Getting techo on the ride...

The view at the dashboard on the bike looks like this.When the ride gets underway, my postings will provide you with what I hope will be some interesting daily ride data as well. Chris Gollins and I are both using these very smart Garmin Edge 500 HRM cycling computers. Lith-Ion powered, GPS based, wireless, heart rate monitoring, accurate and that provide us with a huge menu of valuable data and readings while 'on the fly' each day and at the end of each days ride. Such things as speed, heart rate, distance ridden, ride time, cadence (pedalling speed eg: how many pedal revolutions per minute) clock, calories burned, fastest speed, average ride speed, current temp, altitude climbed in metres... and on and on it goes. In fact the screen above is one of three avail to view at any time. All data including the days ride map is downloadable each day to my PC. Pretty cool ! What actually makes these very valuable and meaningful is one can 'ride to the computer' in that I can ensure for example I closely follow my heart rate each day so to not 'overdo it' and to know exactly how far to go each day or how far to the top of the climb etc.  

My Chariot...

This is what will help me get from Spain to Switzerland. It's brand new and I got it just a few weeks ago. It is a 2011 model Giant TCR Advanced SL1 Carbon Fibre road bike. Shimano DuraAce components, 20 speed gears, very lightweight and it is very nice to ride! It is the same frame and largely the same bike actually that the Dutch Rabobank-Giant European professional road racing team use. So I will look the part - even if I don't ride as quick as them!

Ride Start Town - Calpe in Spain

Calpe is a coastal town located in the province of Alicante, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. Calpe is located 67 km from the city of Alicante. The economy of Calpe is mainly based on tourism and fishing. Many Iberian, Roman and Arab archeological sites exist in the town due to its coastal location. Population around 30,000. Nice looking !

A day by day preview courtesy of friend and ride guide, five time Euroride finisher and former top Kiwi racing cyclist, John 'Deano' Dean.

ARRIVAL - CALPE SPAIN - Saturday 14th MAY 2011  - We arrive and prepare for the tour, we meet all the other participants, have evening meal, instructions and some general information on our ride over the next three weeks.

STAGE 1 . CALPE - L'ELIANA 170km 1700m 15th May 2011 -  The early roads are flat and fast, rolling along the pictorial Costa Blanca past towns Oliva and Gandia before we turn to the interior and ride to our destination and home for the night L'Eliana a suburban town just NW of Valencia.

STAGE 2 . L'ELIANA - TERUEL 162km 2800m 16th May 2011 - Now the first "rises" I call them as we head towards the hinterland of Valencia, the Sierra de Javalambre. This stage to Teruel is due to the Mudéjar architecture from the period time of the Moors, a UNESCO cultural heritage.

STAGE 3 . TERUEL - CALATAYUD 140km 600m 17th May 2011 - A flattish ride across the province Saragossa much agriculture and viticulture, end of day town is Calatayud which was designated after the Moorish-Arab fortress, which stands out from the hills above the city.

STAGE 4 . CATATAYUD - SOS del REY CATOLICO 180km 1650m 18th May 2011 - We now leave the Iberian border mountains, ride across the Ebro basin, a wild nature park Bárdenas and reach our destination for the day the historical town Sos del Rey Católico, that is under monument protection.

STAGE 5 . Sos del REY CATOLICO - St JEAN de LUZ 160km 2300m 19th May 2011 - Still heading NW we travel past the grand City of Pamplona, famous for the Running of the Bulls Festival but more importantly the home of Tour de France legend Miguel Indurain who is often seen walking the streets of this city. We carry on a plateau and ride on the the western Pyrenees foothills, we arrive at our destination town of the day via traversing the Iberian peninsula of the central sea to the Atlantic, we have arrived into France.

REST DAY . 20th May 2011 -  In St. Jean de Luz we enjoy the day off at the sea, loosen the muscles and generally watch people from the many Cafe's and enjoy the excellent food.

STAGE 6 St JEAN de LUZ - SALIES de BEARN 85km 1100m 21st May 2011 - We ourselves to a gentle greeting to the northern edge of the Pyrenees, there are going to be plenty of climbing in the next few days. The Tour de France legend mountains are in front of us now.

 STAGE 7 SALIES de BEARN - LOURDES 135km 3300m 22 May 2011 - The flat start as we head towards Pau another Tour de France famous town, today two passes on the program: the Col d'Aubisque and the Col du Soulor. After the summit it is all downhill into the well-known pilgrim town of Lourdes and our home for the night
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STAGE 8 . LOURDES - BAGNERES du LUCHON 125km 3100m 23 May 2011 -  48km upward gradient and 3 legend passes are to be mastered today, the Col du Tourmalet the highest road pass of the French Pyrenees, then Col d'Aspin and the Col de Pevresourde.

STAGE 9 . BAGNERES du LUCHON - SORT 110km 3000m 24th May 2011 - With the Col du Portillon we head on for Andorra. At the Port de la Bonaigua, one of the highest passes in the Pyrenees we are some 35km from our overnight stay in Sort and before arrival some excellent scenery to view.

STAGE 10 . SORT - ANDORRA - PUIGCERDA 130km 4100m 25th May 2011 -  Today 3 passes to be ascended, Port del Cantó, Col D' Ordino and Port D'Envalira. In 100km we gain 2900m after the Port de Cantó we travel a valley towards our last night in Spain and our destination for the day; Puigcerda.

STAGE 11 PUIGCERDA - COUIZA 100km 600m 26th May 2011 - We cross the border to France after achieve the plateau of the Col de la Quillane and enjoy the almost 70 km of fast riding to our overnight stay in what I would describe as a unforgettable home for the night in Couiza.

STAGE 12 COUIZA - CAP d'AGDE 140km 900m 27th May 2011 - We ride the foothills of the Pyrenees we reach the Canal that many people use today for houseboat holiday's the Midi and arrive at the well-known bathing resort Cap D'Agde. Our 2nd day off rest day and this is well earned day off the bike perhaps.

STAGE 13 CAP d'AGDE - ORANGE 180km 550m 29th May 2011 -  We say good-bye to the Meditteriene and follow the very coastline and cross the Languedoc, this whole region has a good name for their good wine. This region is also known for difficult (head) winds so controlled pace is essential.  Excellent first view some 20km from Orange of the next day’s major climb - Mont Ventoux.

STAGE 14 ORANGE - SISTERON 150km 2685m 30th May 2011 - Today is the day we defeat the Tour De France mythical Mont Ventoux.and the final resting place of cycling legend Tom Simpson.

STAGE 15 SISTERON - GUILLESTRE 110km 2500m 31 May 2011 - Today we ride past an incredible man made lake then on the Col de Sarraut to the Lac de Serre Poncon. Tomorrow there more legendary climbs.

STAGE 16 GUILLESTRE - St JEAN de MAURIENNE 135km 3600m 1st June 2011 - A major day in the saddle, a legend stage. Four passes on our program, the Col d'Izoard (2361m) after our descent we head towards the famous town Briancon and immediately view the next 18km of climbing up the valley to the Col du Lautaret, now we turn right and with 8km to go it is the summit of the Col du Galiber (2647m). An incredible descent follows with care indeed to the town of Volloire and now the final kilometers of the Col du Telegraph. Home for the night is in the valley below St Jean de Maurienne.

STAGE 17 St JEAN de MAURIENNE - MEGEVE 135km 2600m 2 June 2011 -  Col de la Madeleine is our direction, after this 25km climb we descent to the valley floor to Albertville home of the Winter Olympics in 1992. We follow the river valley and ride the Col de Saisies used in the Tour de France in 2010 although travelling in the opposite direction, now it is on towards days end Megéve.

STAGE 18 MEGEVE - BEX 110km 1450m 3 June 2011 -  We now realize our Super Euro ride is almost to an end but there more climbing after we reach the morning cafe halt in Chamonix, after the Col de Montets we ride across the border in Le Chatelard, we are in Switzerland.  The Col de la Forclaz shortly after and now we really enjoy the descent into the town of Martigny and to Bex our destination for the day.  We also take the opportunity to visit the UCI HQ in Aigle with the help of an old friend.

STAGE 19 BEX - AARBERG 125km 750m 4th June 2011 -  Our last day of the Tour, this takes us from Lac Leman through some nice countryside and head towards Bern and then finally to Aarberg our finishing point. Aarberg is a very old town built in 1220 and now a small presentation for those who have finished.

The ride route...

So here it is. The route for our 2011 'Super Euroride' biking adventure. Starts May 14th in Calpe Spain. Ends June 4th in Aarberg Switzerland. 2600 km's of riding in three weeks. Two rest days along the way and some 30,000 metres of climbing in total.