Inside the Tour of Flanders with Manuel Cardoso and Sergio Paulinho

The Tour of Flanders is more than a race — it's a cultural phenomenon, a brutally hard monument, and for the Flemish people, something close to a world championship. In this episode of _Cycling Conversations with inGamba_, host Molly Hurford and inGamba creative director and award-winning cycling photographer James Startt sit down with two riders who've lived it from the inside: Portuguese pros Sergio Paulinho and *Manuel Cardoso*. From white-knuckle descents at 80+ km/h and crashes into farm runoff, to broken cleats and moments of pure bewilderment, their stories bring the race to life in a way no broadcast ever could. This is the conversation you get when you're riding alongside former pros — and exactly the kind of access inGamba delivers on their Classics experiences. MEET THE GUESTS Sergio Paulinho is a former Portuguese professional cyclist who represented his country at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he claimed a silver medal in the road race — a result that earned him a spot on the classics squad at Liberty Seguros. A grand tour stage winner and all-around classics rouleur, Sergio raced the Tour of Flanders in 2005 and has the distinction of featuring in the Flanders Museum's permanent collection — albeit not for a winning photo. Manuel Cardoso is a former Portuguese professional road cyclist known as a prolific winner throughout his career, claiming around 10 victories a season at his peak and multiple national championship titles. A rider built for punchy, hilly classics, Manuel raced the Tour of Flanders multiple times — first as a wide-eyed neo-pro with RadioShack, and later as a seasoned domestique with a key tactical role. inGamba offers curated cycling travel experiences at the world's greatest races and most beautiful roads. Their Spring Classics trips put you in the middle of the action at the Tour of Flanders — with VIP access, behind-the-scenes intel, and guides who have actually raced and won these events. That includes inGamba guide Adrie van der Poel, the 1986 Tour of Flanders champion, who features in this very conversation. As Molly mentions in the episode: the best stories are the ones shared off-mic. The only way to hear them is to be on the trip. Check out all of our upcoming tours at http://ingamba.pro KEY TIMESTAMPS Time Topic 00:59 Welcome & intro — why Flanders matters 01:42 James Startt on Flanders as a monument 03:21 Introducing Sergio Paulinho & Manuel Cardoso 05:22 Manuel's first Flanders — the fans, the fight, the feeling 07:09 Manuel's sport directors: "You can do well here" 08:17 The descent into the Kwaremont — chaos at 80+ km/h 11:56 Paterberg in the rain: crashes, cleats, and catastrophe 13:08 Sergio's 2005 Flanders debut — the Olympic silver medalist arrives 15:30 Sergio crashes into a Flemish farm's finest 16:29 What it's really like in the middle of the peloton 17:23 Manuel: one month to recover from his first Flanders 18:20 Flanders vs. Roubaix — Kristoff, Sergio, and the debate 20:29 Adrie van der Poel and how racing has changed across generations 22:28 Team tactics from RadioShack to the Pogačar era CONNECT WITH INGAMBA 🌐 Website: http://ingamba.pro 📸 Instagram:   / ingamba   Cycling Conversations with inGamba is produced by inGamba. Hosted by Molly Hurford. Creative direction by James Startt.