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Escape to the sun: where the pros train in winter and why

Where the WorldTour's elite head for training camps

Let's fly away

  • BMC Racing, training, pic: BMC Racing

    BMC Racing prepare to roll out in Denia, one of several popular training camp destinations (pic: BMC Racing)

  • Marcus Burghardt, BMC Racing, training, climb, recovery, pic: Philippe Gilbert, via BMC Racing

    Marcus Burghardt rides in the hills above Denia (pic: Philippe Gilbert, via BMC Racing)

  • IAM Cycling, Mallorca, climb, group ride, pic: IAM Cycling

    Mallorca is a popular destination for pro teams over the winter (pic: IAM Cycling)

  • Etixx-QuickStep, Oliva, training, group ride, landscape, pic: Tim de Waele/EQS

    The Etixx-QuickStep are mere specks in the distance as they head to the Oliva hills (pic: Tim de Waele/EQS)

  • Calpe, Etixx-QuickStep, group ride, club run, training, Mark Cavendish, pic: Tim de Waele/EQS

    Mark Cavendish leads an Etixx-QuickStep training ride in Calpe (pic: Tim de Waele/EQS)

  • Lotto-Soudal head to Benicassim every year, where Andre Greipel has shared his training rides on Strava (pic: Lotto-Soudal)

  • Andalusia, training camp, cycling (Pic: Wheels in Wheels)

    Andalucia boasts a broad range of roads, including some stunning climbs (pic: Wheels in Wheels)

  • Tinkoff-Saxo, training, group ride, Gran Canaria, climb, pic: Luca Bettini/Tinkoff-Saxo

    Tinkoff-Saxo started their preparations for the new season in Gran Canaria (pic: Luca Bettini/Tinkoff-Saxo)

  • Tinkoff-Saxo, Sicily, Ivan Basso, training, climb, pic: Luca Bettini/Tinkoff-Saxo

    Mount Etna provided the backdrop for Tinkoff-Saxo's second winter training camp (pic: Luca Bettini/Tinkoff-Saxo)

  • Giant Alpecin, group ride, training, Cambrils, pic: Giant-Alpecin

    Giant-Alpecin train in Cambrils (pic: Giant-Alpecin)

  • Cannondale-Garmin, climb, group ride, British Virgin Islands, pic: Cannondale-Garmin

    Make sure you know what you want to achieve before you buy new wheels, or you'll find you have the wrong tools for the job (Pic: Cannondale-Garmin)

Let's fly away

The winter sees professional riders up sticks and head off with their teams for warm-weather training camps as they rack up the miles ahead of the season.

The sight of several teams filling out the hotels of Mallorca or Calpe is not uncommon as the off-season draws to a close and the new campaign swings into action.

With ideal weather conditions and the chance to concentrate on getting miles on the clock, the winter training camp is popular with amateur cyclists looking to hone form or take a break in the sun ahead of the sportive or racing season.

But with so much choice when it comes to places to ride, where do the professionals go, why and could one be your next training camp destination?

We’ve rounded up the top winter training spots and asked a handful of WorldTour teams to outline their the key reasons for choosing one destination over another. Read what they had to say over the following pages.

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