Today’s post is the first part of a triple edition guest blog from Jagoda, our pocket rocket guide, recounting her summer of cycling adventures.
Summer 2026: Sun, Spectating, and Home Roads
I know the hot days of summer 2026 are far from over, yet my goals for this year are all ticked off. What a summer it has been! Plenty of dates were marked in the calendar, both as a cyclist and a spectator – and I still can’t decide which was more exciting. I often say how lucky we are in Geneva – being surrounded by amazing roads, nature, and having the TdF passing quite close pretty much every season.
2026 was a double whammy! Not only did the men’s Tour roll over our favourite nasty climb of La Croisette, but we were honoured with the Grand Depart of the Tour de France Femmes avec ZWIFT. Three spectacular days of insane energy that still give me chills. But hey, let’s start from the beginning.
Swapping Skis for the Saddle
After spending my entire winter skiing (with a rookie’s excitement) and intentionally neglecting the bike, I restarted pedalling around mid-April, knowing I had something to prepare for. The end of May brought with it a smell of adventure and some serious riding – a Women’s Tour on the iconic Mont Ventoux. The choice of location was obviously not random. Borne Cycling knew where it was at, marking terrain some months before the best women’s riders in the world would grit their teeth on the never-ending tarmac leading up to 1910m.
We had five days of worry-free cycling, with the double summit of The Giant as a cherry on the cake. Well, I was forced to skip the second summit day as my body decided it needed a 24h reset in bed. It didn’t give me FOMO, maybe because the climb from Bedoin earlier in the week was challenging enough, supplying as much suffering as satisfaction.
Battle of the “Bornes”: Climbing Mont Ventoux
Ventoux is Ventoux. There is no workaround. The kilometre markers, the famous “bornes”, are the most unforgiving objects in the cycling universe. There always seems to be a battle between our (ir)rational thoughts, straining under increasing fatigue, and these mathematically positioned reminders of the remaining distance. After 10 km, I realised that I’d skipped my elevation homework this year. It’s fine, I kept telling myself, just keep going.
Cornelia, one very happy tour participant, turned out to be a great companion, pacing herself impressively and not wanting to stop. We kept each pushing other to the very top, goosebumps rising as the surroundings changed into the moon-like environment. If you’ve climbed it you know the feeling. Words? Hard to find good ones. We took our time on the top: photos, sighs, woahs, wows. Taking it all in.
Descending Malaucène and Looking Beyond the Peak
The descent was accompanied by “the flies of Ventoux” that we’d heard about the previous night. It’s an experience, let’s just say. Fast, beautiful downhill, all the way down to Malaucene. The box was ticked; I did it. My legs, my lungs, my heart – they were challenged, and I thank myself for that. The beauty of this tour was the variety of rides. Yes, the highlight is undeniable, but the roads around are hidden gems.
A tip for any future riders: please don’t just come for The Giant. Stay a few extra days, explore what’s around it.
It’s not flat, and it’s definitely not boring.
Come back next week for Jagoda’s Maratona dles Dolomites write up
