With Chris Froome having completed a third Tour de France victory in four years last month, Britain’s love affair with cycling remains as strong as ever, and amateurs riders can experience what it’s like to train like the world’s best at a new road cycling camp at Spain’s La Manga Club this autumn.
Froome, who also won a time trial bronze medal at the Olympics, is among the star names competing at this month’s Vuelta a España, and cycling fans have the chance to ride the same roads that feature regularly in Spain’s most famous bike race at the seven-night professional-style camp, which will take place from October 8-15.
La Manga Club is blessed with a great location and easy access to a road network offering long smooth flats, testing climbs of up to 1,600m and thrilling descents, and the intensive training break features a five-stage programme of challenging rides on a variety of routes, with a total distance covered across the week of 440km (275 miles).
Tracking and assistance vehicles, professional guides, an en-route mechanic, tests in La Manga Club’s High Performance Sport Centre, recovery sessions and technical talks are also included, plus the opportunity for riders to emulate Britain’s all-conquering Olympic track team and enjoy a fixed-wheel experience at Murcia’s velodrome.
The ‘Train Like a Professional’ package is bookable on a half-board or bed-and-breakfast basis with accommodation provided at La Manga Club’s four-star Las Lomas Village. All breaks include bike storage, access to the five-star La Manga Club spa and 10 per cent discounts on spa treatments and in the resort’s restaurants, while the latest carbon road bikes and cycling equipment are also available for hire at a reduced rate.
The camp, which will feature a maximum of 30 people, will signal the start of a series of cycling camps at La Manga Club, with future dates set to be announced soon. The resort’s enviable location (set alongside a natural park, two seas and a mining mountain range), the Mediterranean climate and an array of first-class facilities make it one of the top national destinations for cycling and triathlon, among other sports.
Set in an area three times the size of Monaco, La Manga Club is the official overseas training base of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and notable recent accolades have included being named best golf hotel in Spain at both the 2015 World Golf Awards and 2016 Today’s Golfer Travel Awards – for the fifth year in a row.
As well as golf and tennis, the resort’s other facilities include a recently-opened Leadbetter Golf Academy – the only one in mainland Spain – a new high altitude training facility iAltitude and a 2,000sqm spa and fitness centre. It also offers the choice of a five-star hotel, four-star serviced apartments and townhouses.
La Manga Club is regularly chosen to host junior sports academies by some of the biggest names in sport including global football giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, while children can also enhance their sporting skills at one of the resort’s own academies – with golf, tennis, cricket, rugby, football and triathlon among the activities available.
For more information about the resort and to book, call 00 34 968 17 5577, email [email protected] or visit www.lamangaclub.com
n La Manga Club’s ‘Train Like a Professional’ Cycling Camp is taking place from October 8-15. Seven-night bed and breakfast packages start from €413 (approx £345) per person and seven-night half-board breaks from €574 (approx £478) per person (all prices are based on two people sharing a room). Bike hire for the week is available for €125 (approx £105) per person.