With the first round of UCI qualifiers out of the way, a large contingent of Rouleurs are already getting excited about a trip to Varese, Italy in August/September next year!

The Italian landscape and cycling culture needs no introduction, so if you are looking for riding options outside the UCI event we are happy to share our experience having ridden in Italy many times.  Last year we coordinated a trip to Italy with a group of Rouleurs and stayed at bike hotels we know well.

Information Night

We are having an information night at our place for anyone interested in finding out more about the bike hotels we have visited in Italy.

Thursday, 23 November 7:30pm. Post in the comments for address to attend.

Cycling Italian style!

One of the most enjoyable aspects of cycling is having friends to share the ride. This June we spent three weeks cycling in Italy, two of them with a group of fellow Rouleurs and it was fabulous!

This EOI is to seek out those of you interested in joining a cycling trip to Italy in July 2017. The trip is not just for super fit racers, mountain goats or masochists; this trip has something for everyone and will be planned over the July school holidays to make it family friendly.

Some of the highlights from this year’s trip included;

• Sensational cycling in breath-taking locations, just ask any of those who were on the trip this year and refer the steady stream of glorious social media posts from June,
• The hospitality, food, accommodation and services at each of the hotels made it so much more than just a ‘cycling trip’, it was a complete holiday,
• Opportunity to twin or triple share with other Rouleurs to reduce costs and forge some enduring friendships,
• Babysitting options for kids allowed us to ride as a couple which was awesome; we are hoping to do more of this again.

Information Night

We are having an information night at our place for anyone interested in discussing the specifics. Wednesday, 19 October 7:30pm. Post in the comments for address to attend.

Itinerary

The itinerary is fully flexible with a choice of five locations in five different regions of Italy. It is your choice when you want to join, where you want to ride and how long you want to stay at each location. On the last trip by default, we all agreed on a core two-week itinerary that suited the majority. We hope to do the same again this time.

The trip is open to families, partners and non-riders, as there is plenty to see and do besides sensational riding. The hope is that at each location a group of Rouleurs will be present to ride together.

Ride locations

1. Fiuggi – 45mins south of Rome is a perfect entry point. The riding is challenging but not intimidating. Those of you who can accomplish a short hills ride will have a great time here, but even if hills are not your thing, there are still great ride options around the Roman countryside.
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, enjoy the beach and also stopping mid ride for a spectacular lunch. A great family destination the kids will love!
3. Pralormo – 45mins south of Turin has it all. From easy rides to the south as well as HC climbs in the Alps to the north. 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 bumpy. 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 in the heart of the Italian Alps. Epic climbs and hard days on the bike provide suffering and exhilaration in equal measure. Tick the bucket list every day!

At each location the plan is to stay in a family owned bike hotel that caters to cyclists, you will ride with the owners at some of these hotels. 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 the following:

• Breakfast, post ride afternoon snacks and amazing dinners included in 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 need to do at the end of the ride is drop your kit in the basket and it will be ready at breakfast,
• Full carbon road bikes available for rent including Pinarello Dogma F8’s if you prefer to leave your bike at home,

Costs

Costs quoted for this year’s trip are listed below to provide some guidance. We do not expect them to change too much but we will confirm 2017 prices in the next couple of weeks. July is typically high season in Europe.

You will be responsible for all payments directly to the respective hotels depending on your itinerary. We will not be handling your funds before, during or after the trip. A deposit will be required at each hotel to hold your booking. This system worked well this year.

Confirmation

Confirmation (i.e. deposit for accommodation booking) will be required in early 2017. These hotels are fully booked during the summer season so the sooner you can confirm your flights and accommodation the better. We will be making the first round of bookings by the end of October/early November.

Summary

There is a reason we keep going back year after year….we absolutely love cycling in Italy and you will not find another who does not agree. The level of care and effort these hotels put into making your cycling holiday unforgettable is what has prompted us to share the experience. We hope as many of you as possible will join us for a great adventure. Most airlines have their early bird fares on sale in the next few months so do not hesitate to jump on board!

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

BWA have revamped the Swan Valley Cyclo Sportif route, which is held on Sunday 26 June 2016. Previous years have been very popular and this year is yet another opportunity to ride with new and old team mates in a well organised event.

This year you have 3 route options:

• both A (80kms) & B (60kms) distance – one is hilly and one is flat.
• The C Distance is a flat 30kms.

SPR supports this event yearly with the help from volunteers, a club tent, photos and breakfast. We hope you support this key event and participate.

More about BWA & the details of event here: https://www.bwa.org.au/events/721/

Also see below for the current SPR teams for Cyclo Sportif Swan Valley:

*The above is the final team based on registered riders

** BWA has been notified on the course change from hills to flat. However, when you register this change is not reflected.

Let social committee (Laurensia) know if you want to add more team. We will update the above table accordingly. Each team has a maximum of 9 members. Place your name in the comments if you are interested in joining the above teams. Kindly ensure that you can keep up with the group you’ve committed to.

The SPR Wednesday Stock Rd Ride (Stockies) started in December of 2014 and has become a weekly ride with a dedicated family of regulars gathering outside the Raffles at 5:30am every Wednesday morning.

The feature of this ride is a self motivated challenge to complete as many Stockies as possible in 30mins. Over time we have seen many riders develop their climbing ability and progress to the club’s longer hills rides.

Fellow Rouleur Lorna Henson who is a professional photographer has done a great job capturing this spirited bunch in action a couple of weeks ago. Many thanks Lorna!

See her work & details on these links

https://www.facebook.com/Lorna-Henson-photographer-122898084397779/?ref=ts&fref=ts

All the photos from the day are available to be downloaded from our media section.