Cycling in some of the most beautiful places in the world is for the best part something reserved for a week or two at most a year, however, for the lucky few, it becomes our lifestyles and livelihoods. As head of the cycling program for Neilson, I find myself spending my summers guiding like-minded enthusiastic people around the most incredible places. On mountain passes that I have honed my cycling ability on over my years with Neilson, and fast sections of downhill, that I don't dare tocount how many times I’ve got a little too cocky on, whilst taking a corner.
My name’s Toby, and since 2017 I’ve been cycling co-ordinator for Neilson Active Holidays. Like most people, I grew up on my bike. However, my cycling journey started as a result of a freeskiing accident I had in New Zealand back in 2014, where I found myself with a broken neck and back with multiple other muscular injuries surrounding it, leaving me with temporary paralysis. As part of my recovery, I was advised by a physio to start road cycling (gently at first of course). The cycling, alongside other physio, not only helped to aid my recovery but also helped me find my confidence in sports again after my accident. My love for both mountain and road biking just skyrocketed from there, thenbecoming a bike guide being the perfect career move for me.
The greatest thing about being a bike guide has to be the undisputed joy and feeling of achievement you get from your groups after every ride. The routes in the Mar Menor are made in a way that there is something for every ability of rider, to fulfil every desired achievement for the day, and with locations such as the gorgeous port city of Cartagena on our routes, there’s a fantastic opportunity to see the sights too.
The riding around the Mar Menor can be fast. Smooth roads and undulating sections of road make it a fantastic area for group rides, and with the opportunity of seeing world-renowned riders such as Alejandro Valverde on your rides, I think that says more than I ever could about the riding around the Mar Menor Beachclub.
From 14 August to 5September 2021, we’ll be graced once again with the heated and exciting competition of La Vuelta. La Vuelta is one of the leading cycling races inthe international calendar, the legendary Spanish grand tour first seen in 1936 is now on its 76th edition. The 2021 Vuelta consists of 21 stages totalling an incredible 3336km of mountain stages, sprint arrivals and beautiful scenery to boot.
This year you could find yourself watching La Vuelta no more than 100 metres away from your room, with the later part of stage 8 of La Vuelta passing by the front of Mar Menor Beachclub. The stage coversroutes you’ll be led around yourself by our Neilson guides with the riders passing through popular local spots such as Los Alcazares, the harbour city of Cartagena, La Manga Club and our very own Mar Menor Beachcub, into El Algar. The stage finally coming to its finish out on La Manga del Mar Menor.
If you’ve been to see a world tour stage before, you don’t need to be reminded how exciting and impressive it is to see the peloton come past you quicker than you can imagine ever riding yourself. If you’re yet to experience it, it’s not to be missed.
Throughout the route itself, and as you’ll experience when riding from the resort, you’ll see beautifully smooth roads, short punchy climbs and the incredible architecture of Cartagena. All things you won’t have to rush past, and you can revisit at your leisure whenyour stay at Mar Menor Beachclub. Here's a video of the stages to whet your appetite!
Whilst road cycling is an exhilarating way to exercise and explore, it can be rather daunting if you’re unsure of the rules. Here we give you a refresher on the basics.
Here’s our guide to road cycling for complete beginners and our tips for getting out on the road.
Strava is the must have app for anybody heading out on a bike ride. It makes discovering the full potential of your local area easier than ever.
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