The HERO UCI Marathon World Cup areas await those who don't want to give up a tough but rewarding ride even during the summer months, retracing the routes of the most important long-distance mountain bike races.
Source: press release
It's well known that the stages of most world competitions aren't always accessible to enthusiasts and fans. It would be nice to book an hour of tennis on Wimbledon's Center Court, or take a spin around the Formula 1 circuit in Monza, or perhaps a game of five-a-side football at the San Siro stadium. However, it's much easier to get back to cycling on the HERO UCI Marathon World Cup trails, which are still there, available to numerous mountain bike enthusiasts.
Capoliveri, Elba Island (ITA)
For example, you can head to Elba Island, where the Capoliveri Bike Park offers five permanent trails of varying difficulty and length, extending in a circular pattern for over 100 km of interchangeable paths and roads. Each trail is color-coded and marked throughout the area with special signs indicating the trail name, the direction to follow, and a number indicating the location of the sign so it can be located on the map. The trails embrace Mount Calamita and its historic iron mines, framed by the marvelous colors of the Mediterranean in the background.
Info on: www.capoliveribikepark.it
Val Gardena, Dolomites (ITA)
Or, staying in Italy, you can ride the iconic 86-kilometer (4.500 m elevation gain) and 60-kilometer (3.200 m elevation gain) routes of the HERO Südtirol Dolomites, the toughest marathon race in the world. The challenge here is to test yourself on your own two feet, but if you're accompanied by friends who aren't particularly athletic, you can take the lifts and cycle the Sellaronda circuit, both clockwise and counterclockwise. In addition to the Sellaronda MTB Tour, HERO Trails offers 70 adrenaline-filled mountain bike experiences in the spectacular natural landscape of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with options suitable for all levels of fitness.
Info on: www.herotrails.com
The fourth round of the UCI World Cup is one we still remember vividly. The Black Forest ULTRA Bike Marathon just concluded in the German region of Kirchzarten, on terrain ideal for long-distance enthusiasts: we're in the Dreisamtal region, where an imposing mountain backdrop, with the peaks of the Black Forest, overlooks a wide, sunny valley, just a stone's throw from Freiburg. Elevation gains ranging from 340 to nearly 1.500 meters offer every visitor endless possibilities.
Info on: www.dreisamtal.de/erleben/rad-mountainbike
Andorra (AND)
If you're in the Pyrenees, here are the trails carved into the valleys surrounding the small town of Sant Julià de Lòria, in southern Andorra. The starting point is the Naturland Cross-Country Ski Center: at almost 2,000 meters above sea level, the air is fine, and it could be an ideal place for those seeking high-altitude terrain for their physical preparation ahead of the second half of the year.
Info on: visitandorra.com/it/nature-e-sport/#ciclisme
Girona, Costa Brava (SPA)
And once we've exhausted the Iberian portion of the UCI World Cup circuit, we can only mention Girona and the Costa Brava, regions offering a wide range of marked routes suitable for all levels. And if anyone is looking for a bigger challenge, here are a series of thrilling itineraries such as the Cerdanya 360, the Trinxat BTT, the Bi6000, the Gran Volta de l'Empordà, the Tracks dels Volcans, the Pedals d'en Serrallonga, and the Pedals de les Gavarres.
Info on: costabrava.org/en/what-to-do/cycling-bike-tourism/mtb/
The variety of routes and landscapes that make up the HERO UCI Marathon World Cup events will be able to satisfy even the most demanding enthusiasts.
