Well, that’s it for another season of full support cycling holidays – our 20th year! It seems to have passed by in the blink of an eye, and it’s been full-on, as ever!
In 2024 we rolled out 61 tours covering 24 different itineraries. We launched two new trips – our spectacular Northern French Alps and Swiss Alps flexible pace tours. We redesigned our epic Raid Dolomites 9-day cycling challenge. We welcomed three amazing new guides. Claire, Ewa, and Constantin slotted in and took up the reins as if they’d been part of the team for years. We were confronted with some wild weather, landslips and road closures, and the occasional virus. We also developed and introduced our new App, which enhanced the navigation support we already offer.
We’re now entering our washdown period, where we analyse the fine detail. We do this every autumn so we can tweak and elevate our holidays for the next year. We believe in not standing still. We also believe in not reinventing the wheel, so we’ll keep things the same where they’re working well. We know from the feedback we get from those who’ve holidayed with us many times, that trust is important. You trust what you’re going to get when you come on holiday with us. This means an awful lot to us and is not something we take for granted.
We read every single feedback form – and respond to every Trip Advisor review. Where it’s feasible, we adopt your suggestions for improvements. We can’t implement all of these, for a variety of reasons, but we do consider every one before making a final decision on whether to take it on board.
Our 2025 tours are now booking up at a pace, so if you’re thinking of coming with us next year: don’t walk, run! 🏃🏽♂️
Will you cycle in Girona and explore Catalonia next year? Or discover the remarkable cycling in the Picos of northern Spain? Or how about ticking off the infamous climbs and passes cycling in the Italian Dolomites? Maybe you’ve got your eyes on a set cycling challenge? Raid Alpine following the spine of the Alps from Lake Geneva to Nice, Raid Corsica or the Club des Cinglés de Mont Ventoux?
Whatever tour you choose, it’s even more important to get in touch quickly if you’d like to reserve places for a group. If you’re limited to when you can travel or want to reserve single rooms, we advise getting in touch early, as we wouldn’t want you to be disappointed.
Simply click on the ENQUIRE NOW button from the tour webpage you’re interested in. Our team will be in touch to answer your queries. Alternatively, pick up the phone, and Kerstin or Sabine will be happy to guide you through your options.
Bring on 2025!
Watch the Tour de France in the Northern French Alps with us!
The route for the 2025 Tour de France was announced today, and we were thrilled to hear that the organisers were inspired by day 5 of our Northern French Alps tour! On stages 18 and 19, the peloton will compete on several of the climbs we cover on this trip (Col des Saisies, Col du Pré, Cormet de Roselend, Col de la Loze, and La Plagne). Stage 19 on 25 July pretty much replicates day 5 of our holiday, which is also the Étape route.
As stages 18 and 19 of the Tour coincide with one of our departures, you’ll have the opportunity to see the pro peloton and immerse yourself in the crazy atmosphere of the Tour, if you book this holiday. If this sounds like an opportunity too good to miss, why not check out this tour? The dates are:
20 – 27 July
Not only will you have chance to be ‘involved’ in le Tour, but you’ll have 6 days of spectacular riding with exceptional support from two of our guides. Conquer classic Tour climbs and enjoy picture-postcard Alpine scenery at every turn.
Check out the Northern French Alps tour webpage and hit the ENQUIRE NOW button if you’d like to put your name down.
Not surprisingly, the 2025 Tour de France also includes many other climbs we include in our holidays. Hautacam, Tourmalet, and Peyresourde in the Pyrenees, the Giant of Provence Mont Ventoux, and a multitude of Alpine climbs. What’s more, the Tour de France Femmes will also be ticking off climbs in the Massif Central and the Alps, which we also include in some of our holidays.
We cannot wait for next July!
Cycling in Gran Canaria
If the prospect of waiting another six months for cycling in warmer weather in Europe is too grim, how about a cheeky break to Gran Canaria for some late winter/early spring cycling? We have a handful of places left on one of our tours of this stunning island. The departure date for you to note is:
16 – 23 March 2025
We’ve booked some fabulous spa hotels for this tour so you’ll really be able to appreciate your time off the bike too. As for the cycling on GC, well its reputation precedes it. The Valley of the Tears, Pico de las Nieves, and more – we’ve crafted three routes for every day of the trip. It’s entirely up to you how many kms you aim for each day. Our two guides with support vehicles will be there to help you achieve your goals, in whatever form they take!
Why not check out the full itinerary and get in touch if you, your partner, or a bunch of cycling buddies want to grab the last few places? We guarantee you won’t regret it!
Spotlight on the Raid Pyrenees
Since Lily Betbeder and Paul Mathis made the first successful crossing of the Pyrenees by bicycle in June 1950 in under 100 hours, cyclists have flocked to Hendaye to pit themselves against this 710km challenge. If you haven’t already, check out our blog celebrating 70 years of the Raid Pyrenees which we published in 2019.
For the past 20 years, we’ve been supporting cyclists on the Raid Pyrenees (a.k.a Raid Pyrenean, Raid Randonneur, or Coast to Coast Pyrenees). We know every twist and turn of the route, the idiosyncracies of every col sign, and every segment where riders are likely to need the most support.
With several notable sportives and challenges on the cycling calendar, it’s not the only tough cycling feat that cyclists want to tick off. Yet still we continue to attract a huge number of riders on this challenge every year. We’re known for the exceptional support we offer. This is even more appreciated on a Raid or challenge event when all your efforts go into spinning the pedals and ticking off those cols within the window of time available.
If you haven’t yet conquered the Raid Pyrenean and want a cycling challenge to motivate your training through the winter, we have fully supported tours on the following dates in 2025:
7th – 13th June
14th – 20th June
21st – 27th June
6th – 12th September
13th – 19th September
If you’ve already got Raid Pyrenees in the bag, how about one of our other epic cycling challenges? The Raid du Massif Central, Raid Alpine, Raid Corsica, or Raid Dolomites? Or how about climbing Mont Ventoux three ways in one day? The Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux is an awesome challenge if you’re up for it! Each one is special in its own right, so check out each itinerary to learn more.
Our team is at the end of the phone (+44 1373 830409) or can be contacted by email with any questions you have, and to help you decide on the cycling challenge that’s best for you and your goals.
Our new App!
If you came cycling with us this year you’ll have used our new App. This was a huge project for us so we’ve been delighted to get such positive feedback about it. However, we’ve also listened to your suggestions for improvements. While we made various tweaks throughout the season, it’ll have even more enhancements ready for our next tours in 2025.
You’ll now be able to see information including a photo of where to meet our guides at the airport. You can also select your route each day, and see which other riders have chosen that route. This is handy for knowing who you can hook up with for coffee or lunch! It’s now even easier to compare profiles of all the routes on a given day, so you’ll find it easier to make your choice each morning.
Finally, if you’ve enabled the tracking function, you’ll be able to see where the vans are (and the guides will continue to be able to see your location), so you’ll know when you can load up on snacks or get access to your kit.
We’re really chuffed the App is working so well and look forward to seeing how it will enhance your cycling holidays in 2025.
It’s the time of year when the roads are pretty filthy. Soggy leaves, muddy puddles, and everything in between. Cleaning your bike is a necessary evil for most of us (unless you’re one of those rare souls who enjoys the ritual!). Marmot guide Tom Mutton has written a fantastic blog for us, Top 5 tips for cleaning your bike. He outlines his tips and hacks for making bike cleaning that bit easier and more effective.
If Tom has supported you on one of our cycling holidays, you’ll know he’s a boss at maintenance and mechanics – what he doesn’t know about bikes isn’t worth knowing about. This is actually a crucial read for any time of year. It’s great advice for getting your bike in tip-top condition before your road cycling challenge or holiday. Keeping your bike clean will prolong its lifetime, as well as enabling a smoother ride. A properly clean bike will prevent some of the mechanical failures that can strike while on the road, leaving you more time to soak up those epic views of mountains and big sky from the saddle. It’s a win-win!
