Johannes Dale-Skjevdal’s Favorite Tour

Olympic Pursuit Gold medalist Johannes Dale-Skjevdal sees cycling as his transition into training and the opportunity for the casual coffee/cake stop! “I enjoy cycling in the spring a lot; it’s the beginning of the transition into training season. You get some good experiences because you have the opportunity to go quite far on a training session with the bike! One of my favourite tours is from Lillehammer to a place called Helgøya. Helgøya is a very nice, calm and beautiful island, with a big lake surrounding it. The tour also contains a coffee stop, always the highlight!”

“I love riding with friends”

Lucie Charvátová loves her time on the bike, getting in low intensity training while enjoying time with friends. “Cycling is my favorite part of spring training because you can just ride and enjoy the scenery. I also enjoy riding with friends who have different fitness levels, as the performance gap is often less noticeable on a bike, especially when riding in a group. Sometimes I wish I were more of a coffee-stop rider, but as an athlete I'm not used to taking breaks during training. Once I stop, my body usually doesn't want to get going again. Compared to running, cycling is less painful, and you can spend more hours training at a low intensity.”

Besides riding, this professional athlete enjoys watching the cycling World Tour. “Another thing about cycling that I love is that spring is the season of the Spring Classics and the Giro d’Italia. Watching those races on TV motivates me to get out and ride even more. My best cycling form usually comes in July, so during the Tour de France I often feel for the riders and almost experience the suffering with them.”

Cycling in Mallorca

The Czech veteran has great cycling routes at her home in Vrchlabí, but relishes exploring new places. “I’m lucky to live in a great training area. One day, I can head into the mountains and climb a lot of elevation, and the next I can enjoy a flat ride. This spring I spent some time in Mallorca, riding some of the island’s most iconic routes, including Sa Calobra and Cap de Formentor. Back home, my favorite rides often include the climb to Špindlerova Bouda on the Czech-Polish border or longer loops around the Krkonoše Mountains.”

“Cycling gives me a profound sense of freedom”

Spring cycling near her home in Mittenwald is special for Selina Grotian. “After the long winter, I relish cycling in the mountains in warmer temperatures. The unique combination of deep-blue, shimmering mountain lakes, majestic peaks, and winding routes feels particularly vivid. While the last traces of snow often still glisten on the mountain peaks, the first meadows in the valleys are already in bloom. Cycling gives me a profound sense of freedom and openness while spring also marks a time of athletic renewal for me.”

Grotian calls one loop, “A truly special ride, beginning in Mittenwald, upward to two true natural gems: the Lautersee and Ferchensee, crystal-clear lakes at the foot of the Wetterstein Mountains. Passing via Schloss Elmau, Hotel Kranzbach, Klais, and the Buckelwiesen, and back to Mittenwald. This route strikes the perfect balance between challenging sections and relaxed stretches for active recovery.”

Now it’s time to put on your helmet, hit the roads, and celebrate World Bicycle Day!

Photos: IBU/ Anna Gandler, Luci Charvátová, Selina Grotian, Johannes Dale-Skjevdal