Lloret de Mar has become a centre of attraction for low and mid-season international cycling and triathlon training camps. The stabilization of the pandemic has led to a rapid recovery of sports tourism bookings. Over the last few days, two of the destination’s certified sports tourism establishments, Evenia and Samba Hotels, have welcomed triathletes and cyclists from clubs in France, Belgium, Poland and other parts of Spain for training camps of approximately one week.
Two elite women’s cycling teams have held training camps in Lloret de Mar this week: the Zaaf Team, a new continental team comprising nine cyclists from five different countries (including the Colombian Erika Botero), and the Luxembourg-based Andy Schleck – CP NVST – Immo Losch continental team, run by Andy Schleck, winner of the 2010 Tour de France, comprising 21 riders from 11 different countries. Lloret has also welcomed three French triathlon teams (Triathlon Club Châteauroux, Metz Triathlon, Best Triathlon), while a Polish cycling team and another triathlon club are scheduled to arrive next week. As Elizabeth Keegan, Director of Lloret Turisme (the destination’s tourism promotion body), points out, “The excellent road transport connections from France, a specialized accommodation offering, first-class sports facilities such as the Olympic-size swimming pool and highly suitable local roads for the training sessions of professional cyclists, make Lloret de Mar a particularly attractive destination for holding cycling and triathlon training camps.”
In 2019, Lloret de Mar was certified as a triathlon destination by the Catalan Tourist Board, making it the Catalan destination with the largest number of certified sports: football, athletics, cycling, swimming, team sports and triathlon.
*Photos: courtesy of Zaaf Women Cycling Team.
