Life In The Saddle

The Dolomites always deliver. I have ridden in the area on a racing bike, cross-country MTB, and passed through the region on both the #7Countries7Passes and #RoadsFromRome tours. One area I have yet to explore though, is the opportunity for GRAVEL... On my #5MaratonasChallenge I stayed at the great Ustaria Posta in Badia, and the owner Igor talked of the opportunity to create an amazing multi-day off-road route linking up alpine huts. That pipe dream is about to become a reality... The #XPDTN3Dolomites will be a three day bike-packing trip; travelling from Ustaria Posta into the UNESCO World Heritage site, and exploring the road less travelled. These are paths normally only scouted by walkers in the summer, and alpine ski tourers in the winter; we will be taking to them on gravel bikes. My choice of weapon is the 3T Exploro. The full story will unveil itself on Instagram over the next week — follow #XPDTN3Dolomites   For now, here is a look at the kit that i...

It begins with an orange mist. Orange jerseys assemble at the ancient naval fort of Pendennis Point Falmouth, as the dawn sunshine creates a complementing haze over the Atlantic Ocean behind. This platoon of riders is here for a cycling event like no other. The Trafalgar Way Ride is a sportive event; running point-to-point from the western tip of England to the nation's Capital. The route follows a path that holds historic significance; it was the passage taken by a horse messenger in 1805 to alert the Admiralty of the British victory over the French, as well as the tragic death of Admiral Lord Nelson. This is not your average Saturday Sportive: 500 kilometres, across 8 British counties makes this a mammoth undertaking, and historic both in its theme and as an achievement. I first rode the Trafalgar Way in 2014, over 24 hours on a stormy October day. Returning to Falmouth for a second time, I want to experience the route in the summer sunshine, and see if a sub-20 finish is acc...

The Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrim route running from Canterbury to the Vatican, on gravel paths and minor roads. It traverses Europe, and takes in some of the most spectacular landscapes en-route. This historic path is the inspiration for my latest bikepacking adventure… the #RoadsFromRome tour. The Route Rather than start from Canterbury, I have opted to make this a ' Long Way Home ' ride: flying out to Rome, and then riding back across Europe. It makes more sense logistically, and is also an opportunity to see some familiar roads from the #7Countries7Passes , but from the opposite direction. Starting from Rome, I will ride out on the newly signposted EuroVelo5 route, which traces the Via Francigena. The gravel roads soon turn into Strade Bianche, as the path heads into Tuscany and through the historic cities of Sienna and Luca. This is a region of Italy that I have been longing to explore after riding the Strade Bianche Grand Fondo last year. From Tusca...