Top 10 rides from the European Summer of 2022.
Tristan Cardew's
Summer Behind Bars:
Tristan Cardew's
Summer Behind Bars:
Tristan Cardew's
Summer Behind Bars:
It’s safe to say that this summer of riding has been one of my favourites. Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy, Andorra, Morocco, France - and of course here in Catalunya. Owing to a number of canceled road races I’ve spent less time focussed on training and more on travel and enjoying every hour on the bike I can. So with cold weather creeping in and plenty of memories in the bank, I thought I’d go back through my Strava and find a few memorable rides to talk about.
Here’s my top 10 rides from the European summer of 2022:
Tristan Cardew's
Summer Behind Bars:
Tristan Cardew's
Summer Behind Bars:
Top 10 rides from the European Summer of 2022.
It’s safe to say that this summer of riding has been one of my favourites. Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy, Andorra, Morocco, France - and of course here in Catalunya. Owing to a number of canceled road races I’ve spent less time focussed on training and more on travel and enjoying every hour on the bike I can. So with cold weather creeping in and plenty of memories in the bank, I thought I’d go back through my Strava and find a few memorable rides to talk about.
Here’s my top 10 rides from the European summer of 2022:
Traka200:
May 1
Traka200:
May 1
Traka200: May 1
There’s nothing like kicking off summer with the longest gravel race you’ve ever done: the Traka200 starting and ending in Girona. The field was deeper than ever, the course was a bit above my league given I’d barely ridden gravel the entire winter, and the distance was the longest one-day race I’d ever attempted. 200km on gravel feels like about 350km on the road, I learned.
What’s interesting was how hard everyone went at the start, but then how quickly people started to drop away. I made the second group on the road, with about 25 guys, and by kilometer 100 it was down to 9 guys. By kilometer 150 it was 5 guys and by the end I rolled in as the ‘winner’ of my second group, 13th overall. A truly brutal, truly memorable day off road - and a great way to warm up for what was to come…
Rad Race 96 Hours Day One: June 14
Rad Race 96 Hours Day One: June 14
Rad Race 96 Hours Day One: June 14
In June I was invited over to Slovenia to ‘race’ (although more like attend) the RadRace 96 Hours event - a 550km ride through Slovenia, Italy and Austria. It was a gravel event, with long stretches of road. And you had to carry all your own gear.
After a bit of a debacle getting from Barcelona to Munich to the bus that took us down to Ljubljana, I made it. Day one of the four day event did not disappoint - and I can see why Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic have such decent bicycle riding abilities. Beautiful and tough climbs, amazing vistas, and another belter of a trip to a country I’ve never been to.
4 Hours, 4 Climbs of Andorra:
June 26
4 Hours, 4 Climbs of Andorra: June 26
4 Hrs, 4 Climbs of Andorra:
June 26
One of the last rides with one of my closest mates, pro cyclists for Ag2R-Citroen, Ben O’Connor, a couple of days before he flew off to the Tour de France in Copenhagen. This ride was what you might call a ‘Classic Andorra’ - four popular climbs, perfect Pyrenean mountain weather, a spectacular bonk on my part, and a nice way for Ben and I to chill out and catch up before the pressure cooker that is the Tour.
Emporda, the ‘flat’ way: July 2
Emporda, the ‘flat’ way: July 2
Emporda, the ‘flat’ way: July 2
By July, the weather was really starting to warm up. Multiple days in the 30’s had hit us, while the heat adaptation had not. I started trying to find loops that required less climbing at low speed (where I would sweat more) and more fast, flowing roads with limited stops to focus on consistent power output, pedaling smoothness, and some new scenery.
I mapped out a loop in the Emporda (a farming region to the north-east of Girona) and began discovering ways to link up roads I’d ridden once or twice in the past but never formed into a single ride. This 165km ride was one of my fastest solo rides ever, with an average close to 35kp/h and plenty of very ‘summery’ vibes along the way.
PDS Express:
July 23
PDS Express:
July 23
PDS Express:
July 23
At the end of July there were a number of Sydneysiders in town taking advantage of the fact they could travel again, so we decided to put on a bit of a classic Australian bunch ride. The Port de la Selva loop (now known as the PDS Express) has been a staple of the last couple of winters, founded by Maltese rider, Dan Bonello. 150 kilometers, two main climbs in the middle and a chop off to get home.
Usually completed in a touch over 4 hours, this day we took it a little easier, showing the Aussies why Catalunya is such a sought-after travel destination from riders around the world.
Back to the Principality: August 11
Back to the Principality: August 11
Back to the Principality: August 11
Anyone that knows me knows I see Andorra almost as a second home. It’s one of my favourite places to be, no matter what the season, but in summer it’s particularly beautiful. Nestled in the Pyrenees right on the Spanish/French border, it’s one of the most popular places for professional cyclists to live for both training, and the tax incentives the country offers them. I’m now lucky enough to have enough friends up there that when the inspiration strikes, I ride up, stay for a few days, and then ride back to Girona again.
This ride to Andorra was particularly memorable - knowing I had a few big events coming up I focussed on eating right the entire way, and enjoyed blue skies, uninterrupted climbs, and the knowledge that once I got there I’d have a few good days of climbing ahead of me. I love to ride my bike more than anything, and this ride is a perfect example of why. 220km, 3300+m, 7h30m of pure, challenging bliss.
Alpenbrevet:
September 3
Alpenbrevet:
September 3
Alpenbrevet:
September 3
One of the events I'd penciled in at the start of 2022 was the Swiss Cycling Alpenbrevet in September. It’s considered one of the toughest fondo’s in Europe, starting and finishing in Andermatt, Switzerland, covering 270km with close to 7000m of climbing. I say it was penciled in because I’d spent much of the first half of 2022 working out the logistics behind my trip to Switzerland. I wanted to time the trip with a visit to BMC, but needed the dates to align. At the last minute I got the go-ahead, locked in one of the last entries to the Alpenbrevet thanks to one of my sponsors (Winforce), and jumped on a plane.
The event itself definitely lived up to the hype. Not just in difficulty, but also in terms of scenery. Switzerland is, by far, the most scenic place I’ve ever ridden a bike. So many mountains, so many smooth roads, and so much hilly terrain packed into a small location. I started the day in full warmers which felt odd given I hadn’t worn them for months, but with each passing rain shower and high-altitude pass I rode over, I was glad I had them on. In the end I rolled in for 5th place, with plenty of decent photos in my phone to remember the day by.
The best 120km loop: September 5
The best 120km loop: September 5
The best 120km loop:
September 5
Two days after the Alpenbrevet, on my last day in the Swiss Alps, I rolled out extremely tired but keen to explore. What followed was an unplanned but incredibly rewarding 120km loop, taking on some of Switzerland’s most famous climbs: first, the Furkapass, then the Grimselpass, and finally the Sustenpass. Both the first and third climbs were more than 20 kilometers long, snaking their way up and over absolutely gigantic mountains that make the Pyrenees feel almost flat.
Oh yeah, and did I mention the scenery? I rate this as my most scenic ride of 2022…
AMR2022: October 5
AMR2022: October 5
AMR2022: October 5
My last ride for the 2022 summer: this final day of Atlas will go down as the hardest day of riding I’ve ever done in my life. Not the course itself, necessarily, but the circumstance.
In the lead up to this final day of racing, I’d spent 4 days grappling with sleep deprivation, a deteriorating wrist (pain from tendonitis made gripping the bars difficult and shifting gears near on impossible), hunger, heat, and the mental fatigue from concentrating for up to 18 hours a day as I rode the 1173km course as fast as possible.
I had ridden into the final checkpoint after 10 hours on the bike, had dinner and re-gathered myself before setting out at 11pm to begin the final 180km leg of the journey to the finish line. What started with excitement to be finished quickly descended into a full-blown meltdown with 100km to go. A 7km, rock-laden hike-a-bike climb sapped every ounce of energy I had (particularly as I’d been awake for almost 24 hours by this stage), and it’s no exaggeration to say that each kilometer of riding after that got progressively slower.
In true masochistic AMR form, the final 30km of Atlas took us through alleyways of unrideable sand on the Agadir outskirts, where aggressive dogs chased weary riders, and sweat, fog, dirt and 5 days of unwashed kit combined for an olfactory sensation I hope never to experience again.
I rolled into peak hour Agadir traffic averaging 9km an hour and wasn’t particularly fussed when I crossed the finish line. The depths of fatigue I felt was all-encompassing: it’s been 10 days since I returned to Girona and I’m still having a hard time making it through the days without nodding off. Truly a unique way to end the 2022 summer of riding, and something I never want to experience again.
So there you have it! My top 10 rides of this European summer - plenty of good times, plenty of photo-worthy scenery, and something I'm not sure I'll be able to top anytime soon. But at least I’ve got the winter to plan…
Tristan Cardew is an Australian photographer and Attaquer ambassador living in Girona, Spain. To see more from Tristan check out his Instagram and YouTube.
What Tristan wore:
What Tristan wore:
What Tristan wore:
Epic rides require equally epic kit. Explore Tristan's must haves from the 2022 Summer season:
ALL DAY CARGO BIB SHORTS
These are our most comfortable bibs, featuring a signature two-piece, ergonomically curved chamois for ultimate support.
Updated 2023 version launching in November.
RACE ULTRA+ CLIMBERS JERSEY
The lightest jersey we produce, developed to weather the hottest of conditions with a lightweight aero mesh construction.
RACE JERSEY
Our most popular jersey featuring a race fit, reflective detailing, light yet supportive 3D warp-mesh arms and pre-dyed fabrics. This jersey is the ultimate allrounder.