GOOD TIMES IN GIRONA PART 2
Girona – A place beyond biking – Part II
Remember we met Oriol Batista in Spring? Well, that is exactly were the Pippo journey started to climb - full gas. Leaving us fully fueled with loads of high-quality pictures and great content on our phones.
We agreed on meeting Oriol at a roundabout close to Llagostera so we could get started and discuss the final route. Oriol being experienced but still excited for meeting a new client from central Europe. Shortly after starting to discuss the overall course of the shooting it was clear, that one of us needed to sit behind the wheel of his VW Van. So it was three riders behind the bus and Oriol strapped on top of his mattress in the back of his van, doors open. A once in a life time picture. Needless to say we were having a lot of fun riding, seeing Oriol working with so much passion.
Rolling and climbing behind a van was new to all of us, but Oriol managed to give detailed orders. Having worked with quite a few professionals, Jan Frodeno among others, he managed to get a little extra out of all our legs.
Picking up where we left .., having chosen the mid-distance route from Girona City Centre towards Tossa de Mar we made no mistake. A nicely tarred road out of the little town of Llagostera, located about 20km southeast of Griona, took us to the start of the climb of Sant Grau a well-known route among locals and professionals. Needless to say that the region of Girona offers a great variety of rides, so does the level of bike fanatics. We have been passed by a Education First cyclist at furious speed as well as overtaken a couple older mates from the UK, who took it rather easier on their way up.
In other words, Girona offers routes for everyone from bloody amateurs to pro tour champs.
climb and scenic descent from the Sant Grau, via Llagostera
What a beauty.
The about 6km long descent from Sant Grau down towards the connecting coastal road to Tossa de Mar was a mind-blowing experience. Sometimes it was hard to keep our hands attached to the handlebar, to be honest, being tempted to take pictures and videos. As the road can be rocky and difficult to oversee, we recommend to take a short break so you can take all the pictures needed for your poetry albums.
Adding up to a solid 100km for a round-trip. that is good for a training ride as well as a day trip to the sandy beaches of Tossa de Mar, another scenic component of this tour and tourist hotspot of Costa Brava. We definitely recommend to give this tour a spin.
The Old Town of Tossa is another magnet for tourists from all over the globe including loads of cyclists who are warmly welcomed in this city. Be careful though, Police is alert, so don’t roll through the pedestrian area.
The Mediterranean roads, stunning views and various touristy medieval towns, not to forget the vineyards of the Empordà region, make Costa Brava one of the hottest destinations for cycling in Europe.
Having completed our tour and the shooting we rolled into Girona Old Town, like champions, exhausted from the acceleration, which Oriol wanted to see at the climbs, but happy. Sipping another tasty and great looking coffee at Espresso Mafia we felt a hundred percent satisfaction.
Make cycling great again.
Yours,
Jannik from PIPPO
