I am an experienced tour leader / manager, having led tours in Europe and further afield. I have personally toured in almost every European country and several further afield.
I am an experienced cyclist and leader, leader tutor, instructor and British Cycling level 2 coach. I speak Italian fluently having lived there for 5 years, and have a working knowledge of French and Spanish.
I like exploring new areas. I love cycling up hills and seeing the views from the top. Then whoopee down the other side. I lead very informally, allowing the groups to form and ride at their own pace. I prefer being at the back but will often ride to the front and then chat to people in the middle.
My rides are down as quiet roads as possible, if we have to ride a gravel track to avoid traffic then we will. I tend to lead rides at harder grades, so expect longer climbs on my tours. I am exploring even longer tours too, higher passes and more adventurous areas.
Tours will be a mix of supported and self-supported, largely moving on tours though. I am exploring the adventure biking concept now, gravel tracks and more remote areas.
Accommodation chosen is the best possible mix of economy and comfort. I aim to use 3 star where possible, but in the more remote areas sometimes we have to use what is available. I look for individual places where the food is great.
I often choose less well-known areas and routes that are not well pedalled. But they will be equally pretty.
Italy can be a busy country and tours need to be designed carefully to miss the worst of the traffic and to find the roads less travelled. My routes sometimes use cycle paths and routes that are not tarmacked if that helps reduce traffic levels. I'm happy to go into towns; after all, many Italian towns are stunning and well worth visiting. In areas that are pretty we aim to get into the town earlier to find time to visit sites. My route notes always highlight areas that are worth visiting. However, sometimes, especially in the mountains, there will be only one road available and we will have to use that. Also, I find that drivers are generally kind if you are off the main through routes. Italians tend to like cyclists and sometimes hoot their support.
On my other tours, we use the quietest routes around and look for areas that are less touristy.
I deliberately look for interesting hotels. Hotels that are owned by families and not corporations. (That is not always possible).
I like a minimum of comfort, three star as a rule, sometimes though, we may have to use smaller hotels in the less touristy areas.
In some of the more remote areas, I have been able to find interesting buildings as hotels.
Food is an important part of visiting Italy, I will endeavour to find hotels that provide excellent food. Be prepared to eat well on tour with me.
Italy is my main area of expertise as I understand the culture. I have already led a variety of tours in Italy and are planning a number more. I am keen to set up a number of tours in Italy, Dolomites, Alps, and lakes, and looking forward to designing an End to End. Adventure cycling and gravel biking is the new exciting area of holidays.
Georgia is a new cycling mecca. High mountains, hidden villages, ancient Christian churches and unspoilt countryside. Roads and gravel tracks and mountain biking tracks abound.
I have led tours in various countries, but mainly Italy. I know the country really well, having lived there for 5 years.
In partnership with Chris Juden I have led two tours in Sicily. We have a third tour in the north of the island in the planning stage.
The second tour, we covered the east of the island, ascending Mount Etna. I have also assisted Chris in Tuscany.
My favorite area of Italy, the Dolomites.
I ran a mountain bike tour in Tuscany, following single track routes though the Apennines and visiting Florence and a tour in the Veneto area, Venice, Vicenza, Ravenna and other beautiful towns in the north east.
I run regular fixed centre tours in Riccione, the east of Italy, mainly to participate in the most popular Sportive in Italy, the Nove Colli but also to ride the wonderful Apennine roads in the area.
Sardinia
Sardinia is a wild and undiscovered island. It can be tricky to get to though. But as long as you stay away from the Emerald Coast you will hardly find other tourists. There is so much to see and cycle through.