(content by Rehan)
There’s something magical about the atmosphere at a great cycling event. Whether you’re clipping in to tackle the challenge yourself or cheering from the roadside with a cowbell in hand, these gatherings capture everything that’s brilliant about cycling culture. Here are eight events worth circling on your calendar this year…
Cycling Events To Check Out This Year
No. 1 – Tour de France (28 June – 20 July, France)
The Tour de France is by a wide margin THE best-known cycling competition, but the magic of the Tour is less about the racing itself than about all the other fun and interesting things that go along with it; The sponsors ‘caravan’ is just a non-stop launching of souvenir gifts from a procession of trucks into outstretched fans’ hands (fans who have waited for days en masse along the S-shaped roads with their handmade messages of support directed at the favourite competitor) and the blur that is the fleeting ‘pack’ as they rocket by in millisecond precision. Choose a stage with a decent finish and arrive hours early with a picnic at hand.
Cycling Events To Check Out This Year
No. 2 – RideLondon (24 May, London UK)
When else can you cycle car-free through central London? The 100 mile route takes you through some lovely villages before finishing back in the capital, and the support from spectators throughout is genuinely heartwarming. From serious riders chasing personal bests, families riding together, charity fundraisers, and people simply ticking off a bucket list achievement, this is definitely a race to get involved in.
Cycling Events To Check Out This Year
No. 3 – Giro d’Italia (9 May – 1 June, Italy)
The Giro has a reputation for being beautifully chaotic, and that’s precisely its appeal. Unpredictable weather, brutal mountain stages, and routes that showcase Italy’s stunning diversity make this Grand Tour feel somehow more romantic than its French cousin. One day you’re watching riders battle through snow on the Stelvio Pass, the next they’re sprinting along sun-drenched Mediterranean coastlines. Italian fans bring an unmatched passion to roadside support. The atmosphere in the mountains is absolutely electric, with tifosi creating walls of noise as riders grind their way upward. If you can, try to catch a mountain stage or the final time trial. And honestly, even if you’re just there as a spectator, the excuse to explore Italy with cycling as your compass isn’t a bad one.
Cycling Events To Check Out This Year
No. 4 – Unbound Gravel, 7 June, Kansas, USA
Gravel racing has exploded in popularity, and Unbound Gravel (previously known as Dirty Kanza) remains THE event that started it all. Taking place across the Flint Hills of Kansas, this is cycling stripped back to its essence: you, your bike, and 200 miles of gravel roads stretching to the horizon. It sounds tough because it absolutely is, but there’s something deeply satisfying about the challenge. What makes Unbound special is the community spirit. Riders help each other out, and finishing is celebrated as much as winning. If this seems like the race that could take your riding from hobbyist to seasoned eventist, then take the plunge and don’t let the worry of racing on an unfamiliar rental bike be an obstacle! Ship your own bike ahead with a service like My Baggage and have it waiting for you at your hotel or Air BnB, reliable shipping companies will get your gear there ready to race without the stress of lost luggage or damaged wheels.
Cycling Events To Check Out This Year
No. 5 – Tour of Flanders (6 April, Belgium)
To really comprehend the significance of cycling in European culture, get yourself to Flanders in early April. The Tour of Flanders is one of the Monuments in cycling—and the most prestigious one-day races in the sport—and the Belgians celebrate it as if it’s their national day. The course features notoriously cobbled climbs such as the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg, where the fans are so dense, you could walk across their heads. It’s just crazy, these aren’t fans in the traditional sense but cycling enthusiasts. For the competitors, the Ronde van Vlaanderen cyclo sportif offers the experience of cycling the route used by the pros in the race, where one can live the dream of being a classics hero for a day.
Cycling Events To Check Out This Year
No. 6 – Cape Town Cycle Tour (9 March, South Africa)
Okay, I’m stretching the geographical brief slightly, but hear me out. The Cape Town Cycle Tour is the world’s largest individually timed cycle race, with 35,000 riders tackling a 109 km route around the Cape Peninsula. You’ll ride past beaches, through coastal villages, and around Chapman’s Peak Drive with views that’ll make you forget about the burning in your legs. The event has an incredible atmosphere, with Capetonians lining the route and creating street parties at key points.
Cycling Events To Check Out This Year
No. 7 – Haute Route (Various dates, Alps and Pyrenees)
For a more intense physical challenge, a series of Haute Route bike events takes you through some of the great ranges of Europe over several days of stage racing. Note that these events are designed for amateurs but are anything but easy. You get to climb the famous mountains you’ve seen on TV, immersing yourselves in the beautiful Alpine landscape along the way. Because this weeklong trip develops a strong camaraderie between the riders, the organizational aspect of the trip is taken care of, and you get to focus on, you know, riding a bike. For many aficionados of the sport, it might be a dream come true, and the price tag notwithstanding, it surely looks like an exhilarating way to spend a week of your time each year.
Cycling Events To Check Out This Year
No. 8 – iXS European Downhill Cup (15 May – 17 May, Fort William, UK)
For spectators, Fort William delivers adrenaline fueled racing against a backdrop of stunning Highland scenery, plus an insight into authentic mountain biking culture that’s hard to find elsewhere. For competitors, racing here is a bucket-list achievement. The track tests every aspect of your riding—technical precision, physical endurance, and mental fortitude. It’s a proving ground where you’ll measure yourself against Europe’s best downhill racers while gaining invaluable experience on a world-class course.
