Training in the mountains

[Kluckpang]

I want to know where in Europe you could go to get good training in the mountains.
I don't want to go on some kind of training camp with guides or something like that, I want to go alone.
I live in Sweden with no mountains in sight.
I want to go to a place where the car drivers care abou the cyclists, not like in Sweden where they almost hit me when I ride on the roads.
It would be good if the place had a lot of different mountains to ride uphill.
I think I would like to go on a training camp (by myself) for about 1-2 weeks.

 

[Arnout]

Depends on what you want to do - medium mountains or high mountains?

High mountains are fun, but these areas often lack smaller roads, you're pretty much forced to take the big pass roads with traffic, other cyclists and everything else getting in your way (of course, this depends a bit on the area).

I prefer medium-to-high mountain areas, think Lake of Annecy, Central Massif or Northern Italy. Roads are more varied, route planning is a lot more flexible and I personally prefer climbing 5-10km a few times to climbing 25km once or twice.

 

[AJ101]

The high mountains are great if youre fit but pretty much once you start a ride you're committed to it because there are no shortcut options. if the weather becomes extremely cold, which it's likely to you just have to tough it out.

Alternatively, if you were to go somewhere like Tuscany in Italy you can ride beautiful sweeping climbs interspersed with villages and shortcuts all day long, with motorists that give you plenty of space.

base yourself in one of the big cities for amenities and food and you'll soon see why the pros used to always use Tuscany for training camps before Tenerife and Gerona.

 

[Kluckpang]

I would like to have both medium and high mountains.
I'm more of an explosive cyclist, that has spent to much time on the gym.
I'm trying to lose some upper body muscles and build stronger legs and have more stamina.

 

[avanti]

Come to Colorado - you can fly to Denver via Icelandic Airlines.

 

[DFA123]

I want to know where in Europe you could go to get good training in the mountains.
I don't want to go on some kind of training camp with guides or something like that, I want to go alone.
I live in Sweden with no mountains in sight.
I want to go to a place where the car drivers care abou the cyclists, not like in Sweden where they almost hit me when I ride on the roads.
It would be good if the place had a lot of different mountains to ride uphill.
I think I would like to go on a training camp (by myself) for about 1-2 weeks.

If you're by yourself The Pyrenees is a great choice (French side way better than Spanish side). Especially if you stay in somewhere like Argeles Gazost, St Lary Soulan or Luchon, there are loads and loads of great climbs you can do without having to keep moving location every other day. It would be good any time from June to October and most of the climbs are open in April, May and November as well (not the highest ones though like Tourmalet/Aubisque).

Tenerife and Andalucia are great in the winter, spring and autumn; the climbs in Tenerife are steeper and closer together, but Andalucia has slightly less traffic (somewhere like Grazalema or Sierra Nevada). Picos de Europa / Somiedo / Angliru are amazing in the summer. The Alps tend to get very busy in summer (which is the best time to go) with cars and motorbikes - especially nothern Italy around Stelvio and the lakes. For smaller climbs - up to 1000m - Pantani's region around Carpegna is fantastic, or the Apuan Alps in the north of Tuscany. Basque Country is good as well, but it tends to rain a lot.

I have always find drivers to behave best towards cyclists in Spain, closely followed by France. Both these countries have laws where cars have to pass at least 1.5m from a bike and there has been a lot of campaigning in Spain in the last few years so it is pretty widely followed now. Also the population density is low in the main cycling areas of both countries - so traffic isn't generally a problem. Italy is much worse in my experience - especially in Tuscany and the north - cars pass really close. The less populated areas like Marche and Emilia Romagna are better in terms of drivers, but the road surfaces are often quite poor there.

 

[@NL_LeMondFans]

My basecamp is Saint Girons, in the Pyrénées (french side). It might not be the most famous part of the region but I think it is one of the best. There isn't a single year when the TDF doesn't pass through St Girons. Here's why : you have an awesome variety of difficulties around. You have several 15km, 7% average climbs (Col d'Agnes both sides), Col de Mente, Col du Portet d'Aspet). You have shorter rides too, like 10km. Col de Port is like 12km but only 5% average which would suit you profile very well. And if you're up to it, you can go left at mid climb and head off to Mur de Péguère with its 16-18% ramps for 3km.
Then you have lots and lots of average climbs at 10km and 5% average (irregular : flat portions and up to 12% portions). The valley in between mountains also provides some rest or quieter rides.

I never get bored, there. It's impossible. And it suits your profile/shape whatever it is.

In terms of driving, you want to avoid a few big roads because cars go fast but most of the time they are very respectful. people living in the mountain admire riders and believe it pays tribute to their mountain so most of the time you'll meet smiles and people rooting for you.

 

[TheDuke]

I could also add south eastern France(including Corsica) is an excellent place to base yourself for 1 to 2 weeks of mountain work. In general the weather is reasonable (could be regarded as excellent if you a from more difficult climates). There are a wealth of good climbs - many of the pros live and train on throughout the year, road surfaces are mostly excellent, and once you are away from the main towns in the "arriere pays" traffic is minimal. In fairness the climbs are probably not as well known or regarded as those in the northern alpes or Pyrennes, but there are certainly no lack of challenges. Somewhere within the general forum and this was a few year ago, there was a guy who described many of the mountain climbs in Corsica and the Southern Alpes - he actually did this on many other areas as well, and it was really a delight to read it - fantastic and one of the best items I have ever read on this forum. See if you can find it If you need any further questions answered on biking in the area I describe I can try and help

 

[Huffsa]

Livigno is also a nice place. A bit of a hazzle to get there unless you have or rent a car. A lot of pros go there for training in the summer. It's a nice village also. You have Stelvio and Gavia quite close, and also some other nice mountains. But as previously mentioned, there is some traffic at these roads in the summer. I have never stayed in Bormio, but I imagine that would be a good starting point as well, and much easier access from airports, but not the same "mountain village" feel. It's right by both Stelvio and Gavia. and you can also reach Mortirolo, and I think you have some nice roads going south, but I'm not sure about that.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Medium-sized mountains: Basque Country. Much respect for cyclists there, and nearly everywhere you go is small or medium-sized climbs. You could go for Cantabria giving you the choice to do some larger Asturian climbs like Lagos de Covadonga nearby if you wish as well. Also the area around Novi Ligure (the base for Girardengo, Coppi et al) to Genoa, with the great northern Apennine climbs - classics like Bocchetta and Nostra Signora della Guardia as well as a couple of larger monoliths like Monte Beigua are accessible from here.

Large mountains: Valle d'Aosta has a lot of comparatively quiet cycling roads owing to its tragically being much overlooked in major races, while Cortina d'Ampezzo and much of German-speaking Italy to its west are excellent bases as well.

 

[42x16ss]

The Basque region is meant to be superb, I haven't ridden around there but I could see it being excellent. I've been to San Sebastian and Bilbao a few times but never with my bike, I'd love to spend a week or two exploring.

Lombardia is another excellent region, I spent nearly three weeks in Menaggio last year and had an amazing time. There are dozens of 8-12 km climbs in the area and even though the roads are quite narrow, the drivers are very used to having riders there at all times of the day. The mornings are very quiet anyway until around 10am so that makes things very easy if you're used to starting early. The Madonna del Ghisallo is a must visit as well and the Stelvio, Gavia and Mortirolo are only a day trip away if you can get hold of a car and you can ride to Varese/Mendrisio in a day quite easily.

 

[LPP68!]

I've been for a very short while (1day) in Riva di Garda, at the northern tip of Lake Garda in Trentino, Italy. I've only done 1 trip, over the Monte Velo, and that was a very pleasant experience. The town marktets itself as a Walhalla for cyclists, and there is really a lot of infrastructure for people like you. There are several bikeshops, hotels are very much catering for cyclists in terms of possibilities for storages, food etcetera, and the touristoffice has done a lot to create safe and challeging routes.
I did thingk the region was quite expensive though.

 

[staubsauger]

What about Südtirol/ Bozen and/or the Vosges?
Especially for rookies.

 

[doxter]

Re:

I could also add south eastern France(including Corsica) is an excellent place to base yourself for 1 to 2 weeks of mountain work. In general the weather is reasonable (could be regarded as excellent if you a from more difficult climates). There are a wealth of good climbs - many of the pros live and train on throughout the year, road surfaces are mostly excellent, and once you are away from the main towns in the "arriere pays" traffic is minimal. In fairness the climbs are probably not as well known or regarded as those in the northern alpes or Pyrennes, but there are certainly no lack of challenges. Somewhere within the general forum and this was a few year ago, there was a guy who described many of the mountain climbs in Corsica and the Southern Alpes - he actually did this on many other areas as well, and it was really a delight to read it - fantastic and one of the best items I have ever read on this forum. See if you can find it If you need any further questions answered on biking in the area I describe I can try and help

wouldnt mind a little link to the piece you reference The Duke

anyone offering much on Sicily and good towns for a weeks base for climbing ??

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

What about Südtirol/ Bozen and/or the Vosges?
Especially for rookies.

Like Libertine said, Cortina d'Ampezzo is a great base, but you can said the same for the whole Pustertal.
You can ride the classic passes and iconic climbs of the Dolomites, but right now the traffic is pretty bad, Tre Cime is still ok. right now some lesser known climbs like Neves-Stausee or Kiener Alm are maybe better options. If we talk about medium mountains and short but steep climbs you can ride the Pustertaler Höhenstraße and many similar short steep climbs on narrow roads that you find on the northern side of the valley, examples are the Pustertaler Sonnenstraße, Innichberg, Sillianberg, Ratsberg, Vierschachberg/Innichberg or Villgratner Höhenstraße. Sometimes the roads aren't that good, so you should be careful on the descent.
Kartitscher Sattel is another nice medium mountain climb and there's not much traffic on that climb.
If you are a great climber you can always try you luck in Lienz and ride the monstrous climbs that you can find in that area, but monsters like Zettersfeld, Hochsteinhütte, Faschingalm and Lienzer Dolomitenhütte are very steep and hard.

 

[massivecompacthalo]

North east Catalonia, avoid Girona area and head inland towards pre- Pyrenees. Top of Girona province, Barcelona province and Lleida province. Climbing in abundance from short to long distance, easy to incredibly hard gradients. Virtually traffic free and where there is traffic, very respectful.