There are plenty of things we can control when planning a cycling tour. The weather isn't one of them.
We can choose the routes, inspect the roads, book the right hotels, plan the transfers and make sure the support vehicles are where they need to be. We can also build flexibility into the itinerary so guests have the best possible opportunity to ride the roads they've travelled halfway around the world to experience.
What we can't guarantee is blue sky.
Over the years we've dealt with serious heat at the Tour Down Under and Vuelta a España, rain at the Tour de France, strong winds on Mont Ventoux and even snow in the Dolomites during summer.
That's why our weather planning starts well before breakfast on the morning of a ride.
If we have an iconic climb such as the Stelvio, Galibier or Mont Ventoux coming up, we'll start checking the forecast several days beforehand.
The objective isn't simply to get you to the bottom of a famous climb.
It's to give you the best possible opportunity to experience it properly.
Several Days Out
We start watching the forecast before an important mountain day arrives.
The Night Before
We review the latest conditions and decide whether the original plan still makes sense.
Morning Check
Conditions are confirmed before riders leave the hotel.
On The Road
Guides and support vehicles continue monitoring conditions throughout the ride.
Good Planning Gives Us Options
If you've travelled from Australia, the United States or elsewhere around the world to ride the Stelvio, Galibier, Alpe d'Huez or Mont Ventoux, understandably, you want to ride it.
We want you to ride it too.
That's why, where possible, we build a two or three-day window around some of the major climbs on our tours.
If Wednesday looks poor but Thursday looks considerably better, we may be able to swap the riding days around. We would rather change the itinerary and give guests a better day on the mountain than blindly follow a schedule created months earlier.
Of course, that isn't always possible. Race schedules, hotel locations, transfers and road closures sometimes limit the options, particularly when we're following events such as the Tour de France or Giro d'Italia.
But when we have flexibility, we'll use it.
The mountain will still be there tomorrow.
Our Weather Planning At A Glance
A Few Days Before: We start tracking the forecast for important rides, particularly high mountain passes and exposed climbs.
The Night Before: The guide team reviews the latest forecast, wind, temperature and likely conditions at altitude.
The Morning Of: We confirm the plan before departure and adjust start times, clothing advice or the route if required.
During The Ride: Guides keep monitoring conditions and communicate with support vehicles as the day develops.
Why It Matters: The earlier we see a problem developing, the more options we have to give guests a great riding day.
Mountain Weather Can Change Quickly
One of the hardest things to understand until you've spent time cycling in big mountains is just how different the conditions can be between the valley and the summit.
You might leave the hotel in sunshine wondering why your guide has suggested taking a jacket.
A couple of hours later, that jacket can be the most valuable thing you're carrying.
As a useful rule of thumb, air temperature typically falls by around 6 to 7 degrees Celsius for every 1,000 metres you climb, although the actual change depends on humidity and atmospheric conditions.
The Col du Galibier reaches 2,642 metres, so the difference between conditions lower in the valley and those near the summit can be significant.
And then you have to descend.
You're no longer producing the same amount of body heat you were while climbing, your speed increases and wind chill starts to matter.
That's why we prepare for where we're going, not simply for the weather outside the hotel.
More information: The Australian Bureau of Meteorology explains how temperature changes with altitude here .
Guide tip: Don't dress for the hotel car park. Think about the highest point of the ride, the descent and what the conditions might look like several hours after you leave.
Why The Right Clothing Matters
A warm valley can give riders a false sense of security.
On a long climb you're generating plenty of heat, so it's easy to feel comfortable in a jersey and bib shorts.
At the summit, the situation can be very different.
Cloud, wind and a drop in temperature can arrive quickly, and the descent exposes you to considerably more wind chill.
A lightweight rain jacket, wind vest, arm warmers or extra gloves take up very little space, particularly when you have a support vehicle carrying additional kit.
The goal isn't to carry your entire wardrobe up the mountain.
It's to have the right layer available when you need it.
Getting those clothing choices right is part of preparing for any multi-day cycling trip. We've covered more of the practical details in our guide to preparing for a cycling holiday.
Wind Can Change Everything
Temperature isn't the only thing our guides watch.
Wind can turn a perfectly manageable mountain road into somewhere you simply don't want cyclists riding.
Mont Ventoux is one of the best examples.
The upper mountain is completely exposed, and the mistral that affects Provence can produce exceptionally strong winds.
A forecast showing strong wind doesn't always mean the ride has to be cancelled.
Sometimes it means changing the start time.
Sometimes it means using more support.
And sometimes it means knowing when not to ride.
Our Experience: The Day Ventoux Changed The Plan
We once had Mont Ventoux scheduled on a day when the forecast showed the wind increasing significantly after lunch.
Rather than immediately cancelling the ride, we started earlier than originally planned. The goal was to get everyone to the summit before the stronger winds arrived.
We also arranged an additional support van as backup.
The plan worked. Our guests reached the summit and we even had time for a coffee.
Then the wind arrived.
When The Guide Says Don't Descend
One of our guides, a former professional cyclist, wasn't comfortable simply sending the group down the mountain.
He asked everyone to wait at the summit while he rode the first section of the descent to assess the conditions.
Within a few hundred metres, the decision was obvious.
Nobody was riding down.
The wind across the exposed section was simply too dangerous.
We used our support vehicles to shuttle the guests around four kilometres down towards Chalet Reynard, where the road becomes considerably more sheltered.
That was why we'd taken the extra vehicle.
It wasn't needed for most of the day, but when conditions changed, it gave us another option.
Then We Found Another Group At The Summit
While we were moving our guests down the mountain, we realised another cycling tour group still had riders waiting at the summit.
Their guides had already descended.
Our team contacted their guides and told them conditions were no longer safe and they needed to send their support vehicles back up.
There was one fairly significant problem.
They didn't have a support vehicle available.
We weren't going to leave riders standing on the summit or encourage anyone to attempt a dangerous descent, so our vehicles went back and helped shuttle their guests down to Chalet Reynard as well.
It was an unusual day, but it reinforced something we already knew.
Good support isn't about what happens when everything goes to plan. It's about the options you have when it doesn't.
Why Support Vehicles Matter
A support vehicle isn't simply there to pick up someone who has had enough riding for the day.
On a mountain cycling tour, it becomes an important part of how we manage the ride.
It carries additional clothing, food and water. It gives us options if a rider isn't feeling well. It helps us deal with mechanical problems and allows the guide team to respond when weather conditions change.
On a hot day, that may mean additional water.
When rain is approaching, it might mean getting jackets to riders before a descent.
On a cold mountain day, it can mean dry gloves or extra layers.
And occasionally, as happened on Ventoux, it means getting everyone safely off the mountain.
The best support is often the support guests barely notice.
Tips For Cyclists Riding In The Mountains
Check The Summit Forecast
Don't rely only on the forecast for the town where you're staying. Conditions at 2,000 or 2,500 metres can be very different from the valley.
Look Several Days Ahead
If an important climb is coming up, start watching the forecast early. A better weather window might appear a day either side of the original plan.
Carry A Lightweight Layer
A windproof or rain jacket takes up very little room and can make a huge difference at the summit or on a long descent.
Think About The Descent
Feeling warm while climbing doesn't tell you how you'll feel descending at 50 or 60 kilometres per hour.
Listen To Local Knowledge
If an experienced guide recommends changing the start time, route or riding day, there's usually a good reason.
Have A Plan B
If you're riding independently, know where you can shelter, where you can shorten the route and how you'll get home if the weather changes.
One thing we've learned: Detailed planning doesn't mean expecting everything to go according to plan. Good planning means having options when it doesn't.
Hot, Cold, Wet Or Snowing
Mountain weather gets most of the attention, but every destination has its own challenges.
At the Tour Down Under or Vuelta a España, heat can become the main consideration. Hydration, start times and access to water suddenly matter much more.
At the Tour de France, rain can completely change a descent that was straightforward in the dry.
And in the Dolomites and Italian Alps, we've seen snow when riders expected summer conditions. It's part of what makes cycling in the Dolomites such an incredible experience, but also why preparation and flexibility matter when you're riding at altitude.
The specific problem changes.
The planning process doesn't.
Check early, keep checking, have another option and make decisions based on the conditions in front of you rather than what the itinerary originally said.
Why We Sometimes Change The Ride
When you've travelled a long way to ride famous cycling roads, changing the itinerary can initially feel disappointing.
We understand that.
But there's a big difference between riding a famous climb and having a great experience riding a famous climb.
Our job isn't to tick a name off the itinerary regardless of the conditions.
Sometimes the best decision is leaving an hour earlier.
Sometimes it's swapping Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sometimes it's shortening a route.
And very occasionally, it's saying we're not riding.
Those decisions aren't made lightly. They're based on the forecast, local knowledge, conditions on the road and the experience of the guide team.
What We've Learned
After years of running cycling tours, one thing has become very clear.
Detailed planning doesn't mean expecting everything to go according to plan.
It's almost the opposite.
Good planning gives you options when the day changes.
Can we move the big climb?
Can we start earlier?
Where should the support vehicle be?
What extra clothing should we carry?
Where are the sheltered sections?
What's Plan B?
The objective isn't to remove the adventure from cycling.
It's to make sure you get to enjoy it.
Our approach: We start watching important mountain forecasts several days out, review them the night before, confirm the conditions in the morning and keep monitoring during the ride. That gives us the best chance of putting guests on the right road at the right time.
The Goal Is Still A Great Day On The Bike
Some of my favourite days on a bike haven't followed the original plan perfectly.
That's part of riding in the mountains.
The important thing isn't being able to say we followed every line of the itinerary exactly as it was written months earlier.
It's finishing the day knowing we made the right decisions and gave everyone the best possible opportunity to enjoy the ride.
Sometimes that means blue skies on an iconic summit because we moved the ride by a day.
Sometimes it means pulling on a jacket before a cold descent.
And occasionally it means sitting around dinner talking about the day our support vans ended up bringing another tour group's riders off Mont Ventoux.
That's why our guides check the weather twice.
Actually, most days, it's considerably more than twice.
Ride The Mountains With The Right Support
Our guided cycling tours combine experienced guides, carefully planned routes and vehicle support so you can concentrate on the reason you travelled, riding great roads.
Frequently Asked Questions
As a general guide, air temperature decreases by around 6 to 7°C for every 1,000 metres of elevation gained, although actual conditions depend on the weather, humidity and wind. This can create a significant temperature difference between a valley and a high Alpine summit.
Even on a warm day, carry a lightweight wind or rain jacket and consider additional layers for long or high-altitude rides. The key is preparing for the summit and descent, not just the conditions where you start.
Changing a route, departure time or riding day can give riders a better and safer opportunity to experience an important climb. On Bikestyle Tours, flexibility is part of the planning rather than a last-minute afterthought.
Support vehicles provide access to clothing, food, water and mechanical assistance and give guides another option if weather or rider conditions change. In extreme conditions, they can also be used to safely move riders off the mountain.
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