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I moved to Girona in 2006, when I was still a professional cyclist, looking for a European training base. I had lived in Biarritz for many years, but I wanted to try somewhere new. At the time, Girona was a sleepy Catalan town that people passed through on their way to Barcelona, although a few American cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, had made it their European home. My wife, Nicole, and I visited and almost instantly made up our minds. It was beautiful, but nondescript. High-end cycle tourism and the city’s unique lifestyle have since changed that; now the choice is up to the connoisseur.
Girona combines cycling with gastronomic culture. In the nearby town of Roses we had El Bulli, which was once the number one restaurant in the world. Now we have three Michelin-starred restaurants. The Celler of Can RocaTheir 24-course tasting menu is insane: a gastronomic experience at its finest. The Roca brothers have greatly improved Girona’s gastronomic scene: they also have an ice cream parlour, Rocambolesc Ice Cream Parlorhe Cocoa House boutique hotel and Normal Restaurant for more traditional Catalan food.
Cyclists love to stop for a coffee, and the coffee served here is second to none, from Espresso mafia on the Rambla to the OG cycling café, The Factoryin the old town. People who have lived here since the 70s tell me that the old town was wild back then: now it is simply beautiful. You can walk along the top of the city wall, ending up in the gardens surrounding the cathedral, which starred game of Thrones.
I recommend taking a personalized tour of Girona with a local guide, Laura Coch. Girona made to measure We also organise tailor-made outdoor holidays for those who want to immerse themselves in the countryside, which is precisely what we did. After living in an apartment near the train station for a few years, we moved north of the city, near Banyoles. We renovated a rural house, where we live with our three children. They all go to local schools, so we are firmly integrated.
My Spanish is okay, but Catalan is the main language here. The area is as Catalan as you can get. We are a 15-minute drive from the village, although Nicole and I will park on the shore and complete the journey on our Brompton folding bikes, along a network of cycle paths called “Vías Verdes”.
When it comes to more challenging routes, I always go back to Rocacorba, the most famous climb in the area. I can see it from my studio window. It’s an incredible climb – about 1,000 metres of elevation gain over 10 tough kilometres. I’ve climbed there with lots of friends, from Tour de France cyclist Mark Cavendish to photographer Nadav Kander and Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet. The summit is a dead end, so you literally climb it to enjoy the views from the top.
We also have plenty of options when it comes to bike shops. Velodromea boutique on the Rambla; Eat and sleep cycle; The course of service; and Rocacorba Workshop bike rental. There are also running shops like Provisions for land travel and E-sports fansowned by a man named Toti, who trained with ultramarathon legend Kilian Jornet. One local gem you might not expect to find is I wanteda beautiful jewelry store. The watch models they have are exceptional, including Rolex Submariner and many Patek Philippe.
Girona is so much more than just a cycling city. We have an open water pool at Lake Banyoles and I can run trails from home and feel like I’m in the middle of nowhere. For many pro cyclists, where they live to train becomes a temporary place, but I’m glad I stayed. I’ve lived in six countries, travelled all my life and still think Girona is the most beautiful place in the world. The people are so laid back and friendly. I couldn’t imagine a better place for our kids to grow up.
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