La Piazza Blog & Stories
How to Train for Our “Bike Across” European Cycle Tours
Imagine cycling past quaint medieval towns, taking in lush, European landscapes, and of course, stopping to sample authentic local dishes complimented by the region’s best wine or beer. Top it all off with a sense of accomplishment—you’ve just biked from one end of a European country to the other—discovering what you’re made of and making new friends along the way. This is the essence of Ciclismo Classico’s award-winning Bike Across tours.
It all began with Bike Across Italy, a spectacular 11-day coast-to-coast cycling tour across the fabled heartland of Italy. We’ve run more than 140 departures and hosted over 1,500 travelers. Bike Across Italy has graced the pages of National Geographic Traveler, Outside, USA Today, and an array of other top-tier media outlets. It is the undisputed champ of cross-country bike tours of Italy.
Today, you can also join our expert bike tour guides on Bike Across Southern Italy, Bike Across France, Bike Across Belgium, Bike Across England, and Bike Across Switzerland. These European cycle tours offer you an amazing opportunity to experience each country’s unique cuisine, countryside, and culture—and of course, tick off an item on your bucket list.
So, how can you tell if you are ready for a Bike Across tour, and how do you train for such an epic adventure?
Who You Are
You’re active on your days off, and recreational biking may even be your weekend sport of choice. You love to ride, are in good physical condition, and it shows in your endurance and strength.
Intermediate trips offer a steady but active pace with opportunities to push yourself. Expect some challenging climbs with great descents over rolling terrain. You’ll still have time to explore and enjoy the landscape and towns you’ll visit. Advanced trips, like Bike Across Southern Italy, offer more hilly terrain. The average distance per day is 40 to 50 miles.
How to Prepare
To prepare for a Bike Across tour, build up your base miles, cycling 30 to 50 miles once or twice during the week. As you get closer to the tour, set aside some time to do at least two, back-to-back 40 to 55 mile rides. We also suggest spin classes, yoga, and strength training to supplement your training regimen.
On the Tour
On our Bike Across tours, our fun, friendly guides provide cycling clinics depending on the group’s dynamics. If you feel like you need some coaching on the proper way to shift, ascend, or descend, feel free to reach out to your guides and they can conduct a clinic, or train you personally. Many guests find that they get stronger as the tour progresses.
Discover which of our six “Bike Across” European cycle tours is right for you—our experienced, local tour guides are waiting to help you enjoy an unforgettable trip of a lifetime!
EXPLORE BIKE ACROSS TRIPS
It all began with Bike Across Italy, a spectacular 11-day coast-to-coast cycling tour across the fabled heartland of Italy. We’ve run more than 140 departures and hosted over 1,500 travelers. Bike Across Italy has graced the pages of National Geographic Traveler, Outside, USA Today, and an array of other top-tier media outlets. It is the undisputed champ of cross-country bike tours of Italy.
Today, you can also join our expert bike tour guides on Bike Across Southern Italy, Bike Across France, Bike Across Belgium, Bike Across England, and Bike Across Switzerland. These European cycle tours offer you an amazing opportunity to experience each country’s unique cuisine, countryside, and culture—and of course, tick off an item on your bucket list.
So, how can you tell if you are ready for a Bike Across tour, and how do you train for such an epic adventure?
Who You Are
You’re active on your days off, and recreational biking may even be your weekend sport of choice. You love to ride, are in good physical condition, and it shows in your endurance and strength.
Intermediate trips offer a steady but active pace with opportunities to push yourself. Expect some challenging climbs with great descents over rolling terrain. You’ll still have time to explore and enjoy the landscape and towns you’ll visit. Advanced trips, like Bike Across Southern Italy, offer more hilly terrain. The average distance per day is 40 to 50 miles.
How to Prepare
To prepare for a Bike Across tour, build up your base miles, cycling 30 to 50 miles once or twice during the week. As you get closer to the tour, set aside some time to do at least two, back-to-back 40 to 55 mile rides. We also suggest spin classes, yoga, and strength training to supplement your training regimen.
On the Tour
On our Bike Across tours, our fun, friendly guides provide cycling clinics depending on the group’s dynamics. If you feel like you need some coaching on the proper way to shift, ascend, or descend, feel free to reach out to your guides and they can conduct a clinic, or train you personally. Many guests find that they get stronger as the tour progresses.
Discover which of our six “Bike Across” European cycle tours is right for you—our experienced, local tour guides are waiting to help you enjoy an unforgettable trip of a lifetime!
EXPLORE BIKE ACROSS TRIPS