So...where would you base yourself as a pro?

ridgerider
ridgerider Posts: 2,852
edited March 2018 in Pro race
Just reading that article on CN...

I hope I would 'keep it real' by choosing somewhere like Maastricht with it's rolling hills and easy access to Belgium and to the mountains in France and Italy. Hang out with Tommi D at cafe stops and little diners for mid-ride snacking. Get LtD to move back here for winter off-road route finding and post ride barbeques.
Half man, Half bike
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Comments

  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    Ridgerider wrote:
    Just reading that article on CN...

    I hope I would 'keep it real' by choosing somewhere like Maastricht with it's rolling hills and easy access to Belgium and to the mountains in France and Italy. Hang out with Tommi D at cafe stops and little diners for mid-ride snacking. Get LtD to move back here for winter off-road route finding and post ride barbeques.

    Yorkshire. Leeds probably
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    ShutupJens wrote:
    Ridgerider wrote:
    Just reading that article on CN...

    I hope I would 'keep it real' by choosing somewhere like Maastricht with it's rolling hills and easy access to Belgium and to the mountains in France and Italy. Hang out with Tommi D at cafe stops and little diners for mid-ride snacking. Get LtD to move back here for winter off-road route finding and post ride barbeques.

    Yorkshire. Leeds probably

    That’s a pain in winter.
    _
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    Ridgerider wrote:
    Just reading that article on CN...

    I hope I would 'keep it real' by choosing somewhere like Maastricht with it's rolling hills and easy access to Belgium and to the mountains in France and Italy. Hang out with Tommi D at cafe stops and little diners for mid-ride snacking. Get LtD to move back here for winter off-road route finding and post ride barbeques.

    Tom Danielson's still riding?
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    We are talking 'bout the Mass posse...Tommi 'with the annoyingly fiddly bib shorts when you are in a hurry' D
    Half man, Half bike
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    I'd take a leaf out of Contador's book: on the beach. :)
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    have to be Monaco.. tax haven and some great riding around the area
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    sherer wrote:
    have to be Monaco.. tax haven and some great riding around the area
    This is the only valid answer to me. Sure you don't get much home for your money, but you're hardly going to be there very often.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    ShutupJens wrote:
    Ridgerider wrote:
    Just reading that article on CN...

    I hope I would 'keep it real' by choosing somewhere like Maastricht with it's rolling hills and easy access to Belgium and to the mountains in France and Italy. Hang out with Tommi D at cafe stops and little diners for mid-ride snacking. Get LtD to move back here for winter off-road route finding and post ride barbeques.

    Yorkshire. Leeds probably

    That’s a pain in winter.

    That's what training camps are for. Get to dish it out on Buckden run (Saturdays in January and February) which is where many a pro, past present and future, are likely to be spotted. Ridden it maybe 15 times, got round maybe 3 when I was going well
  • kingstonian
    kingstonian Posts: 2,847
    Either Monaco or Girona would be perfect
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    got to be Monaco hasnt it, you get the weather, the views,coastline, plenty of mountain climbs nearby if thats your thing, and it can be a fairly straightforward pop to Italy for a coffee ride
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    If it has to be France, Nice.

    Monaco is awful.

    But Tuscany obviously.
    _
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,473
    I'd go for Monaco as well. Not terribly proud about it. I haven't recently been to the Spanish and Italian parts where cyclists usually reside though. I'd be partial to Italy for the food.
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    French East Pyrenean foothills. Abundance of beautiful and quiet 1000m climbs; bigger ones if you venture inland a bit. Earthy and funky Toulouse just a couple hour smash up the motorway to the north; surprisingly cultural Perpignan to the east (and The Med). Girona/Barcelona 1hr/2hrs to south...
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    If it has to be France, Nice.

    Monaco is awful.

    But Tuscany obviously.
    Monaco is clearly awful. But you probably spend about 100 days there and you keep half your income. THis wife lives there
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,104
    Somewhere with mountains and a mild Winter climate, North East Spain maybe, Girona?, never actually visited though.

    The reality would probably be I'd probably end up in Belgium, the riding might not be as good but I think the lifestyle might be more my thing.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    RichN95 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    If it has to be France, Nice.

    Monaco is awful.

    But Tuscany obviously.
    Monaco is clearly awful. But you probably spend about 100 days there and you keep half your income. THis wife lives there

    Ha I can assure you my wife would not live in Monaco.

    Tuscany however...
    _
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    If you're going for a tax haven, quite a few pros seem to like Andorra. Better mountains than Monaco.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    phreak wrote:
    If you're going for a tax haven, quite a few pros seem to like Andorra. Better mountains than Monaco.

    Problem with tax havens is they’re usually so awful they have to pay you to be there.

    Andorra is a case in point. Absolute dump.
    _
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    phreak wrote:
    If you're going for a tax haven, quite a few pros seem to like Andorra. Better mountains than Monaco.

    Problem with tax havens is they’re usually so awful they have to pay you to be there.

    Andorra is a case in point. Absolute dump.

    Also, it has the most miserable looking population I’ve ever seen outside Switzerland. And Kensington.

    Must be something to do with counting your money all day that gives people such puckered and pinched faces.
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    Monaco is a grand total of 2KM sq in size, and you're never more than about 1.7km from the border. The Pros who 'live' there must spend most of their time training in France or Spain, or away at races / training camps. Nice is a 20km drive away for dinner.
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    YorkshireRaw wrote:
    Monaco is a grand total of 2KM sq in size, and you're never more than about 1.7km from the border. The Pros who 'live' there must spend most of their time training in France or Spain, or away at races / training camps. Nice is a 20km drive away for dinner.

    Having said that, personally I'd prefer Spain (although am sure a tax adviser wouldn't) - from my own limited experience the roads are in a lot better state than the Italian ones.
  • amrushton
    amrushton Posts: 1,312
    look where the actual riders live. Monaco/Cote d'Azur as there is consistent weather and a great selection of roads both flat and mountains. Less tax not a disadvantage. Girona supposedly v.nice. Lucca in Tuscany is where Cavendish has a home and there are a number of riders in the area.
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    amrushton wrote:
    look where the actual riders live. Monaco/Cote d'Azur as there is consistent weather and a great selection of roads both flat and mountains. Less tax not a disadvantage. Girona supposedly v.nice. Lucca in Tuscany is where Cavendish has a home and there are a number of riders in the area.

    According to his books Cavendish 'lives in the Isle of Man' (with a family in Essex and another house in Italy) and his accountant will not have anyone say differently ;-)

    Not really having a go - if anyone's entitled to take advantage of the IOM tax status it's one of their greatest sons.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    A key consideration is to be close to an airport. Part of the reason Girona is popular is the airport is one Ryanair's hubs.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    RichN95 wrote:
    A key consideration is to be close to an airport. Part of the reason Girona is popular is the airport is one Ryanair's hubs.

    I think I'd choose somewhere where I didn't have to fly Ryan Air!

    Is Luxembourg a tax haven for residents? If so, I'd go there as you've got the Ardennes and Vosges for training and not too far to Belgian races.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Pross wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    A key consideration is to be close to an airport. Part of the reason Girona is popular is the airport is one Ryanair's hubs.

    I think I'd choose somewhere where I didn't have to fly Ryan Air!

    Is Luxembourg a tax haven for residents? If so, I'd go there as you've got the Ardennes and Vosges for training and not too far to Belgian races.

    Yeah but then you're in Luxembourg, which, although pretty, is not somewhere you want to be hanging around.
    _
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    Carcassonne - Mediterranean climate ish ,high languedoc training,. Pyrennees for conditioning and cross country skiing in the winter. A61 A9to Girona or Avignon. I wouldn't be doing any ghastly races north of the Dauphine so would be ok
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    Monaco itself isn't great, try working in an underground car park for a week. As soon as you get out and hit Nice or Menton its a great area. There are some decent sized pads there, pics of seen of Vino's is a proper size house with garden.

    Girona is a decent shout.. Mountains are great to have close but if you a sprinter then not what you are looking for. Monaco offers great riding for all types of riders
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    SpecialGuestStar wrote:
    Carcassonne - Mediterranean climate ish ,high languedoc training,. Pyrennees for conditioning and cross country skiing in the winter. A61 A9to Girona or Avignon. I wouldn't be doing any ghastly races north of the Dauphine so would be ok

    And nice wine.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    sherer wrote:
    Monaco itself isn't great, try working in an underground car park for a week. As soon as you get out and hit Nice or Menton its a great area. There are some decent sized pads there, pics of seen of Vino's is a proper size house with garden.

    Girona is a decent shout.. Mountains are great to have close but if you a sprinter then not what you are looking for. Monaco offers great riding for all types of riders

    One of the guys in my club goes to Girona all the time, seems to be very popular.

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