Top 3 Cycling Holiday Destinations for 2019
Hi, it’s Clare here from Epic Road Rides. I travel around the world, explore the best places to ride, find the best routes and then write about them at www.epicroadrides.com (yes, I’m very lucky!).
Part of my job is making sure I’ve always got one eye on the next destination.
That’s where the idea for this post came from.
The stolen goat team asked me: if you could only go to three places this year, what would they be?
And here’s my answer. Enjoy!
1 - Costa de Almeria, Spain - Early or Late season trip
Almeria – Copyright Epic Road Rides
Almeria – Copyright Epic Road Rides
featuring Stolen Goat Rampant jersey & gloves
The Costa where? And that’s exactly the point. The Costa de Almeria has a 217 km coastline, north of Malaga and south of Alicante – but hardly anyone has heard of it.
Based on a tip-off from a local pro cyclist, one of our team headed out there last week to find out if the talk of Alpe d’Huez like climbs and deserted smooth tarmac was true.
While there, he sent me this WhatsApp message: “I think I will shock one or two people when they read my Almeria comments. This place is amazing and far surpasses Calpe or Mallorca. I’ve ridden all over Europe and quite simply, on a number of fronts, this is the place to ride your bike – weather, road quality, traffic free, great climbs, beaches – in reality the local tourist board are not doing their job! ”
I’m so excited to read his full report and create a new guide on this undiscovered gem; it sounds like it could be the new early season training destination for those in the know. You heard it here first!
More info: sign up to the Epic Road Rides email list to make sure you don’t miss our guide to the Costa de Almeria.
2 - Bormio, Italy - Summer //
Passo dello Stelvio Bormio – Copyright Epic Road Rides
Lago di Cancano – Copyright Epic Road Rides
In contrast to the Costa de Almeria, Bormio is a cycling destination that’s very much on the radar.
We visited in July last year and absolutely loved it. You’re in the heart of the Italian Alps, surrounded on all sides by climbs that light up TV sets around the world – the Stelvio, Mortirolo, Gavia and Umbrail Pass. The town itself is perfect for a summer holiday – there are lovely small family-run hotels, superb restaurants, sports parks and activities for the kids (think ball pools, a bike park with daily lessons for kids, tubing, pony rides, trampolines, go-karts etc). Bormio is also famous for its hot springs – and the rooftop pool at the municipal thermal baths is stunning.
If you’re feeling tempted, here’s the icing on the cake – time your visit carefully and you can ride the area’s most famous climbs car-free on closed roads, for free. How amazing would that be?
More info: Stelvio Day 2019 will be 31 August 2019. The dates for closure of the other roads haven’t been published yet but we’ll be sharing them on our Facebook page once they’re announced. Like @epicroadrides on Facebook to be in the know. Our in-depth guide to cycling from Bormio is here.
3 - Yorkshire - September //
Yorkshire Dales – Copyright cycle.yorkshire.com
Yorkshire – Copyright cyclingweekly.com
The spotlight will be on Yorkshire this September as the UCI Road World Championships come to the region.
From 21-29 September the stage is set for a festival of world class cycling, including time trials, road racing and para cycling, all against the backdrop of the stunning Yorkshire Dales. Races staged in Yorkshire are always known for their big crowd support, and having a buzzy atmosphere full of passion and excitement. If you live in the UK, this is an event not to miss!
We’re heading up to Yorkshire in May to put together one of our in-depth destination guides to the area (including the best rides, information on where to stay, bike hire and more). So when you head up to watch the World road races, why not bring your bike too?!
With the Worlds in Yorkshire and Brexit uncertainties making the UK an attractive destination (whether you’re a UK resident worried about border queues or a tourist wanting to benefit from potentially favourable exchange rates), 2019 is undoubtedly the year for a trip to Yorkshire!
More info: Stolen Goat are planning to be at the Worlds in Yorkshire this year – sign up to their email list for more details, and ours to hear when our new Yorkshire guide is ready!
I hope this post has left you feeling inspired to explore some new destinations and if you’re looking for further information/inspiration make sure you visit www.epicroadrides.com.
Happy riding and until next time,
Clare
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