Cycle Italian Style!

One of the most enjoyable aspects of cycling is having friends to share the ride. This year we were lucky enough to ride in five beautiful locations in Italy, but we missed our friends. We thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for SPR members to ride together and experience a truly unforgettable cycling adventure together.

This EOI is to seek out those of you who are interested in a cycling trip to Italy in June 2016. This trip is not just for super fit racers, mountain goats or masochists; this trip has something for everyone. There are a number of reasons why this month was chosen;

• It is early in Summer, the weather will be ideal for cycling,
• The European summer holidays will not be in full swing,
• The end of the trip is to coincide with the start of the Tour de France,
• It would be a great base training for those of you who have qualified for the UWCT in Perth or other longer participation rides or races.

The itinerary is intended to be fully flexible. We have put together an outline below covering five destinations. It is your choice when you want to join, where you want to ride and how long you want to stay. This trip is open to families, partners and non-riders also. The hope is that at each location there will be a group of SPR riders present to ride together.

Locations:

1. Fiuggi – 45mins south of Rome is the perfect entry point. The riding is challenging yet not intimidating. Those of you who can accomplish a short hills ride will have a great time here, but if you haven’t there are still great options available to you.
2. Cesenatico – On the beach, this area has lots of flat terrain but close enough to the Apennine foothills to give rides a bit more flavour; this is a perfect location for those who don’t like hills and enjoy stopping mid ride for a spectacular lunch!
3. Pralormo – 45mins South of Turin has it all. Easy rides to HC climbs in the Alps. If you are as serious about food and wine, as you are about cycling, this is one destination not to be missed. Milan is the best entry point for this location.
4. Peschiera del Garda – 20min from Verona, the riding starts to get more challenging here. Although there are easy rides, the terrain is lumpy. If you want a challenge there are plenty of them including HC climbs just up the road.
5. Bormio – Stelvio, Gavia & Mortirolo…there is no flat ground around here in the heart of the Italian Alps. Epic climbs and hard days on the bike provide suffering and exhilaration in equal measure.

 

At each location the plan is to stay in a family run bike hotel that caters to cyclists, you will ride with the owners in some locations. They truly understand how to make your cycling holiday unforgettable, because they have been doing it for years. What is unique about a bike hotel is they each provide;

• Breakfast, dinner and afternoon snacks as part of the accommodation price,
• Daily group rides with guides as well as van support on longer rides,
• Fully secured bike storage and workshop facilities,
• Overnight cycling kit washing service, all you do at the end of the day is pop your kit in the basket and it will be ready at breakfast,
• Full carbon road bikes available for rent – Pinarello and Bianchi depending on location,

Itinerary

The itinerary is listed below and the first day at each location will be the transfer day.

No.	Dates	Location	Hotel	Website
1	4 – 8 June 2016	Fiuggi	Silva Bike Hotel	www.silvasplendid.it
2	9 – 13 June 2016	Cesenatico	Lungomare Bike Hotel	www.hlungomare.com
3	14 – 18 June 2016	Pralormo	Piedmont Bike Hotel	www.piedmontbikehotel.com
4	19 – 24 June 2016	Peschiera del Garda	Garda Bike Hotel	www.gardabikehotel.com
5	25 – 30 June 2016	Bormio	Hotel Funivia	www.hotelfunivia.it

 

Transfers by private van/bus can be organised depending on number of people who require this. The alternatives are self-drive or use the efficient public transport network in Italy. We can work this out once we gauge numbers and interest.

Costs

No.	Hotel	Cost per NightRider(Incl. meals, twin share)	Cost per NightNon-rider(Incl. meals, twin share)	Bike HirePer day
1	Silva Bike Hotel	€120	€70	€35/day
2	Lungomare Bike Hotel	€120	€120	€35-60/day
3	Piedmont Bike Hotel	€120	€70	€40-60/day
4	Garda Bike Hotel	€174	€98	€40-70/day
5	Hotel Funivia	€99	€91	€40-60/day

You will need to make all payments directly to the respective hotels depending on your travels. We will not be handling funds before, during or after the trip. A deposit will be required at each hotel to hold your booking.

Confirmation

Confirmation (i.e. deposit paid for accommodation booking) will be required by 31 March 2016 at the latest. These hotels are usually fully booked during the summer season so the sooner you can book the better.

Information Night

TBA sometime in November 2015 where those interested can get into the nitty gritty details.

Summary

We absolutely love cycling in Italy and you are unlikely to find another who has tried it and does not agree. The level of care and effort these hotels put into making your cycling unforgettable is what has prompted us to put this plan together. We hope as many of you as possible will join us for a great adventure. Most airlines have their early bird fares on sale at the moment so don’t hesitate!

If you are interested in coming along, please add your name to the comments.