Cycling in the Ariège Pyrenees
The Tour de France is often decided in the spectacular mountain stages of the Pyrenees. However for those who enjoy an easier ride, Ariège also has much to offer as most of the interesting places to visit lie along the river valleys, where the slopes are gentle. Mountain-biking, or VTT (vélo tout-terrain), is also very popular here and many tracks have been created and adapted for all levels.
MOUNTAIN BIKE HIRE
LocaCycles in Massat will bring you and the bikes up to either the col de Port, the Etang de Lers (mountain lake) or Cominac and you can ride back down along trails and forest roads. Free for children under 11 years old. English, German and Spanish spoken.
Marmot Tours offer supported biking holidays in Ariège and across the Pyrenees for English speakers.
DOWNHILL FREE RIDE MOUNTAIN BIKE COURSE
An association of extreme mountain biking enthusiasts, "Alternative VTT" has built a downhill course in the forest above the Col d'Ayens in the Couserans, about 25 km from St Girons, featuring ramps 50 cm to 3 m high, tables, doubles, wall rides, step downs, road gaps, etc. You can see the exact location here. More photos and videos on the association's site here.
ANNUAL EVENTS AND RACES:
May
The Ronde de l'Isard
This five day race is open to riders between 19 and 22 years old at a level of Elite 2 national standard. The race consists of a prologue, one individual time trial, one afternoon stage and 3 full-day stages.
June
Cyclosportive l'Ariégeoise
Every summer in June the Ariège Organisation Cycliste organizes a non-competitive race starting in Tarascon that features routes for different levels of ability. For more information, visit the web site (in French and Spanish): www.cyclosport-ariegeoise.comJune
July
Tour de France 2010 - Two mountain stages end and begin in Ariège. Sunday 18 July: Revel to Ax-3 Domaines ski station passing through Castelnaudary, Mirepoix, Chalabre, Quillan, Axat Port de Pailhères, Ax-les-Thermes. Monday 19 July: Pamiers to Luchon via Carla Bayle, Clermont, Saint Girons, Aucazein and the Col du Portet d'Aspet before passing into the department of Hautte Garonne.
October
Mémorial Fabio Casartelli
In 1995 St. Girons was the starting point for one of the stages of the Tour de France. Less than two hours later, at the col du Portet d'Aspet, the Italian rider Fabio Casartelli was fatally injured in a fall.
For 10 years starting in 1997 the cycling association of the Couserans organised each summer several days of cycling events in his memory. In 2008 the event was moved to October. The entrance fees go to a fund established by the Casartelli family in aid of professional cyclists injured in falls.
Three routes--Easy, Medium and Difficult, are plotted for each day of the event and includes a halt at the Fabio Casartelli memorial.