As our 2011 season nears the finish line and our 2012 adventure travel season gets ready to kick off, I want to take a few minutes to look back on some of my favorite rides of the year and share them with you — and perhaps inspire some of the DuVine spirit of adventure in my fellow cycling enthusiasts.

And, though I may be revealing some “DuVine secrets” by rating my top 10, the real secret to the DuVine experience is experiencing these rides and places yourself. So, while I may be divulging the “where” and my perspective on these rides, only you can make them truly DuVine. Come see for yourself in 2012!

My top 10 of 2011 (in no particular order…)

Epic ride in Corsica

Bicycle Tour Corsica, France
Enough is never enough at DuVine, and as proud as we are of all our tours, we are always looking to add more. So, this past summer, I set off to explore the magnificent French island of Corsica. And I was simply wowed at everything I found there. Corsica is a truly cycling haven, dotted with over 120 peaks taller than 2000 meters (talk about epic riding), but utterly devoid of traffic, leaving you to tackle climb after climb in complete peace. The riding aside, Corsica itself is the epitome of Mediterranean grandeur, and I made sure to take it all in. The landscape is as diverse as anywhere else I’ve seen, ranging from ocean-side vistas to breathtaking rock formations and lowland deserts. And when the day of riding is done, the island offers only the most sublime opportunities for rest and relaxation, whether that means lounging on the beach, indulging in some fine French cuisine, or taking in the island’s rich history (I made sure to do all of them). Now that it’s a new year, I can’t wait to introduce you to Corsica as one of the latest DuVine Adventures.

Costa Rica Active Adventure: Tamarindo to Playa Puerto Viejo
I hope you’re an animal lover, because this ride brings you as close to tropical wildlife as you could ever hope to get. After a morning of surfing at Tamarindo beach (this is a multisport adventure, after all), we hopped on our bikes to tackle the dirt roads from our beautiful surf spot to Puerto Viejo, Conchal, and Brasilito beach. We were followed all the way by the sounds of howler monkeys, toucans, cicadas, and way more. It’s like going on a safari, but instead of speeding along in a Jeep, we were up close and personal with nature as we pedaled along through the dense rain forest. And as if the ride weren’t reward enough, we then found ourselves parked in front of a fleet of ocean kayaks, ready to tackle the new terrain of crystal clear waters ahead of us. Half the adventure was just getting from our morning to our afternoon ocean-bound adventures, and it would have been such a shame to get there by car…. Good thing we didn’t!

Riding the beach in Costa Rica with guides Vlad and Ronald

Bicycle Tour Provence, France: Gordes to Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux may not be required on this day of our Provence bike tour, but I can’t get in the neighborhood of this legendary climb without pointing my wheels skyward and giving it my all. Battling the wind the whole way up, only the moon-like landscape and the sound of my own breathing to keep me company, this climb was anything but forgiving. But it’s definitely worth the battle. The route leading up to this iconic ascent, fortunately, is a lot more forgiving, but no less spectacular. We rode from the village of Gordes, exploring all that Luberon has to offer. Rolling towards Roussillon, we took in the famous Ochre cliffs which surround the village and are responsible for the ochre-colored homes you see all around you. After riding along above the great valley below, a decadent afternoon snack at the House of Truffles and Wine was enough to fuel my bonus mileage assault on Mont Ventoux, helping me chase the ghosts of Marco Pantani and Lance Armstrong all the way.

Bicycle Tour The Alps – Tour de France: Galibier to Alpe d’Huez
What a day, what a day, what a day. I’m not sure who had a better time on this ride: Pierre Rolland with his race winning move up the Alpe d’Huez, or me as I relieved decades of Tour de France glory with my own epic assault on the Galibier and the Alpe. With two HC climbs in succession, it was nothing short of one the most epic days I’ve had on the bike yet. With the Tour de France and the DuVine Pro Series TdF bike tour rolling in just weeks after my ride, I had a race of my own on my hands against the owner of the bike shop Cycle Huez. (I won’t tell you who won, though.) Needless to say, this ride is an absolute must for any Tour de France aficionados, and anyone looking to push their limits. It’s a good thing DuVine Adventures has both its Alps – Tour de France bike tour and its Alps Pro bike tour to get you there.

On the descent of Alpe d'Huez

Bicycle Tour Piedmont, Italy: Orsara Bormida Loop
Isn’t everything better with a glass of wine? Isn’t everything even better with a bike ride with the man who makes that glass of wine…followed by a dinner at his vineyard…made by his mother? Yeah, I think so too. Leaving from Acqui Terme, this ride follows an enchanting route to quaint Italian villages like the precariously perched Orsara Bormida and the hilltop town of Cremolino. The reward for keeping pace with pro mountain biker, wine maker, and DuVine tour guide Guido Rapetti is well worth the effort, though. In addition to that exquisite meal prepared by Guido’s parents in our own priavte restaurant, we are we privileged with the chance to see first hand what goes into a great bottle of wine.

Lake Como, Italy: Bellagio to Madonna del Ghisallo
How could a ride that includes a hill named for the patron saint of cycling (Madonna del Ghisallo) be anything other than absolutely perfect? Well, it couldn’t be. Never one to just sit back and stop exploring, I set off on a new adventure this summer to check out the Lake Como region for, you guessed it, another new DuVine Adventures destination. And man was I thrilled. The riding around this gorgeous lake was nothing short of epic — the Madonna del Ghisallo is, after all, one of the major obstacles in the Giro di Lombardia every year. The climbing is well worth it, though, for a chance to visit the shrine of the Madonna del Ghisallo, which also happens to be an awesome cycling museum, filled with rare artifacts of the sport like old photos and jerseys.

Climbing around Como

The Pan-Mass Challenge: Day 1 – Sturbridge to Bourne, Massachusetts
This is a ride that is not just an unbelievable journey, but is of unbelievable importance to me. This was my third straight year participating in this incredible event, which has raised over $300 million dollars for cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. And I couldn’t be more proud that DuVine is a part of it, contributing several trips to help raise money for this outstanding cause. And the riding is almost as amazing as the cause itself. This monster of a day covers 111 miles from Sturbridge to Bourne, and is by far the hardest day of the event. The real brunt of the route comes in the first 50 miles, with hill after hill after hill. Thankfully, the next 60 miles are a lot flatter, but by the end of the day you’ve ascended 2,500 feet, which is no small amount. But with thousands of other riders around you, all pedaling for the same cause, it’s pretty easy to get inspired and tough it out to the end.

Bicycle Tour Bordeaux, France: St. Emilion to the Medoc

There’s truly no better way to appreciate a glass of wine than to see where it came from…and then drink it! So that’s what I did, heading to Bordeaux to join one of our tours right in the heart of the harvest. On this magical day, we wound our way from village to vineyard, and down the majestic banks of the Dordogne river and to the Gironde estuary. Taking in all the rich history of this home to some of the world’s most outstanding wine, we paused for lunch before hopping on the ferry across the Gironde. We rode into the heart of the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Medoc, landing finally at incomparable Cordeillan Bages. Bikes and wine. Wine and bikes. What’s not to love! in Bordeaux, it’s hard to choose which is better.

Portugal...where everyone's a cyclist!

Bicycle Tour Portugal: Monsaraz to Evora
I always knew that any bike ride had the potential for great adventure, but until my trip to Portugal this year I didn’t realize it could be a trip through time as well. Riding along the bucolic Portuguese roads, I could have sworn I’d ridden backwards in time, before the automobile took over the world. Virtually everyone I encountered was commuting around on ancient bikes, whether on their way to work, the market, or just a date at the local cafe. Clearly, this country was made for riding. And the route from Monsaraz to Evora is my absolute favorite. On this journey through time, we rolled past quaint old pottery shops and along streets lined with cork trees. Best of all, this ride brought us to the doorstep of the eponymous Joaquim Madeira, one of the foremost authorities on Alentejo wine and our gracious host for an afternoon gazpacho and wine tasting. Refueled with a healthy dose of the local vegetation and vino, we wind down the day with a ride into Evora, where we are spoiled once again by the warm Portuguese hospitality.

Bicycle Tour Rioja, Spain: Madrid to Abalos
After the only long drive of the week from Madrid to Abalos (which I promise is well worth the wait), there truly can’t be a better place in the world to get out and stretch your legs. We kick off the week right with a spin out alongside the Rioja wine country, with nothing in sight but a seemingly endless sea of vineyards…and you and your bike, of course. There is hardly a car in sight, making for a smooth transition into a week of pure paradise. After a rolling loop in the country, we get one steep kick back up to the hotel, which is the perfect chance to open up the legs for the riding ahead and to race to be the first to enjoy an evening cocktail to toast the beginning of a great adventure. Salud!

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