Mallorca – road biking

Cait — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:00:42 +0000

With sub zero temperatures and snow hitting Zurich 2 weeks ago the first reaction is to think how much you’d love to jump on a plane to Spain. So I did. Mallorca seems to be the place to go for road bike training and a must do for any cyclist, this would normally put me off because I don’t like following the crowds but the opportunity for a last minute trip was too good a chance to miss. It lived up to it’s reputation despite the weather being ‘bad’ for most of the week – just meaning the locals were out in their winter boots and down jackets and there were some very strong headwinds but no leggings required for cycling. Lots of big climbs, super smooth tarmac, undulating roads along the coast, millions of hairpins bends and of course some sunshine.

7 days, 18 hours riding, 13500m climbing, 460km and plenty of coffee stops. Calves survived thanks to Compressport Full Legs and I now have an excuse to avoid riding the rollers inside for a while!

Italian road biking

Cait — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 18:21:28 +0000

Italy, the home of excellent coffee, amazing fresh pasta, super cheap homemade icecream, great red wine, big mountains and warm sunny weather in October – everything a cyclist could want from fueling great rides through to good quality recovery. Given all that it’s reputation for having a big cycling culture is no surprise but you really have to see it to believe the extent of it.

I recently spent two days road biking between Lugano in southern Switzerland and Lake Como (where the Tour of Lombardia takes place). The area itself is incredibly beautiful, a huge lake lined with countryside villas of the likes of George Clooney and surrounded by semi tropical high mountains. I’ve never seen so many groups of cyclists out on the roads. But these were no goobers, oozing euro-style, they didn’t just hand over a wad of notes and buy the most expensive bike they could see, they were all cyclists. All dressed impeccability in matching club kit, riding very nice and stylish selected bikes, with perfect pedalling technique and cadence. Everyone from young kids to old grandads. No rocket launcher saddle bags or wing mirrors. No hairy legs and lycra. No Tri-bars for hill climbs. No Pro-team replica jerseys.

The riding was amazing, undulating roads swoop around the shores of the lake passing through old stone tunnels and pretty villages. Cars beep encouragement rather than running you off the road. As soon as you turn off the lake you are into proper mountains with long, steep climbs and fast fun descents. We made a detour up a steep 8km climb up to the impressive Madonna del Ghisallo a church for the Italian patron of cycling filled with the bikes and jerseys of some of the biggest names in cycling.

It’s not clever to eat icecream at the bottom of a big hill…

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Mallorca – road biking

Italian road biking