Cycling holidays have long fallen into two categories: guided or self-guided. But what if there were a third option that combined the best of both worlds? CyclingHero thinks they’ve cracked the code and it might be exactly what you’re looking for if a Northern Italy gravel riding trip is on your radar for next year.
“Amazing. Memorable. Joy.”
If you owned a business of any kind and one of your customers summed up their experience of using your services in these three words, you would be pretty thrilled, but that’s exactly how Wylie Hui described his experience of using CyclingHero when we chatted with him recently. Wylie and a couple of his friends from British Colombia had travelled to northern Italy in search of self-guided gravel riding nirvana.
“CyclingHero were the only one who offered both flexibility of itinerary and would run the tour with a small group size.”
The cycling holiday marketplace is an incredibly busy one, so we started off by asking Wylie why he chose CyclingHero? “Ultimately it came to down to flexibility” Wylie told us “I wanted to ride both the Sella Ronda road circuit and take in some gravel trails and we had fixed dates. We researched quite a few other companies (and destinations), but CyclingHero were the only one who offered both flexibility of itinerary and would run the tour with a small group size. Also, their prices were very reasonable, particularly considering how much they tailored the trip for us. This obviously included the routes we rode, but also went as far as restaurant recommendations in the different towns that we stayed in. I had told Bob [CyclingHero’s co-owner] that I was a real foodie and wanted to eat at a high-end restaurant once during the tour. He managed to get us a table for lunch at a Michelin-starred place in one of the towns that we stayed in.”
CyclingHero describe their style of holidays as ‘supported self-guided’ as they offer significantly more to their customers than you might typically expect to receive on a self-guided trip. Wylie explained how it worked on the ground “Bob lent us Hammerhead bike computers which were pre-loaded with routes. There were different options for each day and we could either select which option we wanted to take the night before, or sometimes we even selected it on the fly. CyclingHero also have their own smart phone app which worked super well. Bob was always somewhere nearby with the support vehicle and the App allowed us to see where he was and for him to see our locations too. Each day, Bob would come and meet us at lunchtime/early afternoon and in the evening. He gave the bikes a daily check over and was able to answer our questions, whether that was about the route or about restaurant recommendations. Our luggage was transported with Bob which meant all we had to do was enjoy the riding. Bob also lent us a Garmin Varia unit which was really useful on some of the paved sections of the route.”
“Bob knows the area really well and is well connected. His knowledge meant that we experienced some really fantastic riding.”
The route that Bob and the team had created for Wylie’s group started off in the rolling Prosecco Hills before heading into the high mountainous terrain of the Dolomites. We asked Wylie to give us an overview of the type of trails and terrain they encountered “We did a really wide variety of riding. There was everything from rail trails [shared-use, traffic-free routes created from former railway lines] to more technical riding. Some sections were a bit of a challenge, both in terms of gradient and the trail surface, but there were always options available and the chance to use the support vehicle if necessary. Bob knows the area really well and is well connected. His knowledge meant that we experienced some really fantastic riding. A few sections of the gravel trails were a little overgrown in places, but our overall experience was really enjoyable. The ride into Cortina was probably my favourite of the whole trip. The route that day started on a paved cycling path, separated from the road, which is something that I never expected. From there we climbed on hard-packed gravel on an old rail trail. The views were gorgeous with the Dolomite Mountains in front of you. On the final descent into Cortina, you feel like a million bucks! It’s a fairly gentle, 1-2%, gradient but with amazing views. I would say that it’s one of the best places to ride in Italy. That day we did around 1000m of climbing, but the gradient was generally good.”
“We experienced the hustle and bustle of Italian life.”
A key part of any good cycling holiday is the accommodation, we got some insight from Wylie into the kind of places his group stayed in during their trip. “Most of the accommodation was 4* - what I would call budget luxury. We stayed two nights in each location and each of the places we stayed had lots of character. Each place we stayed included a really good breakfast, which is important when you’re cycling. When we stayed in Bassano [del Grappa] there was a last-minute change and we ended up in a smaller Bed & Breakfast type place, but the owners were great and it was right in the centre of the old town so we experienced the hustle and bustle of Italian life. The hotel we used in Corvara had a wellness centre, which we definitely took advantage of. When we stayed in Cortina, it was a little bit more expensive. They’re preparing to host the winter Olympics and the hotel was probably the best. The breakfast there was my favourite.“
“Bob and the rest of the team are always willing to help.”
Finally, we asked Wylie what advice he would offer someone who was considering booking a trip with CyclingHero? “You can go online to CyclingHero’s website and they have ready-made tours available, but if you want to do a little bit more of a customised trip, they can also cater for that and it’s not that much more expensive. The benefits of what they have to offer is the opportunity to customise your itinerary, but at a price point which is not crazy-expensive. Bob and the rest of the team are always willing to help. They ask plenty of really good questions in advance so that they understand what it is that you are after on your tour. They offer advice on different route options depending on whether you want to get out of your comfort zone or have days where you’re just cruising around. The way CyclingHero describe it is ‘Your ride. Their support.’ From a destination perspective, I would definitely recommend Northern Italy where they offer their services. That part of the world has some amazing riding – the Dolomites is a ‘must do!’ CyclingHero really know the area, which makes a big difference.”
Discover CyclingHero’s curated selection of gravel and road cycling tours, with packages beginning at US$1,949 (approximately £1,500/€1,700). For those seeking something truly special, their custom-designed tours let you shape every detail of your perfect cycling getaway. Check out their website for everything you need to get started.