Cyclosportives around Europe
Being a 'European page' 
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2010
The list for the year 2010:
June 05th/06th - Lyon > Mount Blanc > Lyon.......450k/19.06hrs
June 27th - Gran Fondo Marco Pantani......entered
October 17th - Amsterdam Marathon......entered
As of Sunday 03rd January 2010 my training starts in 'ernest. My 'subject' is of course cycling with the secondry being 'winter gym work' (which goes on till May '10 training camp - Majorca).
Management of: Training - Weather - Gym Work - Rest Periods - Injury(s) - Discipline - Health
All the above line form a very important part of training! No particular order as all of them are important!
On that 'Management theme' here's a couple of excellent links (from Mr TW of Flamme Rouge) regarding Health and Training Camps.
Please read from the voice of experience and knowledge!
2010
The 1st (first) event of the year the Lyon - Mt Blanc - Lyon 450k Challenge from Saint Priest Bron
Race Details - Here
Hotel Details - Here
Race Report - Here
2008
Reviewing my situation (injury) I have now moved on and focused my attention to European cycle races.
I have a feeling that this might be my one and only european race (due to not being able to re-arrange time off from work) So I am hoping to prepare well, and enjoy the week-end away !!
The 3rd and final event of the year - The Charly Gaul 07th September 2008 - 159k in Echternach, Luxembourg.
Race Details - here (very good)
Hotel Details - here
Post Race Hotel - here (very good)
Race Report - here
The 2nd effort - The Laurent Desbiens 23rd August 2008 - 162k in Armeterries (just outside of Lille).
Race Details - here (not the best site in the world)
Hotel Details - here (after race, see race report)
Race Report - here
The 1st of which is the Eddy Merckx 14th June 2008, a nice little 165k race around the pleasant Belgium hillside.
Race Details - here
Course Details - here
Hotel details - here
Only one or two or three or four hills of 20% !! Nice !!
Race Report - here
Two more races to be undertaken, namely;
Laurent Desbiens - Lille 150k 23rd August
Charly Gaul - Echternach 160k 07th September
2007
Well I've now experienced 2 Cyclosportives, the Pierre Jodet and the La Brocelliande, and I have to say that I'm hooked. For the cost of a ferry ride maybe 2 nights stay in France - venue and St Malo - a visit to the hypermarket (which has some wonderful saving on food and wine!) you'd be hard pressed to beat it. Now riding round Hougue Bie 10 times might be somebody's cup of tea, but it sure ain't mine!
You are riding with 800+ other riders, whom you don't know, on various courses, different types of courses - hills/flat/rough road/smooth road - different distances (from 50k to 190k), whilst learning all the time, which is most important! The company you go with is also a consideration, it could be a 'long' weekend, but with Tony and Dianne the weekend was a pleasure (albeit he did do all the bookings, which did make things a little easier, and with his Tom Tom, most impressive piece of kit!!).
For me the learning curve after the May excursions was a big one, in no perticular order the 'curve' is listed below
1. The travelling aspect - getting to and from venues, the food and hotel's
2. Riding in a big bunch - how to hold your nerve and where to ride within a bunch
3. Learning how others ride - the french ride differently, steady pace, even up and down hills
4. Learning how to race - with 100+ other riders bearing down on you on a finishing straight
5. Learning how to 'manage' a race - judging your pace, your stamina and how others race
So for me, at the moment, my cycling days are to be limited to spinning out the legs during my running training for the marathon in October. But with a view to undertake a 'series of races' in France next year.
Race Report Links;
Tony Williams Race Report of La Pierre Jodet