THE COMPLETE GUIDE
CYCLING
IN GIRONA.
More World Tour pros live here than in any other city on the planet. They didn't pick it for the lifestyle. They picked it because every road that leaves the city is good. Here's why — and how to ride it yourself.
WHY THE PROS LIVE HERE
THE PLACE PROS MOVE TO.
Girona is a small Catalan city — one cathedral, a river full of coloured houses, a bridge built by Eiffel — that happens to be the most concentrated home of professional cyclists in the world. The Yates twins lived here. Pogačar trains here in the build-up to a Tour. Tao Geoghegan Hart, Lachlan Morton, half the Ineos roster, most of the EF squad, dozens more. When pros pick a base, they pick this place.
The reason is simple. Pros need three things from a base: quiet roads, varied terrain, and a runway out of the city that doesn't involve a busy ring road. Girona delivers all three in the first ten kilometres. Roll out north towards Banyoles and you're on farm lanes. Roll east towards Sant Martí Vell and you're climbing tempo. Roll west into the Garrotxa and you're in beech forest inside half an hour.
The lifestyle is a bonus. Cheap rent. Decent coffee. A fifteen-minute flight to most of Europe. Twenty minutes to the Mediterranean. A Spanish-speaking, Catalan-cooking, cycling-literate working town that hasn't been priced out of itself yet. The pros aren't in Girona because it's pretty. They're here because the riding is unreasonable.
WHEN TO VISIT
THE TWO PROPER SEASONS.
Girona has two cycling windows: spring (March to early June) and autumn (September to early November). Pick autumn if you can — quieter roads, better light, October is the locals' month for a reason.
March – early June
SPRING
Daytime 16–25°C, occasional showers, vines coming back. Busy with pro teams in pre-season camps. The classic European spring window — works well if you're building toward a summer event.
September – early November
AUTUMN
Daytime 20–26°C, drier than spring, harvest in full swing. Empty roads, the best light of the year, pool still warm enough to swim in after a ride. Locals' favourite. October is peak.
July – August
AVOID FOR TRAINING
Mid-thirties most days. The pros leave for altitude or northern Europe. Rideable at 6 a.m. but the heat costs you any meaningful training quality after 9.
December – February
QUIET BUT COLD
Daytime 5–14°C, short days. The locals ride through it but visitors mostly skip it. If you come, bring lights and treat it as base miles, not key sessions.
GRAVEL
THE QUIET REASON
PROS COME BACK.
Girona's gravel scene is the second reason the place stayed. The Traka — the longest gravel race in Europe — starts and finishes here. Lachlan Morton trained for the Tour Divide on these trails. The terrain ranges from vineyard service roads in the Empordà to volcanic dirt inside La Garrotxa Natural Park to cork-oak singletrack through Les Gavarres. Coastal gravel above the Med. Forest tracks west of Olot. None of it requires a mountain bike; most of it is comfortable on 40–45 mm tyres.
The other quiet truth: the road and gravel networks interlock. You can ride a Catalan back-road loop, drop onto a vineyard track for ten minutes, climb a paved col, and roll home down a coastal dirt path — all in a single morning. Girona is one of the few places in Europe where a pure gravel bike is the most useful bike to bring.
COMMON QUESTIONS
CYCLING IN GIRONA — FAQ.
Why do so many pro cyclists live in Girona?
More World Tour pros live in Girona than in any other city on the planet. They moved for the riding, not the lifestyle: every road that leaves the city is good. Long even-gradient climbs, quiet back roads, dirt that connects to tarmac that connects to the Mediterranean coast. It's also a one-hour flight from most of Europe, an hour from Barcelona-El Prat by train, and warm enough to ride in shorts from March to November.
When is the best time of year to cycle in Girona?
March to early June and September to early November are the sweet spots. Spring is busier and a touch wetter; autumn is the season the locals quietly prefer — empty roads, mid-twenties most days, vines turning, pool warm enough to swim in after a ride. July and August are too hot for serious training. December to February is rideable on the right day but you'll want lights and a warm jacket.
What are the famous climbs in Girona?
Rocacorba is the legend — 11 km of even-gradient road every pro in town uses for testing. Els Àngels is the everyday tempo climb. Mare de Déu del Mont is the big mountain day. Coll de Bracons is the quiet beech-forest classic west of the city. Beyond those, the area has dozens of climbs in the 4–8 km range, almost all of them on quiet roads with a café at one end.
Do I need to be a strong rider to cycle in Girona?
No. The famous climbs are advertised in the magazines but most of the riding is gently rolling — lanes through the Empordà, the Ter river path, the lake at Banyoles, the coastal roads above the Med. You can spend a week here at base-tempo pace and never see a steep gradient. The climbs are there if you want them, but they're not the whole place.
Should I bring my own bike or hire one?
Bring your own if you can. It's dialled to your fit and you'll ride it best. Hire is good in Girona — multiple shops with current-spec road and gravel bikes — but plan ahead in October peak, especially for taller riders. Reckon on €60–110 a day depending on the bike.
How do I get to Girona?
Easiest is Girona-Costa Brava (GRO) — small airport, 15 minutes from the city, served by Ryanair from most of Europe. Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) is bigger and 90 minutes south by train or car. Anyone flying with a bike: GRO is more bike-friendly at oversized baggage; BCN has the wider flight schedule.
Is Girona safe to cycle in?
Yes. Catalan drivers are among the most cycling-aware in Europe — there's a strong cycling culture, the local police know the roads, and the back lanes most riders use see almost no traffic. Use lights, ride predictably, stay off the C-roads at peak hours and you'll have a quieter time on the road than at home.
How does Girona compare to Mallorca for cycling?
Mallorca is steeper terrain in a smaller area, with a bigger cycling-tourism economy and more all-inclusive resorts. Girona is wider terrain on quieter roads, with a smaller scene that feels more like a working pro town. Mallorca is better for a first cycling holiday and packed with options. Girona is better for serious training, gravel, and riders who want to share roads with the World Tour.