Here at Sports Tours International we offer a wide selection of European amateur cycling events. Here is our list of the best put together by Alex our Head of Product and Operations.
Our aim is to provide the best support in the business so you can focus on enjoying the event without having to worry about the (sometimes complicated) logistics that come with getting to and from the event and its start and finish. On our events single travellers can join our group and we provide a race briefing, additional food and assistance points along the course and various other additional race services. To give you an overview of what’s available and what each event has on offer in terms of distance, difficulty, entry availability and access we have put together the below list for you.
Cyclo-Sportives and Gran Fondo
The name Gran Fondo is often used in the US for cycling events. In Europe the name Cyclo-Sportive tends to be used more in France while Gran Fondo is used more often in Italy for the events there. In terms of what they are, there is no real difference between the two types of events apart from the name. These amateur cycling events tend to be of a competitive nature with usually closed roads to traffic, cut off times, timing, start pens based on performance plus the need to obtain a medical certificate from your doctor. We offer a convenient Medical Certification Service and also specialist sports travel insurance
Multi-Day Cyclo-Sportives
With the conception of the Haute Route series of events, a whole new trend started for tough, multi-day competitive cycling events where you will live like a Pro cyclist for a week. It all started with the Haute Route Alps, then the Haute Route Pyrenees and Haute Route Dolomites followed and in 2017 there will also be the inaugural Haute Route Rockies and Haute Route Mont Ventoux. Please have a look at our round up of these events here – ‘The best multi-day Cyclo-Sportive events’
Ride and Watch weekends (Cyclo-Touristique and UCI Pro race weekends)
In France and Belgium it is not allowed to have several competitive events in the same weekend. To get round this the amateur event is classed as a non-competitive Cyclo-Touristique. This happens when there are several cycling events taking place within days of each other in the same area with for example an amateur event followed by a professional cycling race the next day. The main difference between Cyclo- Sportives and Cyclo Touristiques is the competitive element. Touristiques tend to be non-timed, on open roads to the traffic without a winner and without the need to have a medical certificate.
Cycling events with amateur events attached to them taking place the day before or the day after in the same weekend give you the opportunity to ‘Ride and Watch’. You can ride the event first before watching the Pros showing you how it’s done the day after. Some examples are: the Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. For our complete selection of 2017 ‘Ride and Watch’ weekends, have a look here: ‘2017 Ride and Watch weekends’.
The 10 best Cyclo Sportives and Gran Fondo events
No 1 – The Etape du Tour
When: Sunday July 16th, 2017
Where: From Briancon to the Col d’Izoard, French Alps
Field: 15000 riders
Distance: 180km
Ascent: 4500m
Climbs: Col de Vars, Col d’Izoard
Accessibility: Fly into Geneva or Turin or drive
Entry availability: On sale in October 2016, likely to be sold out in January 2017, guaranteed entries with Sports Tours International
What’s so special about it?: This is your chance to ride a stage of the Tour de France, the greatest cycle race in the world. Every year you have the opportunity to test yourself against the riders of the pro Peloton on the exact same course on closed roads. The stage which is chosen usually alternates between a Pyrenean and an Alpine stage but in 2016 and 2017, we break with this tradition as like in 2015 we are in the Alps. With many Pros now present on Strava, you can even have a look to see how you did against their speed, power output and heart rate.
No 2 – La Marmotte Alps
When: Sunday July 2nd, 2017
Where: From Bourg d’Oisans to Alpe d’Huez
Field: 8500 riders
Distance: 170km
Ascent: 5000m
Climbs: Col du Glandon, Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier, Alpe d’huez climb
Accessibility: Fly into Geneva or Lyon or drive
Entry availability: On sale in December, sold out within a day, guaranteed entries with Sports Tours
What’s so special about it?: The Granfondo Marmotte is an extremely tough event. It is a 170km Alpine climbing bonanza between Bourg d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez with 5000m of climbing. The event does not take place on closed roads but there are rolling road closures. The Marmotte is a firm favourite for foreign riders with the field containing just 20% French riders. Previous winners of the Marmotte include Dutchman Laurens ten Dam before he turned pro. There are no cut off points en-route but you have to get to the bottom of Alpe d’Huez before 18.30 otherwise you will not be allowed to start the climb and you will be taken up to your hotel by car. In 2015 the Marmotte took place on an adjusted course without the Galibier as the Tunnel du Chambon was closed and it was also extremely hot that day. In 2016 we were back on the ‘classic’ route.
No 3 – Maratona dles Dolomites
Our first Italian event on the list is the Maratona dles Dolomites. The Maratona dles Dolomites is widely regarded as one of the toughest cycling events around, packing in a lot of climbing despite its relatively short distance
When: Sunday July 2nd 2017
Where: Italian Dolomites
Field: 8500 riders
Distance: 138km
Ascent: 4100m
Climbs: Passo Campologno, Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, Giau, Valparola, Mur DL Giat
Accessibility: Fly into Venice Marco Polo or Treviso airport and take our airport transfer
Entry availability: On sale in December, sold out within a day, guaranteed entries with Sports Tours
What’s so special about it?: Not because of the distance but the amount of climbing packed into the route. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2016, the Maratona is held in the beautiful Italian Dolomites. This is a quality event, from the event itself and its flawless organisation to the hotel standard. Even though the Maratona dles Dolomites is not one of the longest, it makes up for it with the amount of climbing. It manages to pack 4190m of climbing into its 138km course. The race can be done in 3 different ways of varying difficulty: the Sellaronda course, the Middle course and the Maratona course. All riders start at 06:30am in the village of La Villa and the Sellaronda course with 4 mountain passes will be completed first. After completing the Sellaronda course riders can either choose to finish the race or carry on and do the Middle course. As the full Maratona course is basically an extension of the preceding shorter Middle course, riders who want to tackle the full Maratona dles Dolomites have to do the middle course after the Sella Ronda course.
No 4 – Gran Fondo Quebrantahuesos
The Gran Fondo Quebrantahuesos or “la Quebranta” or the ‘Bone Breaker’, as this event is commonly called is Spain’s most popular Cyclo-Sportive. The event takes place on Saturday the 17th of June 2017 in the Spanish and French Pyrenees. Spain’s largest Cyclo-Sportive starts and finishes in Sabiñánigo. We love cycling in the Pyrenees and so will you so to stay around a bit longer, we offer you the option to extend your time in the Pyrenees with our Raid Pyrenean which takes place straight after from June 19th until June 25th 2017.
When: Saturday June 17th 2017
Where: Sabiñánigo
Field: 8000 riders
Distance: 200km
Ascent: 3500m
Climbs: Col du Somport (1604m), Col du Marie Blanque (1035m), Col du Portalet (1795m)
Accessibility: Biarritz airport
Entry availability: On sale in December, sold out within a day, guaranteed entries with Sports Tours
What’s so special about it? As this event passes through spectacular protected areas of natural beauty and for the participant’s safety, the number of cyclists is limited to a relatively small field. For this reason and given the high demand to enter, there is a lottery and the event is vastly over-subscribed so is extremely difficult to get into. Hotels in the area are also very difficult to get. That’s where we come in!
No 5 – Gran Fondo Nove Colli
The Nove Colli Gran Fondo is one of Italy’s original and oldest Gran Fondo events. The Gran Fondo of the 9 hills takes place in and around Cesenatico on the Adriatic coast, also known as the place where Marco Pantani grew up and trained. The event is tough with a distance of 200km to be conquered and 3800 metres of climbing across, you have guessed it; 9 hills. The shorter 130km distance takes you across 4 hills.
When: Sunday May 21, 2017
Where: Cesenatico
Field: 9000 riders
Distance: 200km
Ascent: 3800m
Climbs: 9 climbs
Accessibility: Bologna airport
Entry availability: On sale in November, sold out within less than 3 minutes!!, guaranteed entries with Sports Tours International
What’s so special about it? As far as Italian Gran Fondo events go, this is an absolute classic. A weekend spent at the Nove Colli is not just about cycling an absolutely marvellous event but the build up around the event, the local support and the cycling festival are brilliant as well. The seaside resort of Cesenatico on the Adriatic coast is a fabulous place to stay. If you do manage to be one of the 9000 lucky people who get an entry, you will have the time of your (cycling) life.
No 6 – Gran Fondo Stelvio Santini
Some mountains are deemed so special that they are given their own yearly event. The Passo dello Stelvio is one of those events. The Mortirolo and the Stelvio are two of the most beautiful climbs in the world that echo with the feats of Fausto Coppi and Marco Pantani. Now for the sixth time, the Granfondo Stelvio Santini will allow you to pit yourself against these legendary climbs and follow in the pedal strokes of some of the greatest cycling icons. There are three routes on offer – short (60km), medium (137.9 km) and long (151.3 km).
When: Sunday June 11, 2017
Where: Bormio
Field: 3500 riders
Distance: 150km
Ascent: 4000m
Climbs: Teglio, Mortirolo, Stelvio
Accessibility: Milan Malpensa, Bergamo Airports
Entry availability: On sale in October. Guaranteed entries with Sports Tours International
What’s so special about it? The Stelvio is surely one that features on the bucket list of all amateur cyclists. To also climb the Mortirolo in the same event is an opportunity to be grabbed with both arms. Riders will each receive a Granfondo Stelvio Santini cycling jersey – made in Italy by Santini Maglificio Sportivo – as part of their race pack. If you conquer the Stelvio and complete the Granfondo, you will also receive an exclusive ‘finishers only’ ImadelT cap! In 2017 the organizers of the Granfondo Stelvio Santini have decided to raise the number of competitors to 3500, to allow more people to enjoy this incredible ride.
No 7 – Gran Fondo Milan San Remo
The Milan San Remo cycling spring classic race is the first major challenge on the cycling calendar each year. At just shy of 300 kilometres in distance it is also the longest event on the calendar. It takes place in March and it always seems to come up with some unexpected events. In recent years we have seen torrential rain and snow and landslides. To give you the opportunity to ride this event under (hopefully) some better weather conditions, you can take part in the Gran Fondo Milan San Remo in June 2017. The MILAN – SAN REMO cicloturistica began in 1970 on the initiative of the Unione Cicloturistica Sanremo, and they have organized it ever since without a break, making it into the most famous cicloturistica event in Italy: in 2017 we will celebrate the 47th edition. The 2013/2014 editions welcomed in all about 2,000 athletes coming from all over Europe, with the participation also of athletes from countries as far away as New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Brazil, the United States and Canada.
When: Sunday June 11, 2017
Where: Milan
Field: 1500 riders
Distance: 290km
Ascent: 2650m
Climbs: Turcchino, Cipressa, Poggio
Accessibility: Milan Malpensa, Nice Airports
Entry availability: On sale in December. Guaranteed entries with Sports Tours International
What’s so special about it? This is the longest one day amateur cycling event in the world, with a distance of about 296 km from the outskirts of Milan, crossing the Lombardy and Piedmont Plains, proceeding to the ascent of the Turchino and arriving finally at the Ligurian Riviera. From Genoa the route follows the coast of the Ligurian sea right to the finish line, which can only be conquered by venturing up the legendary climbs of the Cipressa and the Poggio of San Remo.
No 8 – Marmotte Gran Fondo Pyrenees
New in 2016, the first Marmotte Pyrenees took place in the French Pyrenees. During August Bank Holiday weekend in 2017 the 2nd edition of one of the toughest amateur cycling events you can do: the Marmotte Gran Fondo Pyrenees will take place. The formula is the same as the Marmotte in the Alps but with slightly less distance but more climbing; 163km with 5500m of climbing. The Tourmalet, the Hourquette d’Ancizan (1564m) and the Col d’Aspin (1489m) before the final Hors Categorie climb up to Hautacam.
When: Sunday August 27, 2017
Where: Luz Saint Sauveur
Field: 1500 riders
Distance: 175km
Ascent: 5500m
Climbs: Tourmalet, the Hourquette d’Ancizan (1564m), Col d’Aspin (1489m), Hautacam.
Accessibility: Toulouse airport
Entry availability: On sale in December. Guaranteed entries with Sports Tours International
What’s so special about it? The infamous Col du Tourmalet is climbed from both sides in one day as well as the other iconic Pyrenean ascents. A one day cycling challenge like no other, this surely is one of the toughest events you can do as an amateur cyclist.
No 9 – UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Albi, France
Something a bit different on number 9 in our rundown of the top 10 best European Cyclosportive and Gran Fondo events. Did you know that you could qualify for the 2017 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships and that you could wear the official UCI rainbow jersey for a year? It is not as difficult as you may think either. Just enter into one of the 19 official qualifier events and finish in the top 20% of your age group. You will then receive an invitation to take part in the 2017 UCI world championships which takes place in Albi near Toulouse in August 2017.
When: Sunday August 27, 2017
Where: Albi, France
Field: 1500 riders
Distance: Various
Ascent: N/A
Climbs: N/A
Accessibility: Toulouse airport
Entry availability: On sale now. Guaranteed entries with Sports Tours International
What’s so special about it? The infamous Col du Tourmalet is climbed from both sides in one day as well as the other iconic Pyrenean ascents. A one day cycling challenge like no other, this surely is one of the toughest events you can do as an amateur cyclist.
No 10 – Prudential RideLondon – Surrey
Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 forms part of the London 2012 Olympics legacy events for cycling. It is your opportunity to cycle on closed roads around London, and most importantly for Cyclosportive riders, ride a route that replicates much of the 2012 Olympics Road Race course. The new Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 46 mile distance event takes place on the same day as the 100, setting off after all the “100” riders have departed – this is ideal for those wanting the RideLondon experience, without the stress of riding 100 miles.
When: July 30 2017
Where: London
Field: riders
Distance: 160km (100 miles)
Ascent: 1250m
Climbs: Leith Hill, Box Hill
Accessibility: Various London Airports, trains etc.
Entry availability: On sale in December, sold out within a day, guaranteed entries with Sports Tours
What’s so special about it?: Riding on closed roads around all the famous landmarks in London. An incredible experience. The ride will pass through nine London boroughs and the county of Surrey, before returning to Central London for a finish on The Mall. Later in the afternoon there will also be a Pro cycling event. Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic is the UCI event for 150 of the world’s best cyclists. The route of the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic is a variation on the London 2012 Olympic Road Race route. It will follow a similar route as the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 course and feature a route extension (in Surrey) to meet UCI pro race requirements. You will be able to watch the finish of the Pro Race on the Mall this afternoon after you have finished yourself and got changed at the hotel.
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