City of Stars
In the early-morning light, a group of young women is dancing methodically around in a circle on some nearby stone steps and humming what sounds like a high-pitched sea shanty. I shoot a confused look towards my host, Louise.
‘It’s the Game of Thrones theme,’ she says with a derisive smile. ‘It’s always Game of Thrones.’ Many of the HBO series’ scenes were shot in the Old Town of Girona, and a fair number of the tourists who visit the city are here to see the filming locations.
I let out a snort of laughter as we clip in for the start of our ride, but then I wonder if when they gazed down at us, clad in Lycra, they might be thinking the same thing themselves: ‘Cyclists. It’s always cyclists in Girona.’
Look around the cafes in central Girona and you’ll notice an unusually high proportion of muscular, shaved legs, suspicious tanlines and a fair few hipster tattoos. Look a little harder and you might recognise a ProContinental rider here or a Grand Tour podium finisher there. Girona’s current and past residents include Mark Cavendish, David Millar, Steven Cummings, Tao Geoghegan-Hart, Robert Gesink, the Yates brothers and one Lance Armstrong.
This city in north-east Spain has become one of the preferred hideaways of the pro cyclist, and I’m hoping today’s ride will show me why.
Cycling Mecca
With me is Therese, my partner both on the bike and in life in general. For today’s ride we’ve enlisted the help of Louise, who runs tour company EatSleepCycle here in Girona, although she originally hails from the UK. So far she has downplayed her riding form, insisting she’s some way off peak fitness, but as an ex-racer who spends much of her time riding around the local mountains, I have the suspicion that a little modesty may be at work.
