Stradalli – Bike Aid – Mont Ventoux training camp racers are preparing

The European racing schedule is intensifying. We are in full swing with the spring classics well under way. The Tour of Flanders finished this past weekend and Paris – Roubaix is nearly upon us. Many of the classics riders are in top form this time of year, but the general classification riders are just getting started.

Stradalli – Bike Aid began their season early in Africa , Germany and in Spain as do most UCI teams. Since they have taken several podiums in Africa and are now preparing for the important stage races with a team training camp.

Places such as Tenerife are famous for their high elevation and tough training conditions. Teams such as Sky and Astana frequent the area to prepare their riders for the high elevation of big stage races. This year Stradalli – Bike Aid has chosen the battleground for many Tour de France routes as their choice for high mountains training, Mont Ventoux.

Mont Ventoux has long been a mainstay of the Tour de France route due to its beauty, but also its diversity. The variety of conditions riders experience on Mont Ventoux makes it incredibly difficult. It begins as a sheltered, gradually rising road through the green forests of France, but finishes at the top of a barren and windy mountain peak with incredible steep roads which switch back and forth up the mountain.

Mont Ventoux has featured in the Tour de France 15 times over the years, 10 of which were summit finishes. In 2013, Chris Froome of Team Sky won atop Mont Ventoux on his way to winning the yellow jersey. The difficulty of the mountain has made those who win legends of the sport. Richard Virenque, Marco Pantani and Eddy Merckx are all on the list of riders to win atop Mont Ventoux.

Stradalli – Bike Aid will face similar challenges in Africa, Europe and Asia in the coming months. The Tour of Eritrea will reach 2,500 meters, a height surpassing that of Mont Ventoux. The team has been training all over the world in preparation for upcoming races in high tech facilities such as the STAPS facility in Koln, Germany. Now the team is bringing their fitness to the road and putting themselves to the test on the toughest mountains Europe has to offer.

Stradalli – Bike Aid’s next race will begin April 19^th in Eritrea.