We’ve dabbled in cycling trips before. An afternoon riding through the rice paddies of Yogyakarta, or maybe a two-wheeled adventure down the Vietnamese coast. That sort of thing. But this year we’ve given pedal power the respect it really deserves. We’ve hit the road and launched a brand new global range: 17 cycling tours all over the world. Expert-led riding trips in Tanzania, Andalucía, South Africa, Croatiaand Cuba? Yep, they are now a thing. (The lycra body suits and grunting are definitely optional – this isn’t the Tour de France.)
To celebrate the launch (and to get some ideas for the future) we went to the world’s biggest cycling junkies and asked them a simple question: where do you want to ride? Here’s what they said.
Sophie Radcliffe
I would love to cycle around Vietnam. I feel like it would be other-worldly and it’s one of those places that conjures up images of exotic scenery, great depth of culture and a sense of exploration that I would love to experience. Last year I cycled in a bike race across the USA from LA to Miami and I’ve cycled through the eight Alpine countries, so this would be something completely different to feed my wanderlust!
Brian Palmer
Cyclists are spoilt for choice when it comes to attractive locations in which to ride: The Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines, Tuscany et al. But perversely, I’d rather ride my bike on Scotland’s west coast. I rather enjoy ploughing into a gale-force headwind midst hail or rain. And when it’s warm and sunny…
Andrew Sykes
Having cycled and hiked around much of Europe over the course of my life, my next country will be… Japan. It’s a place about which most westerners know little beyond the surface veneer that we see on our TV screens. In recent years the focus of our collective interests seems to have moved to China but with the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020, perhaps it’s time to re-explore one of the world’s greatest civilisations. Of particular interest would be the major cities outside the capital especially the former capital of Kyoto, cycling through the Kiso Valley and from the perspective of a hiker, a climb up Mount Fuji would be a must.
Donna Navarro
My husband’s family originate from Chile but it’s somewhere we’ve not yet had the opportunity of visiting together. I can’t think of a better way to learn about the culture and absorb the ever changing spectacular scenery – and the wonderful wine, of course! What a two wheeled adventure that would be!
Juliet Elliot
I’ve always had a hankering to cycle around Scandinavia. I’m not sure whether I’d load up my bike and carry a tent so I could ‘wild camp’ by Fjords or go super lightweight on a carbon bike and travel between guesthouses. I’ve wanted to go back to Norway ever since I visited Bergen with my band – it’s incredibly beautiful. It’s the same with Sweden which I first visited on the same tour. The main thing putting me off is the price of beer!
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