Cycling locations

GSN recommends for a top cycling trip in Europe:

 

Could I please have 21 switchbacks, a 1,120m vertical climb on a gradient ranging from 7.7% at the lowest to 12%, over a distance of 14km? How much will that cost me? Two thigh muscles, four litres of sweat and, possibly, a pair of burst lungs. A bargain - this is, after all, the most famous climb in cycling history. But never mind the cost, what's it worth? The answer - priceless. Cyclists who do it wear the T-shirt with pride. The view is great, too, but don't gawp for too long: you've got a reputation to make. An established ski resort but it's probably more famous now as a finishing climb in the mountain stages during 23 of the last 31 Tour de France events, and the finish of “La Marmotte” the most difficult one day event for amateur road cyclists in Europe, remember you need a medical certificate before they will accept your entry!

 

Bank holidays and the occasional sunny weekend aside, the roads are blissfully quiet, making jaunts from dale to dale a rare joy on this crowded isle. And, while nowhere in the UK can compare with the Tour de France climbs of the Alps or Pyrenees, in Yorkshire it wouldn't be considered proper cycling for the roads to have hairpins to even out the ascent. Instead, the climbs from valley bottom to moor top are usually a succession of false flats and intensely steep pitches. What better way, though, to appreciate the scent of heather and the curlew's plaintive cry than the 20 minutes you've just spent toiling up Fleet Moss, or Park Rash, or Buttertubs Pass… For a real challenge try the White Rose Classic. Now in its fourth year, The White Rose Classic is firmly established as one of the cyclosportive season's 'must-do' events and a true classic in every sense of the word.