What am I doing here?

I've always loved challenges and having taken up cycling some 8 years ago as a way of losing weight and getting fit I've spent some time dreaming about a long distance cycling challenge. As I now live in Sweden what better challenge than to ride the whole length of Sweden and northern Norway - all the way from Smygehuk in the south to Nordkapp in the north? As if that's not enough I'm really just warming up for the toughest week's cycling I can think of. I'm entered in the 2010 Viking Tour, a week's racing in the midst of Norway's steepest and most beautiful fjörd country.

Join me on the journey, to be a Viking....

Saturday, September 25, 2010

The next trip...

Having completed and reflected on this year's trip to Nordkap I'm now well on the way to planning next year's challenge. Again I'll be cycling about 4,000km and taking about 5 weeks. I think I've put together the ultimate southern European cycling vacation :

4 countries (Portugal, Spain, France & Italy)
4 mountain chains (Picos de Europa, Pyrenees, Alps, Dolomites)
4 seas (Atlantic, Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean, Adriatic)
4000km

4x4 extreme!

Some of the great climbs of European cycling :

Picos de Europa:
Puerto de Panderruedas
Puerto de San Glorio
Alto Campoo - Fuente Chivo

Pyrenees:
Col d'Aubisque
Hautacam
Luz Ardiden
Col de Tourmalet
Col D'Aspin
Col de Portet d'Aspet

Provence:
Mont Ventouz

Alps:
Alpe D'Huez
Col de la Croix-de-Fer
Col de Galibier
Col d'Izoard
Col du Mont Cenis
Col de L'Iseran
Col du Petit Saint-Bernard
Colle San Carlo
Passo del gran San Bernardo
Breuli-Cervinia

Dolomites:
Passo del Mortirolo
Passo de Gavia
Passo dello Stelvio
Passo di Gardena
Passo di Valparola
Monte Zoncolan
Passo del Casan di Lanza

The trip will start in Oporto and finish in Venice.

Hopefully I'll have some company along the way. Friends and genuine interested keen cyclists are welcome to join for as long as they like - a couple of days, a week, or even longer.

Watch this space for more news....
Upplagd av kl. 10:16 PM

2 kommentarer:

  1. Hej,

    Share possible time-plans. We have not decided where to go so, I'm willing to ajust our holiday plans so I can join either stages in the Pyrenees or the Alps...

    Cheers Walter
    Some other idea's for next year? West Coast USA ? Himalaya ?

    ReplyDelete

  2. Looks like a fantastic plan Iain - though I can imagine the heat might be a problem if you're planning a high summer ride! Best of luck anyway!/ Liz

    ReplyDelete

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