by Maria David » Tue Sep 27, 2005 6:40 pm
I'm definitely up for a training camp.
I get the impression that Italy is a bit hit and miss weather-wise though.
The Gran Fondo (Italian cyclo-sportive) season starts in late February, so that suggests the weather is favourable for road cycling. They do events in various parts of Italy (including the North) and the photos that I've seen in the magazines show that the weather was good on the day of the event. (Or was that some sort of digital image trickery that they were doing ??)
However, when I went to Tuscany (Central) in May last year it rained most of the time. The G.F. di Campagnolo was a washout as well. Went to Amalfi coast/Sorrento (South) in March this year - it was rainy and misty. The weather was better in London !
Apparently Liguria (North west) and Emilio Romagna (North east) where there are lots of bike hotels are supposed to be more reliable areas weatherwise, though I'll think carefully before risking Italy a third year running for a training camp !
In my experience the best guarantee for weather is in mainland Spain - probably down the East side south of Barcelona in places like Alicante, Valencia, Murcia, and parts of Andalucia, but not in the high mountain areas like Sierra Nevada. In February/March it's at least as hot as Mallorca, and you don't get the wind like at Lanzarote.
Haven't decided where I'll go - all I know is I'd like to get some good miles in, possibly before the Tour of Flanders, and I will most probably tie my trip in with a local cyclo-sportive event so I get the chance to mix it with some local riders and go to their haunts !