The 5 Best Road Cycling Races For Amateurs
Do you love cycling? Do you have a competitive spirit? If so, then check out this list of the greatest amateur-friendly races that are perfect for getting your competitive juices flowing and challenge any cycling aficionado!
We've selected some of the best road cycling races around the world that should be in your bucket list! From the Haute Route, to the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic.
1. The Haute Route
photo credit: hauteroute.org
The Haute Route is a week-long stage race that takes place in the French and Swiss Alps, starting from Geneva and finishing in Nice. It's one of the most prestigious amateur cycling races in the world, with over 2,000 riders taking part each year.
The route covers some of the most iconic climbs in the Alps, including the Col de la Bonette, the Col d'Izoard, and the Col du Galibier. The race is notoriously tough, with over 10,000m of climbing to be tackled over the course of the week.
2. The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic
The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic is an annual race that takes place in Durango, Colorado. The race is known for its tough course, which includes a 4,000-foot climb up Highway 550 to the top of Molas Pass.
The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic is one of the most popular road cycling races for amateurs in the United States.
With a distance of 74.2 km a maximum gradient: 18.4% and Elevation gain of 2,019 m, it will challenge any type of rider.
3. L'Etape du Tour
Photo Credit: letapedutourdefrance.com
Each year, the Tour de France hosts: L’Étape du Tour. It provides amateur riders the opportunity to experience a stage of the Tour de France and feel like a professional cyclist.
It is not easy to be selected for L'Étape du Tour. You must apply online and go through a competitive selection process based on your previous results to earn your entry.
Once you are selected, the ride is epic and you will want to train specifically for it, similar to how you would train for an Ironman or marathon. As a result, the race has been dubbed 'The toughest one day race in the world'.
But if you are successful in your application, it is 100% worth training for and competing in this amazing event.
4. The Maratona dles Dolomites
Photo credit: maratona.it
It’s one of Italy’s most important gran fondo events, and is open to riders of all levels, hosting as many as 9,000 participants each year.
The ride, which takes place in the Italian Dolomites, is famous for seven timed climbs up two of the most spectacular passes on any rider’s bucket list.
The race attracts riders from all over Europe and North America and takes place every July. It’s a single day event that covers 138km with 2,752m of climbing – with only 400m of flat sections along the way.
5- The Transcontinental Race
Photo Credit: transcontinental.cc
The Transcontinental Race is a Self-supported Road Bike rate across Europe.
At the sharp end it is a beautifully hard bicycle race, simple in design but complex in execution. Factors of self reliance, logistics, navigation and judgement burden racers’ minds as well as their physiques. The strongest excel and redefine what we think possible, while many experienced riders target only a finish.
The Transcontinental is a single stage race in which the clock never stops. Riders plan, research and navigate their own course and choose when and where to rest. They will take only what they can carry and consume only what they can find. Four mandatory control points guide their route and ensure a healthy amount of climbing to reach some of cycling’s most beautiful and historic monuments. Each year our riders cover around 4000km to reach the finish line.
Conclusion
There are plenty of great road cycling races for amateurs to choose from. However, the five races listed above are some of the best options out there. Each race presents a different challenge and will test your abilities as a cyclist. So, if you're looking for a new race to add to your calendar, be sure to check out one (or more) of these exciting options.