Cyclists are spoilt for choice when it comes to spectacular mountain ranges in which to ride.
The Vosges mountains have emerged in recent editions of the Tour de France, the Alps are bursting with iconic ascents, Mont Ventoux rises as a mecca to suffering in Provence, Spain’s Andalucia region has long climbs and quiet roads, and the Dolomites are steep in gradient and stunning in scenery.
Choose any of the above for your late-summer cycling escape and you’ll likely be rewarded with challenging terrain which dishes out pain and pleasure in equal measure, but, having just returned from riding the three-day Trois Etapes Tour, where I rode in the Pyrenees for the first time, here’s why they should be near the top of your hit list.
