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Racing in Open Water: What International OWS Events Actually Require from Participants
Open water swimming is the most travel-efficient of all destination endurance sports: no bike box, no pole bag, no gear check queue. The logistics are minimal compared to triathlon or ultra running — but the event-specific details, from wetsuit rules to tidal briefings to water temperature thresholds, are less obvious than they look and matter more than they should.
By ZealZag TeamLand Training for Surfing: How to Arrive at a Surf Trip Physically Ready
Most of surfing — arguably 60-70% by time in the water — is paddling. The rest demands explosive hip mobility, rotational strength, and the ability to absorb wave energy through your legs for hours. When you are not near a beach, these things can be trained. Here is what actually carries over and what doesn't.
By ZealZag TeamMallorca's Tramuntana: What Europe's Premier Winter Cycling Island Actually Offers
Mallorca has been the default winter training base for European road cyclists since the 1990s. Pro teams use it in January and February; thousands of club cyclists follow in March and April. The Serra de Tramuntana in the northwest is the reason — a 90-kilometre limestone ridge with climbs ranging from gradual valley roads to the hairpin descent of Sa Calobra. What the island actually delivers for an athlete planning a trip.
By ZealZag Team
Bike Kingdom Lenzerheide: Switzerland's Biggest MTB Network
Switzerland's Bike Kingdom links Arosa, Lenzerheide and Chur across 366 trails - including the UCI World Cup DH and XCO courses. How to plan a trip to Graubuenden's mountain bike paradise.
By ZealZag Team
Lenzerheide World Cup 2026: The 10th Anniversary Opens in the Alps
The UCI MTB World Cup returns to Lenzerheide for its 10th edition - Switzerland Bike Kingdom hosts XCC, XCO and DHI racing June 19-21, with the DH course delivering its signature finish-bowl jump.
By ZealZag TeamCycling Locarno and Ticino: The Tour de Suisse Stage 2 Roads
A practical guide to riding the roads that Stage 2 of the 2026 Tour de Suisse just raced — Lake Maggiore's northern shore, Monte Ceneri, and the Orselina climb above Locarno, in Switzerland's southernmost and most Italian-feeling canton.
By ZealZag TeamGirmay Takes Locarno: NSN Wins Stage 2 as Pogacar's GC Lead Goes Unchallenged
Biniam Girmay wins Stage 2 of the Tour de Suisse in Locarno, navigating the punchy Orselina climb and a fast run to the finish to take NSN Cycling Team's first victory in Switzerland. Pogacar's massive overall lead, built on yesterday's 72km solo, remained untouched.
By ZealZag TeamInnsbruck Bouldering: Sanders Leads Into Tonight's Women's Final
After topping all five boulders in qualification — the only athlete across both groups to do so — Annie Sanders heads into the World Climbing Series Innsbruck women's boulder final tonight as the performance leader. Austria's Magdalena Rauter is in her first series semi-final. The final starts at 19:30 local time.
By ZealZag TeamThe Outdoor Bouldering Kit List: What a Crash Pad, a Brush, and Approach Shoes Actually Do
Outdoor bouldering requires a specific set of gear beyond climbing shoes and chalk. A crash pad is the centrepiece, and understanding what the foam layers, fold types, and size specifications mean in practice tells you more than any product page will. Here is the kit explained by function.
By ZealZag TeamTarifa: Europe's Wind Capital and What a Kite Trip Here Actually Involves
Tarifa sits at the southernmost point of mainland Europe where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar. The geography creates a near-constant wind corridor. It has been Europe's default kitesurfing destination for decades — but the conditions are not equally suitable for every level of rider.
By ZealZag TeamThe Easy Run Problem: Why 80% of Your Marathon Training Should Feel Almost Too Slow
Most recreational marathon runners train too hard too often — not hard enough to generate high adaptation, but hard enough to accumulate fatigue. The research on how elite endurance athletes distribute training intensity points toward a different approach, and most runners can apply it without a coach or a laboratory.
By ZealZag Team
The Price of Wonder
How 170,000 Kilometers on Unconventional Roads Taught Stefano Scapitta What It Means to Have Everything While Possessing Nothing
By ZealZag TeamInnsbruck, Austria: Climbing Capital at the Foot of the Karwendel
Innsbruck is where competition climbing meets the Alps. The KI Kletterzentrum anchors the city's identity as Europe's most accessible climbing base — with the Martinswand, the Karwendel crags, and multiple sport-climbing valleys all reachable by public transport from the old town.
By ZealZag TeamWorld Climbing Series Innsbruck: Boulder and Lead Begin Under Tyrol Skies
The 2026 World Climbing Series reaches its fourth event as Innsbruck opens its Boulder and Lead competition at the KI outdoor arena — the same venue that hosted the 2018 World Championships, and the only stop on the circuit that runs both disciplines simultaneously.
By ZealZag TeamCycling the Valtellina: Stelvio, Mortirolo, and Gavia from a Sondrio Base
The Italian valley that anchors today's Tour de Suisse Grand Départ is also one of Europe's great cycling destinations — three legendary alpine passes, a 114km lakeside path, and a car-free initiative that closes the major roads to traffic all summer.
By ZealZag TeamTour de Suisse 2026 Opens in Italy: Sondrio Launches the Race's New Era
For the first time in its history, the Tour de Suisse starts on Italian soil — a 144km circuit around Sondrio, in the heart of the Valtellina, with three punishing climbs and the world's best roster since the race was condensed to five days.
By ZealZag Team
Ride the Tour de Suisse Stage 1 Route in Valtellina, Italy
Ride the 144km Adda Valley loop that opened the 2026 Tour de Suisse — Lombard climbing through Sondrio, Buglio in Monte, and the Bordighi ramp where Pogacar made his move.
By ZealZag Team
Tour de Suisse 2026 Stage 1: Pogacar Strikes in Sondrio Finale
Tadej Pogacar wins Stage 1 of the Tour de Suisse 2026 in Sondrio, Italy — the race's first-ever stage outside Switzerland — after a brutal finale over three punchy Lombard climbs.
By ZealZag Team
Innsbruck Climbing Guide: Nordkette, Karwendel, and Alpine Rock
Innsbruck is one of Europe's great climbing cities — the Nordkette above, Karwendel valleys nearby, Martinswand limestone minutes from town. Here's how to climb here like a local.
By ZealZag Team
Innsbruck Climbing World Cup 2026: Boulder Semis Light Up the Alps
The 2026 IFSC World Climbing Series in Innsbruck reaches its midpoint — boulder semifinals and lead qualifications underway at the outdoor arena beneath the Nordkette as the world's best compete in Austria.
By ZealZag TeamPreparing for Your First Multi-Day MTB Stage Race: What the Training Block Actually Looks Like
Multi-day MTB stage racing is a fundamentally different test from a single long ride or a short-format XCO race. The training that builds you for it is specific, and most athletes underestimate the volume of back-to-back riding required. Here is a realistic preparation framework.
By ZealZag TeamFrom Raid Gauloises to the World Series: How Adventure Racing Built Itself From Nothing
Adventure racing arrived in 1989 with no rule book, no governing body, and no audience. Three and a half decades later it has a world series, a championship, and a culture unlike anything else in endurance sport. Here is how that happened.
By ZealZag TeamKitesurfing Mykonos: The Island of the Winds and How to Ride It
Mykonos earns its name. The Meltemi — a dry northerly that runs June through August at 20–35 knots — makes the island one of the most consistently windy kite and wingfoil destinations in the Mediterranean. A guide to the spots, the season, and the logistics.
By ZealZag TeamFlying to Your Ultra: Kit Compliance, Drop Bags, and What Overseas Race Registration Actually Looks Like
The running in an ultra is the part you're most prepared for. The administrative layer — mandatory kit compliance, medical documentation, drop bag logistics, overseas registration, and jet lag before a 5am start — is where first-timers lose hours and sleep. Here is what it actually looks like.
By ZealZag Team