Your cycling holidays on the HERO UCI Marathon World Cup’s tracks!

Dear HEROes,

We’d like to invite you to where the magic happens.

As we all know, us fans, most of the time, cannot visit the stages where most of the world cups and tournaments take place. Just imagine if we could simply play for an hour on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, or if you could take your car for a spin on an F1 circuit in Monza or even play football at Camp Nou in Barcelona or London’s Wembley stadium. As we said, it’s nigh-on impossible. Yet cycling among the HERO UCI Marathon World Cup’s tracks is something you can do even on a whim – as they’re always there, waiting for you.

Capoliveri, Elba (ITA)

You could visit or return to Elba Island and explore the Capoliveri Bike Park, which boasts five permanent routes of varying difficulty and length across a circuit of over 100 km made of paths and roads. Each route is colour-coded and well-signed by tables sporting the route’s name, direction, and a number to help you find it on the relevant map. The routes wend around Monte Calamita and its historical quarries set against the backdrop of the beautiful colours of the Mediterranean sea.

For further information visit www.capoliveribikepark.it

Val Gardena, Dolomites (ITA)

You can remain in Italy and cycle on the HERO Südtirol Dolomites’ iconic routes boasting 86 km and 4,500 hm and 60 km and 3,200 hm. Test your stamina and your legs’ endurance on the routes and trails of the toughest MTB marathon in the world – as a HERO, this should a walk in the park for you. But, should you want to bring some friends along who may not be up for the challenge, you can always hop onto one of the lift facilities and explore the Sellaronda circuit, be it clockwise or counterclockwise. Besides the Sellaronda MTB Tour, you can also cycle on the HERO Trails with an adrenaline-packed 70 options – a mountain bike dream come true set against the breathtaking natural landscape of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll find something for all levels.

For further information visit www.herotrails.com

Kirchzarten, the Black Forest (GER)

The most recent race our HEROes took part in, the Black Forest ULTRA Bike Marathon develops across an ideal terrain for long-distance cyclists. Kirchzarten is located in Germany, in the Dreisamtal valley, where the Black Forest’s imposing mountain range overlooks a vast and sun-kissed valley, just a stone’s throw from Freiburg. Boasting between 340 and nearly 1,500 hm, there’s something for everyone to sink their teeth into.

For further information visit www.dreisamtal.de/erleben/rad-mountainbike

Andorra (AND)

If you happen to live in Spain or are planning your holidays there, then why not cycle across the trails of the valleys around the small municipality of Sant Julià de Lòria in southern Andorra. Start in the Centro Fondo Naturland, located at 2,000 m above sea level, where the air is crisper – but also lighter – making it an ideal place for those looking for a high-altitude track to train their body and stamina for the second half of the race calendar.

For further information visit visitandorra.com/it/nature-e-sport/#ciclisme

Girona, Costa Brava (SPA)

And, last but not least on the UCI World Cup, Girona and the Costa Brava boast a vast network of signed tracks and trails for every possible level. If you’re looking for a more demanding challenge, why not face one of the famous stage trails such as the Cerdanya 360, Trinxat BTT, Bi6000, Gran Volta de l'Empordà, Tracks dels Volcans, Pedals d'en Serrallonga or the Pedals de les Gavarres and many, many more. You’ve heard all about them before – time to give them a shot.

For further information visit costabrava.org/en/what-to-do/cycling-bike-tourism/mtb/

There’s something for everyone, so we wish you a summer bursting with cycling!