“A full one-week training camp in Italy following the routes of Giro stages around Lake Garda. The days are full of special experiences to challenge yourself and one another—talking, riding, and learning about how to be a stronger, faster, better cyclist. This inspiring training camp, guided by a British Cycling Qualified Coach, is also an opportunity to share our passion for two wheels and for everything cycling allows us to do,” says Giuseppe Barenghi, ItalCycling Bike Tours owner.
• Original article by Alberto Fossati, Bici.Pro Magazine, translated from Italian
The Training Camp and the Academy
There are many reasons a cyclist might participate in a training camp. Some wish to emulate the professionals. Others are enthusiasts who want to challenge themselves in new places and discover roads they have never ridden before. And there are also those who want to simply learn, because not all of us are “seasoned cyclists.” And of course, the pandemic time, with its unprecedented restrictions, led to an explosion of interest in outdoor activity that made many discover the bicycle.
Organized training camps and bike academies are a great resource where the sharing of expertise allows everyone to learn, grow, and evolve. They are communities built upon a passion for the bicycle: the “toy” that knows no age, eras, or restrictions.
The holiday? It’s part of the package.
Lake Garda is a rich region and destination for many cyclists who explore the Garda shores to actively enjoy this unique place. The area has something for everyone, but our subject here remains the “mechanical horse with two wheels and pedals,” and those people who love the bike and all it offers.
While professionals who make careers as sports champions often have a passion for cycling, the academies and training camps are directed toward amateurs and enthusiasts for whom the bicycle is the vehicle to ride their dreams.
Sometimes cyclists’ passion is so intense and consuming that we can lose reason, common sense, and rational objectives. That energy needs to be directed. Here, a simple notion comes into play: cyclists love to learn how to improve themselves, and they have always enjoyed informally passing their knowledge on to fellow cyclists. Training camps organize this process of teaching us how to best reach our potential. A bicycle school? Yes, why not? We may not become professional champions, but we will become better cyclists.
For a well thought-out package of training and coaching from which nothing is missing—from accommodation to van assistance—check out Ital Cycling bike tours, a group of enthusiasts and riders (and entrepreneurs of course) who want to give their customers the same base of knowledge and experience that enriches their own passion for cycling.
Heading up the formal training program is Ian Jenner, a modern training professional well-versed in the use of data and power meters— just what you need to learn new techniques and deepen your understanding of your own performance.
Nutrition consultants offer tips on how to eat and drink when doing sports (and when not doing sports), advice that is especially welcome from the perspective of sports nutritionists who are tapped in to this field that is evolving exponentially.
Add to those advantages the support of companies in the cycling industry whose contributions are not just “gifts and presents,” but elements of an intentionally designed program to help the participants get the most out of the experience.
To Each His Own Take
Amateur cycling is not only about circuit races and granfondos. The amateur universe is a huge basin that brings together many people, each with their own skills and degree of preparation, each with a unique way of interpreting the bicycle. No matter what your starting place may be, in this organized training camp you are never alone—within this supportive team, there is always a small victory at the top of the hill.
In Conclusion
“The bicycle is a tool for sharing,” is a phrase that we will see more and more in the near future. In a world where everything is getting faster, the bicycle’s slower and more sustainable means of transport (compared to cars and motorized traffic in general) is very attractive and also within everyone’s reach. Like all areas of interest, bicycling continues to evolve and specialize, with rules and norms that can be both intimidating and fascinating. Participating in a training camp is like going back to school and learning the fundamentals again, while reconnecting with the reasons we love cycling in the first place—just the kind of rejuvenation professional athletes experience when they do college retreats. Maybe we are all a little professional!
You can try this experience from 12th to 18th September 2022 in the beautiful scenery of Lake Garda, a paradise for cyclists as well Italian wine and food lovers. Check the program on italcyclig.com or drop and email to [email protected]
• Original article by Alberto Fossati, Bici.Pro Magazine, translated from Italian
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