The Best European Cyclosportive and Gran Fondo Events

At Sports Tours International we are proud to offer a wide selection of European amateur cycling events. Here is our pick of the best for 2021! List put together by Alex de Waard, keen cyclist and our Director of Product and Operations.

We provide guaranteed entries into some of the biggest events in the world. In some cases, even those that have already sold out on their official event websites. There’s no need to worry about ballot entries with us!

As well as providing your entry, on many events, we have earned a reputation for providing the best support in the business. This means you can simply focus on enjoying the event. There’s no need to worry about the (sometimes complicated) logistics that come with taking part in a major event; that’s where we come in. Single travellers are always welcome in our groups, and you can be sure that you’re Booking with Confidence when you book with us. We provide travel and accommodation options and a bike rental service and overland bike transport on selected events. We also offer a convenient online Medical Certification Service so you don’t have to go to see your doctor in person. If you need it, we also offer specialist sports travel insurance, so you can travel with total peace of mind.

OUR Pick of the Best Cyclo Sportives and Gran Fondo Events for 2021

No 1 – The Etape du Tour

When: 4 July, 2021, TBC July 2022
Where: Nice
Field: 15000 riders
Distance: 177 km
Ascent: 3750m
Climbs: Col de la Colmiane, Col de Turini, Col d’Eze
Accessibility: Fly into Nice or drive
Entry Availability: Entries for the Etape du Tour always sell out fast. Due to the 2020 cancellation of the Etape, and the resultant entry roll overs, it is likely that there will very few new entries available in 2021. You can however get guaranteed entries with Sports Tours International.

What’s so special about it?: This is your chance to ride in the tyre tracks of your heroes. The Etape route follows the exact course of a stage of the Tour de France, the greatest cycle race in the world. Every year you have the opportunity to test yourself against the riders of the pro Peloton on fully closed roads. With professional standard race services (including additional services provided by Sports Tours International) this is as close to the Pro TDF experience as it is possible to be. The 2021 route will follow stage 2 of the 2020 Tour, held in Nice France. With many Pros now present on Strava, after you ride the Etape, you can even have a look to see how you compare against their speed, power output and heart rate.

No 2 – La Marmotte Alps

When: Sunday 27 June, 2021 and Sunday 3 July, 2022
Where: From Bourg d’Oisans to Alpe d’Huez
Field: 7500 riders
Distance: 170 km
Ascent: 5000m
Climbs: Col du Glandon, Col du Telegraphe, Col du Galibier, Alpe d’huez climb
Accessibility: Fly into Geneva or Lyon or drive
Entry availability: On Sale NOW for 2021, with guaranteed entries from Sports Tours International

What’s so special about it?

The Granfondo Marmotte is an extremely tough event. It is a 170 km Alpine climbing bonanza between Bourg d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez, which features 5000m of ascent. The event does not take place on closed roads, but there are rolling road closures.

The Marmotte is a firm favourite for foreign riders, with the field containing just 20% French riders. Previous winners of the Marmotte include Dutchman Laurens ten Dam, and Belgian Sander Armee, who both won before they turned pro. There are no cut off points en-route, but you have to get to the bottom of Alpe d’Huez before 18.30.  If you do not, you will not be allowed to start the climb and will be taken up to your hotel by car. One of Europe’s oldest Gran Fondo events, established in 1982, and limited to 7500 entrants; this event is sure to be a sell out every year!

For years the event took place on a Saturday but the last few years it has taken place on a Sunday. Usually the event is on the first Sunday in July but in 2021, they brought it forward a week, presumably due to the date clash with the Etape and the Maratona.

No 3 – Maratona dles Dolomites

When: Sunday July 4, 2021
Where: Italian Dolomites
Field: 8500 riders
Distance: 138 km
Ascent: 4100m
Climbs: Passo Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, Giau, Valparola, Mur DL Giat
Accessibility: Fly into Venice Marco Polo or Treviso airport and take our airport transfer
Entry availability:This event usually sells out within a day. Due to the 2020 cancellation of the event, and subsequent entry roll overs, we anticipate that demand for 2021 will be higher than ever! Guarantee your place on the start-line with Sports Tours International NOW!

What’s so special about it?

Our first Italian event on the list is the Maratona dles Dolomites. ‘The Maratona’ is widely regarded as one of the toughest cycling events around, packing in a lot of climbing despite its relatively short distance. The Maratona is held in the beautiful Italian Dolomites. This is a top quality cycling experience, from the event itself, and its flawless organisation, to the hotel standards and famous Italian hospitality. What this event lacks in length it makes up for in climbing! It manages to pack 4190m of climbing into just a 138 km long course. You’ll also soon discover that the climbs are generally steeper, than those in both the Alps and Pyrenees!

The race can be done by 3 different routes, each of varying difficulty: the Sellaronda course, the Middle course and the Maratona course. All riders start at 06:30 am in the village of La Villa and the Sellaronda course with 4 mountain passes will be completed first. After completing the Sellaronda course, riders can either choose to finish the race, or carry on and do the Middle course. The full Maratona course is basically an extension of the preceding shorter Middle course, so riders who want to tackle the full Maratona dles Dolomites have to do the middle course after the Sella Ronda.

No 4 – Mallorca 312

When: Sunday 24 October, 2021, Saturday 30 April, 2022
Where: Alcudia, Mallorca
Field: 8000 riders
Distance: 312 km
Ascent: 5000m
Climbs: Puig Major, Col de sa Pedrissa and Col de Feminina
Accessibility: Palma
Entry availability: This event is the biggest cycling event on Mallorca, and always a sell out. The 2020 event cancellation will no doubt mean that places for 2021 will be even harder to come by than usual.

What’s so special about it?

The first Spanish event on our list is Mallorca 312. The 2021 Mallorca 312 will take place on Sunday 24 October after having been postponed from its usual April date. This fantastic event allows cyclists to discover the cycling paradise of Mallorca at a well-organised, and challenging, Cyclo-Sportive event. There are 3 routes available: 312, 225 km and 167 km, so something on offer for all riders. Mallorca is one of the most spectacular islands of the Mediterranean. Climb the nicest Mallorcan Mountains and enjoy the weather spectacular scenery. Spring is the season when Mallorca is at its best. There tends to be a cool breeze, and the sun is bright but not too hot! Mallorca 312 is a cycling festival for any keen amateur cyclist, offering an incredible atmosphere and superb event services. Your registration allows you to participate in any route, so depending how you get on with your training, or even how you feel on the day; you have until you race to decide which one you will do.

No 5 – Gran Fondo Quebrantahuesos

When: Saturday 18 September, 2021, Saturday 19 June, 2022
Where: Sabiñánigo
Field: 8000 riders
Distance: 200 km
Ascent: 3500m
Climbs: Col du Somport (1604m), Col du Marie Blanque (1035m), Col du Portalet (1795m)
Accessibility: Zaragoza airport
Entry availability: On sale in December, sold out within a day, guaranteed entries with Sports Tours

What’s so special about it? 

Our second Spanish event on the list is the Gran Fondo Quebrantahuesos. “La Quebranta”, or the ‘Bone Breaker’, as this event is commonly called, is Spain’s most popular Cyclosportive. The event takes place on Saturday the 18th September 2021, in the Spanish and French Pyrenees. The ride both starts and finishes in Sabiñánigo. This muncipality, in northern Spin has strong links to sport, in particular cycling, and as well as La Quebranta, is often visited by La Vuelta a Espana. The event itself passes through spectacular protected areas of natural beauty and, for the participant’s safety, the number of cyclists is limited to a relatively small field, making it an exclusive and sought after event. For this reason, and given the high demand to enter, the annual event lottery is vastly over-subscribed and thus extremely difficult to get into. That’s where we come in! We can guarantee your entry.

No 6 – Paris- Roubaix Challenge 

When: Saturday April 9, 2022
Where: Start in Busigny, Finish in the Roubaix Velodrome
Field: 5000 riders
Distance: 172 km, 145 km, or 70 km
Ascent: 495m
Climbs: This race is not known for its climbs but rather its cobbled sections, or pave. All of the most famous sections of Pavé from the pro race, are completed as part of the Paris Roubaix Challenge
Accessibility: BRU (Brussels International Airport) Transfers to Roubaix available from Sports Tours International.
Entry availability: Guaranteed entries into your choice of distance available with Sports Tours International

What’s so special about it? 

Dating all the way back to 1896; the Paris-Roubaix is one of the oldest and most significant cycling events on the UCI calendar. The race has picked up many nicknames, over its long history including; ‘The Hell of the North’, ‘Queen of the Classics’, and ‘The Easter race’.  Although this race leaves riders covered in mud and exhausted by hours of riding cobbles, it is not the race itself that earned the title ‘Hell of the North’. This phrase was coined back in 1919, when journalists travelled to the route to see how much of it had survived the devastation of WW1.

‘This wasn’t a race. It was a pilgrimage’. Henri Pélissier later said of his 1919 victory.

After the second world war, the nature of roads, and thus the nature of road cycling changed. From the 60’s the route started moving east, to use the cobbles that remained there, as riding the pavé was seen as an essential part of the ‘spirit of the race’. Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix (friends of the Paris – Roubaix) spend around €15,000 annually on repairing and restoring cobbled sections, and the race organizers are always seeking new cobbled sections to retain the character of the route. This is a unique and historic cobbled classic that is a sure highlight of every spring season!

No 7 – Tour of Flanders

When: September 2021 and April 2022
Where: Flanders
Field:  15,000 Riders
Distance: 235 km
Ascent: Oude Kwaremont, Molenberg, Paterberg, de Muur
Accessibility: take our airport transfers from Brussels Airport.
Entry availability: Guaranteed entries with Sports Tours*
What’s so special about it?: 

The Tour of Flanders is the pride of Flanders. With its cobbled climbs, incredible local support and Flanders’ hospitality, cycling fans are in for a treat. Chips, beer and music accompany the Tour of Flanders wherever it goes. New in 2017 was Antwerp as the start location and the inclusion of the infamous Muur van Geraardsbergen before doing the now traditional finish circuit around Oudenaarde with all the famous cobbled climbs before finishing in Oudenaarde. You have the opportunity to ride the Tour of Flanders route in the amateur Cyclo event the day before the pros tackle the course. There are several different courses: 75km and 130km, both from Oudenaarde, and a 180km and the full 230km distance from Antwerp. All the events end in Oudenaarde and include the most notable climbs of the pro race with the longer distances also including the ‘Muur van Geraardsbergen’

No 8 – Gran Fondo Milan Sanremo

If you want to ride the entire course on the same roads as the Pros then you can join us in June 2022 with the 50th edition of the Granfondo Milan-San Remo Cicloturistica, which will cover the entire route of the race.

When: Sunday 5 June, 2022
Where: Lombardia/ Sanremo
Field: 2000riders
Distance: 300 km
Ascent: 
Climbs: 
Accessibility: take our airport transfers from Milan and Nice
Entry availability: Guaranteed entries with Sports Tours*
What’s so special about it?: 

Milan – San Remo takes place on Saturday March 19 in 2022 and it always offers early season excitement. The first Monument of the cycling season, is also called La Primavera (The Spring) and it is the longest one day race on the professional calendar. Milan-San Remo, with its 293 km that goes from Milan to the Italian Riviera, faces the Passo del Turchino, the mythical “Capi” on the Aurelia, and the thrills of the concluding section, the Cipressa and the Poggio di Sanremo, before arriving in the “City of Flowers”. The Milan-San Remo marks the real start of the classics season and is often viewed as a sprinter’s classic with the fastest man over the Poggio in the front group likely to come out on top. In 2018, the race was won by Vincenzo Nibali with a daring solo attack on the Poggio.

No 9 – Gran Fondo Stelvio

The 2021 Gran Fondo Stelvio Santini takes place on Sunday June 5, 2022 in and around the town of Bormio. The start and registration are in Bormio and the finish is on top of the fearsome Passo Stelvio. The weather can be changeable in June and our team will provide you with a finish welcome with food, drink, warm clothes. We will drive you back to your hotel so you don’t have to descend all the way back down to Bormio.

There are three routes on offer – short (60km), medium (137.9 km) and long (151.3 km). Riders will each receive a Granfondo Stelvio Santini cycling jersey – made in Italy by Santini Maglificio Sportivo – as part of their race pack. If you conquer the Stelvio and complete the Gran Fondo, you will also receive an exclusive ‘finishers only’ ImadelT cap!

We are pleased to offer all 3 distances including the long distance of 151km with over 4000m of climbing. Please note that to be able to register for the long distance you either need a race licence or you need to provide a medical certificate.

When: Sunday
Where: Bormio
Field: 7000 riders
Distance: Medium: 137,9 Km, Long: 151,3 Km
Ascent: – 3053 mt ascent, 4058 mt ascent
Climbs: Teglio, Mortirolo, Stelvio
Accessibility: Milan Malpensa Airport
Entry availability: Guaranteed entries with Sports Tours International
What’s so special about it?: The Mortirolo and the Stelvio are two of the most brutal yet beautiful climbs in the world. They echo with the feats of Fausto Coppi, Marco Pantani and many more. The Gran Fondo Stelvio Santini allows you to test yourself against these legendarily tough climbs.

No 10 – Gran Fondo Strade Bianche

Date of the Pro race – Saturday 5 March 2022
Date of the amateur race – Sunday 6 March 2022
Distances available: 124km Gran Fondo and 87km Medio Fondo

Where: Siena, Italy
Field: 7500 riders
Distance: various
Ascent: various
Climbs: various
Accessibility: Florence and Pisa Airport
Entry availability: Guaranteed entries with Sports Tours
What’s so good about it? Get up and close with the Pros! In 2016 Spartacus himself decided to ride the Gran Fondo event so you were rubbing shoulders with the man the day after he won the Pro race. In 2017 we met up with Ivan Basso and Peter Sagan at our hotel. This year you will ride the Gran Fondo the day after watching the Pro race rather than the other way around. By the time you take on the ‘white roads’ or ‘sterrati’ you will be raring to rip them up!

Strade Bianche made its debut on the UCI World Tour recently in March 2017 so the prestige of the race is growing and more of the superstars of the pro cycling circuit will be on show. The 124km Gran Fondo is identical to the route of the women’s race on the Saturday. The shorter ‘Medio Fondo’ route has less climbing but you will still tackle quite a few of the gravel roads.

11. Gent Wevelgem Pro race and sportive

Date of the Pro race – Sunday 27 March, 2022
Date of the amateur race – Saturday 26 March, 2022
Distances available: 215km, 136km, 91km, 60km
What’s so good about it? Gent Wevelgem is one of the traditional season openers for the Flemish cobbled cycling season as well as the UCI cycling World Tour as a whole. The start is in the town of Deinze near Ghent and the finish will be in the town of Wevelgem. The weekend of events includes a Cyclo for amateur cyclists to take part in on the Saturday and a whole host of activities around the professional race on the Sunday.

Like the professionals, cycling amateurs will have their own start of the cycling season with the Gent Wevelgem Cyclo which will take place on Saturday 26 March 2022. The day before the professionals, amateur cyclists will take the start of the 2022 cycling season for thousands of riders on the Gent Wevelgem Cyclo. After a long hibernation this will represent the biggest test of the year for many cycling enthusiasts. There will be 4 distances on offer so there is a challenge for every level of cyclist.

  

12. Amstel Gold race

Date of the Pro race – Sunday 17 April, 2022
Date of the amateur race – Saturday 16 April, 2022
Distances available: all distances
What’s so good about it? The Amstel Gold Race has been taking place in the southernmost province of the Netherlands; Limburg every year since 1966. Every year ‘De Markt’ in Maastricht is the start venue of the Amstel Gold Race. The finish of the Amstel Gold Race is located in Valkenburg and the Amstel Gold Race is part of the UCI World Tour. The Amstel Gold Race is the only Dutch World Tour Classic and attracts a large number of Dutch and International cycling fans each year because of its interesting list of participants. Some of the world’s best cyclists strive for victory in the race by conquering the hilly countryside of Limburg.

The Amstel Gold Race Tour version is an incredibly popular sell-out amateur cycling event. You can take part in the Amstel Gold Race Cyclosportive event which follows the latter part of the pro race race route including all the short, sharp climbs like the Cauberg. There will be numerous organised feeding stations and a mechanical service present. Included with your Amstel Gold Race sportive entry: Guaranteed participation in the Tourversion of the Amstel Gold Race, a (Sportive) Breakfast at the VIP-pavilion, a  speech by Race Director Leo van Vliet, special reserved parking near the VIP-pavilion, special reserved shower- and changing facilities and a photo with the Dutch ‘flower girls’ followed by  an extensive buffet after Amstel Gold Race Toertocht (sportive).

  

13. Liege-Bastogne-Liege

Date of the Pro race – Sunday 24 April, 2022
Date of the amateur race – Saturday 23 April, 2022
Distances available: 271km, 158km, 76km
What’s so good about it?  Liege-Bastogne-Liege is the oldest of cycling’s classics. First run in 1892, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, or LBL as it is also called, takes you through the hilliest parts of Belgium, along routes typical of the Ardennes. Liege-Bastogne-Liege is nicknamed ‘La Doyenne’ or “the old lady”, as it is the oldest race of the classics which is still taking place today. Don’t be fooled and think that Belgium is flat. This race takes in plenty of steep, hilly sections and makes for some dramatic racing. The new route with the uphill finish sections and the cold and wet weather whittled the Peloton down until just a small group was left.

The full distance amateur event is definitely one of the toughest one-day cycling events that you can take part in although shorter distances are also available. All of the sportive distances start and finish in Liege.

  

14.  Il Lombardia and Gran Fondo Lombardia

Date of the Pro race – Saturday 8 October, 2022
Date of the amateur race – Sunday 9 October, 2022
Distances available: 118km
What’s so good about it?  In 2019 1,400 sportive riders conquered the famous Lake Como climbs at the GRAN FONDO IL LOMBARDIA. The course, featuring the Ghisallo, Muro di Sormano and Civiglio climbs, closed the season of sportive events. The Gran Fondo Il Lombardia takes place on Sunday, the day after the Il Lombardia 2022 – the so-called “Classic of the Dead Leaves” that traditionally closes the European professional cycling season. The Gran Fondo route will take riders from Como to Como, over a 118.2km long route with more than 2700m of vertical elevation.

The Gran Fondo Il Lombardia combines the unique charm of its beautiful route with the opportunity for amateur riders to measure themselves against their heroes by riding on the very same roads the pros raced the day before – a key part what makes the Gran Fondo Il Lombardia so special. The route starts from Como and takes riders to Onno, on the eastern branch of Lake Como before heading north to take the mountain road in Regatola. Riders will then face two epic ascents: firstly the Madonna del Ghisallo and then the Muro di Sormano, with gradients up to 27%. Following these major climbs, the route turns and makes it way back to Como and the final the two climbs of Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia to test the endurance of the riders.

  

Multi-Day Cyclo-Sportives

With the conception of the Haute Route series of events began a whole new trend for tough, multi-day competitive cycling events. The idea of these is to live like a Pro cyclist for a week. It all started with the Haute Route Alps, however the concept has now grown to include 7, 5, and 3 day events, both across the world and in virtual reality. To explore the lesser-known Italian and Austrian Alps, we also offer the Tour Transalp

For more information, please have a look at our selection of multi-day Cyclo-Sportive events.

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