsere and Cycling Heroes routes, “the Brave, and now especially Thirsty, Cyclists” have made it a great day of cycling. We therefore conclude with a much-appreciated visit to the new experiential brasserie “Het Foederhuis” at the Rodenbach brewery. With 70 km on the odometer and a personalized bottle of liquid Roeselare heritage, we head home satisfied.
Text and Photos: Rens Klaasse
