Cyprus: the best kept secret of the Mediterranean
Forget the southern United States, the Canary Islands and Mallorca: the new trend is to start the cycling season in Cyprus!
This article first appeared in the excellent magazine Vélo Mag, June 2022 edition.
From the beach, the climbs to the center of the island are in stages,” explains Tony Martin, an Englishman who got to know the island while stationed there for the British army. He has since become the owner ofAspire Cycling, a bicycle rental agency and organizer of major events in Cyprus.
Perfect for the road
If triathlon enthusiasts spin mainly along the coast, it is the interior of the country, less known, which is particularly the pride of the actors in the cycling community here. “Up to the first plateau, you climb through plantations of olive and carob trees dotted here and there with goats and sheep,” continues Tony Martin. At the second level, between 600 and 1100 m, extend a number of vineyards, and our summits are covered with forests. »
The quality of the roads has improved even further in anticipation of L'Étape du Tour de France, an amateur race that offers the conditions of a true mountain stage. “We are resurfacing the roadway, and adding signage, lines and guardrails,” describes Evie Anayiotou, an engineer at the Ministry of Public Works. The Cypriot Stage, organized by Aspire Cycling, is “the most beautiful! according to Tony Martin. It will welcome 1500 cyclists next November.
The white rocks, near Tochni, give a wintry look to the landscape. (credit Jan Nemec)
The small town of Lefkara (credit Jan Nemec)
Relief enthusiasts will play near the village of Omodos. (credit Jan Nemec)
Perfect for the mountain
Mike Hadjioannou, from Activate Cyprus
If a soft asphalt leads the road from one point of view to another while passing by a panoply of cafes and traditional restaurants, the paths of the island are not to be neglected either. “Two-thirds of the island is covered by mountains,” says Mike Hadjioannou with shining eyes. The Cypriot joins me on a terrace by the sea, near the castle of Paphos originally built by the Franks and finally restored by the Ottomans. He sports a blue padded jacket, an infectious smile and thin crow's feet behind his dark glasses. He too seems in love with the wild national landscapes: “The ground changes color when you climb. The rocks shine white, red, then cover with pine trees. At the top, we are treated to the blue of the Mediterranean all around. »
Owner ofActivate Cyprus, Mike Hadjioannou mainly rents mountain bikes. He also organizes tailor-made excursions according to his clients. His anecdotes are free. “My first mountain bike competitions date back to 1995,” he says. After several years of studies which led him to obtain (in particular) a master's degree in sociology and sports management, he became national coach from 2004 to 2008. "I was at Mont Sainte-Anne for a World Cup, he recalls , but one of the girls broke her collarbone in practice. As long as we couldn't ride, we decided to spend a few days at the Montreal Jazz Festival! »
The seaside is dotted with paths.
Mountain biking on top of the Troodos (credit Jan Nemec)
Less and less secret
Cypriots only recently realized the cycling potential of their country.
“Barely ten or fifteen years ago, recreational cycling was rather marginal here”
- Mike Hadjioannou ofActivate Cyprus.
An observation shared by Nikol Ioannou, co-owner ofAspire Cycling with Tony Martin: “The vast majority of tourism was concentrated on the beaches and the summer months,” she says. However, the conditions for driving are perfect during all other seasons. She's right: between December and March, daily temperatures fluctuate between 17 and 19°C, there is less wind, and the roads are less busy. This is only a few degrees warmer than the Spanish island of Majorca, renowned for its sublime cycling conditions. “Our mountains are also higher! ” boasts Mike Hadjioannou, who is also the organizer of a spring gran fondo between the city of Paphos and the surroundings of Mount Olympus, which culminates at an altitude of almost 2000 m.
From tourist agencies to Ministry of Transport employees, everyone mentioned that the pandemic had changed the face of cycling in Cyprus. “As soon as we were allowed to go out to exercise, there was not a single bike left for sale on the island! I was told. As in many countries where cycling was not part of the mores, many adults then adopted the bicycle instead of the bus, and discovered the joys of pedaling.
These residents are joined by tourists from all over Europe, the Middle East and some North America. Many of them arrive light on low-cost air carriers and rent their mounts here. On the roads of Cyprus, we come across lonely explorers, athletes in training camp wearing the colors of their favorite team and other cyclists who use their bikes to visit the many archaeological and historical sites of the country.
"You can't come back unhappy from a bike ride!" summarizes Mike Hadjioannou. Especially, I would add, when this outing takes place under the mild Cypriot sun.
The village of Vouní, in the center of the island
A paradise bay in Akamas National Park, in the northwest of the island
Good to know
BIKE RENTAL
- Aspire Cycling will take you to where you store your Canyon brand road or triathlon bikes. It organizes training camps and also offers Lapierre mountain bikes from its workshop in Koúklia, east of Paphos.
- Activate Cyprus delivers mountain, gravel and road bikes for your island explorations. Mike Hadjioannou and his team concoct tailor-made tours based on your interests.
- In addition to rental, Paphos Ride Easy shop sells frames and equipment and owns a mechanical workshop.
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean.
“We specialize in gravel bikes, bikepacking and tailor-made,” the co-owner of Loose Cycles tells me. It was enough for me to spend more than two hours in this small shop in Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital.