Girona, Catalonia: Why Professional Cycling's Favourite Training Hub Works for Every Visiting Athlete

Girona is a city of around 100,000 people in northeastern Catalonia, 100 kilometres northeast of Barcelona where the Ter and Onyar rivers meet in the foothills above the Costa Brava coast. Its old town — a compact cluster of Gothic architecture and coloured houses reflected in the Onyar — has nothing obviously to do with cycling. The reason to come is what surrounds it: access within 30 minutes of the city to the serious climbing of the pre-Pyrenees, flat high-speed roads on the Empordà plain, the rolling volcanic landscape of La Garrotxa, and the coastal roads of the Costa Brava. Stacked together, it is one of the most varied day-ride menus in Europe. Add mild winters, excellent road quality, and an infrastructure built around two decades of professional cyclist residence, and the destination functions differently from anywhere else.

Why Professionals Settled Here

The concentration of professional cyclists in Girona began in the early 2000s. English-speaking riders seeking winter training ground that was warmer than home without the logistics of major Spanish cities found that Girona offered mild temperatures, quiet roads, affordable accommodation, and proximity to all the climbing they needed. The community grew. By the 2010s, dozens of WorldTour athletes were based in the city year-round or for extended blocks, and the infrastructure built around their needs — bike shops offering WorldTour-level service, mechanics with framesets and components otherwise only seen at team trucks, cafés organised around early-start ride culture — became self-reinforcing.

That infrastructure is open to visiting athletes. The Service Course, Eat Sleep Cycle (ESC), and similar establishments in and around the city reflect a market shaped by professional demand. Mechanics capable of working on any current road or gravel setup, group ride departure points and bulletin boards for finding partners, and accommodation landlords experienced with cyclists and their equipment are standard, not exceptional.

The Climbs

Rocacorba is the benchmark climb. From the Banyoles plain at around 170 metres of elevation, the road ascends to the telecommunications towers on the summit at approximately 1,105 metres — roughly 9–10 kilometres of climbing averaging close to 9% gradient, with several steeper sections in the lower and upper thirds. The total elevation gain of around 930 metres inside ten kilometres makes it a hard effort at any level. Professional riders use it for structured intervals; visiting athletes use their time up it as a Girona-specific measure. The descent is clean and fast; it is practical to repeat the climb multiple times on a dedicated training day if you have the legs. Rocacorba is 25 kilometres from Girona's old town via Banyoles.

Els Àngels is the accessible counterpart: a longer, lower-gradient climb to the Sant Miquel dels Àngels sanctuary east of the city. The gradient averages 4–5%, the road gains roughly 430 metres over approximately 12 kilometres from the base at the Baix Empordà plain, and on clear days the views toward the Costa Brava coast and the Gavarres foothills are unimpeded. This is the standard easy-day climb: usable for recovery work, building base, or the first ride of a trip before committing to Rocacorba. The descent toward the coast allows a coastal circuit with a natural café stop.

La Garrotxa routes — north of Girona through the volcanic zone around Olot and Santa Pau — offer medium-mountain cycling through a landscape that is distinctive enough to be worth a specific day. The roads rise and fall through beech forests, farmland, and the low cone-shaped volcanic hills that characterise this corner of Catalonia. No individual climb of Rocacorba's severity, but sustained rolling terrain over four to five hours that builds significant climbing volume without the singular intensity. The road from Girona to Santa Pau via the Coll de Bracons and back via Les Preses is a well-established circuit.

The Pyrenean approaches to the northwest — Col de la Perxa, Port de Coma de Vaca, the routes into France via the Col de Noves — are accessible from Girona for full-day efforts of 150 kilometres or more. These are serious mountain days requiring early starts, substantial nutrition, and good weather. The climbs themselves are among the best in the Pyrenees; the return journey from Girona and back is a commitment. Worth planning a single dedicated big day for athletes who want to experience the range, but not a daily option.

The Empordà plain north and east of Girona provides the flat circuit option: high-speed roads on largely level terrain across the pre-Pyrenean lowlands. Used for tempo work, recovery spins, and as transition terrain between longer mountain days. Windy on many days — the tramontana (the regional northerly wind, cold and often very strong) comes out of the north across the plain and can turn an easy day into a serious effort depending on direction.

Spring (March–May) is the primary season. Temperatures sit between 14°C and 22°C, days lengthen consistently, and the roads are not yet congested with summer coastal traffic. April is the most reliable month: weather is settled, the professional peloton is in full European race season and visible on the same roads, and the riding infrastructure operates at full capacity.

Autumn (September–November) is the second window. September carries summer warmth; October is frequently the best month of the year — clear light, 16–22°C, and the summer visitors gone. November brings the first tramontana fronts; rideable on good days, but plan around wind forecasts. This is the window when many WorldTour riders return from the race season to begin winter base training, which increases the density of company on the standard routes.

Winter (December–February) is cold by Catalan standards but mild compared to northern Europe. January and February see temperatures of 8–15°C on clear days, occasionally dropping below that. Riders from the UK, Belgium, and Germany use Girona specifically in winter because the training windows are longer and more consistent than at home. Cold-weather kit required; wind is the main adversary rather than temperature.

Summer (June–August) is hot. July and August regularly reach 35°C; serious riding requires pre-dawn starts and being off the coastal roads before noon. The roads toward Tossa de Mar and the Costa Brava are heavily tourist-congested in summer. Not the optimal window, but athletes whose schedules fix them to summer should start before 07:00 and plan accordingly.

Getting There

Girona Costa Brava Airport (GRO) is 15 kilometres south of the old town, served primarily by Ryanair with connections from London Stansted, Brussels Charleroi, Dublin, Edinburgh, and other European cities. Seasonal frequency varies — summer has the strongest connections, winter fewer routes. A car is needed from this airport; the city centre is a short drive.

Barcelona El Prat (BCN) is 100 kilometres southwest on the AP-7 motorway, approximately one hour by car in normal traffic. BCN has wide transatlantic and European connectivity and is the practical arrival airport for most international visitors. Athletes bringing bikes typically hire a car in Barcelona and drive to Girona directly.

By train: Renfe's AVE high-speed service connects Barcelona Sants to Girona station in approximately 38 minutes, with frequent departures. Without a bike, this is the simplest option; Girona station is a 10-minute walk from the old town. Bicycle carriage on AVE high-speed services is restricted to boxed bikes as checked luggage — confirm Renfe's current policy when booking.

Where to Base

The old town (Barri Vell) and the Mercadal neighbourhood immediately to the west are the standard bases: central, walkable, close to post-ride establishments. The Eat Sleep Cycle café on Carrer dels Germans Roca is the social hub for visiting cyclists — the notice board for ride partners, local knowledge on route and weather conditions, and the natural gathering point for early starts. Multiple short-term rental apartments near the old town are habitually used by cycling visitors and typically have safe indoor bike storage.

Accommodation in the Eixample (the grid-pattern new town extending south and west of the old town) is quieter and slightly cheaper, still within easy reach of route start points, and useful for longer stays. The lake at Banyoles, 15 kilometres west, provides an alternative base if you want quieter surroundings closer to Rocacorba's base — a small town with hotels and the added option of open-water swimming in one of Catalonia's largest natural lakes.

Frequently Asked

How does Girona compare with Mallorca for a cycling trip? Different demands. Mallorca's Sa Calobra, Cap Formentor, and the Serra de Tramuntana offer iconic climbs on a car-free island with a compact circuit structure — ideal for a week's riding with predictable weather. Girona offers greater variety over longer distances, real urban infrastructure, and the accumulated professional cyclist culture. Both are excellent; the choice is between an island camp and a mainland base, not between two comparable destinations.

Do I need a guide or organized tour? No, for experienced road cyclists. Route GPX files for all standard Girona circuits are freely available and the roads are signed clearly enough for independent riding. Organised tours and guided rides are available through the established outfitters if you want company, structured progressive routes, or support on longer mountain days.