Europe’s best cycling tours: the incredible Giro d’Italia 2024 from 4 – 26 May

Europe’s professional cycle races span over a dozen countries, spread all over the continent. Many of them have a long lasting history, bot more over: follow their trails and you’ll see the most stunning countrysides the land has to offer. Varying in degrees of difficulty, each race has tough legs to master and charming countrysides to enjoy. Fiercely competitive, the larger, world famous races like the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France and La Vuelta de España, are enjoyed with fans in their millions. However, smaller races are still enjoyed with a massive fanbase to show for and the pride and joy of their respective countries.

Following the UCI’s race calendar will take you to Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland and The Netherlands, other than the ‘Big 3’ being France, Italy and Spain, where thousands of loyal spectators line the roads to cheer on their favourite riders and teams. Winning is often a dream that’s been a life-long pursuit, whilst tough training schedules can take over not just the athlete’s life, but that of whole families – cycling is loved that much in Europe.

The balance between weight and physical power is a never ending struggle, so winning is massive. However, winning more than once, proving real staying power, is the stuff that dreams are made of for any rider. A pro cyclist will race around 10.000 kilometres, races around 80 days and is away from home around 220 days a year…that’s not too bad, one might think, when annual earnings can reach up to 5 Million Euros in prize money and sponsorship deals. The world’s top riders, and therefore earners, in the men’s category are great cycling talents such as Peter Sagan (GER), Chris Froome (GB), Geraint Thomas (GB), Vincenzo Nibali (IT), Egan Bernal (COL), Fabio Aru (IT), Michal Kwiatkowski (POL), Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Richard Carapaz (EQU), Thibaut Pinot (FRA), Primož Roglic (SLO), Tadei Pogacar (SLO), Tom Dumoulin (NED), Fernando Gaviria (COL), Greg Van Avermaet (NED).

Here’s a shout-out to all the girls, who are striving to make a name for themselves in this male dominated sport! The UCI is therefore working hard to promote gender equality, having created a Women In Cycling Guide to assist National Federations to promote actions and strategies for the development of women in cycling in their respective countries. Gender equality is one of the pillars for the UCI 2022 agenda, so watch this space… (uci.org)