The UK has a packed sportive calendar but there’s little that matches tackling an event on exotic foreign roads.

Sign-up and start training – a mountainous European sportive is likely to be a significantly tougher challenge than many of the the UK’s rides.

The Etape du Tour, La Marmotte and Maratona dles Dolomites are Europe’s most prestigious sportives, while the route for this year’s Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia is not for the weak-willed.

There are plenty of other events aside from the obvious bucket-list regulars too – and many are certainly worth a closer look.

The L’Ariégeoise, Alpenbrevet and Quebrantahuesos are just three more in France, Switzerland and Spain respectively.

And if you are still unconvinced, the Tour of Cambridgeshire launches in 2015 – offering UK riders the ‘authentic Gran Fondo experience’, so you can see what tackling a European sportive is all about before heading to the continent to take on the real deal.

A big European sportive is also a great point on the calendar to build motivation for your winter and spring riding so the sooner you book, the sooner you can start logging the training miles.