If you’re looking to hone your road cycling skills or master some brand new techniques, one of these road cycling training camps could be just what you’re after. From pedalling through tiny towns in Southern USA to traversing Table Mountain in South Africa, there is a training camp to appeal to every desire, whim and budget. Choose between a two-day crash course or opt for a two-week masterclass, either way you’re sure to return home a more confident and accomplished cyclist.

1. Stephen Roche Cycling Holidays and Training Camps, Mallorca

Could there be a better road cycling training camp than one organised and run by Triple Crown winner Stephen Roche? It’s unlikely.

1987 was the year Roche made cycling history by racing across the finishing line first in the World Championship in Austria, the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia all in the same year.

Since 1994 he has turned his cycling expertise to organising unforgettable road cycling training camps in Mallorca in the south of Spain. Choose from a course running for just a few days, a week or even longer and spend your mornings cycling between beautiful panoramic viewpoints and your afternoons relaxing poolside at a four star hotel.

As long as you have a reasonable level of fitness and basic handling of a bike you will have no problems completing the camp as there are four different level riding groups that you can choose to join to best suit you. You can even switch between them daily as you progress (or get tired out).

2. CTS Training Camps, USA

For a real insight into life as a professional cyclist, spend a week or two at a CTS training camp. Each day your bike will have been cleaned and tuned for you, you will be loaded up with energy snacks and will complete diligent training programmes just like the pros do each day.

Training camps are spread around the USA and each one offers cyclists a chance to hone a different speciality. If you’re flying in from afar, start your holiday with a couple of weeks at one of these training camps before setting off on your own to explore a bit more of the country’s idyllic landscapes from your saddle.

4. Polka Dot Cycling Holidays, Tenerife

Spend a week mastering the art of ascending and descending on a road bike at a Polka Dot Training Camp in the incredibly hilly island of Tenerife. You’ll need a good level of fitness as there is no such thing as a flat stretch of road here.

The camp starts on Sundays and builds up to a milestone ride up Europe’s longest continuous climb on the Wednesday, before cool down rides on the Thursday and Friday. When you’re not cycling you can enjoy the amenities at your choice of hotel and attend optional evening seminars covering topics such as ‘How to Put Together a Training Programme’ and ‘Eat Right, Recover Better’.

5. Alabama Cycling Camp

Get some early season training in at an Alabama Cycling Camp in the quaint little town of Ramer. Boasting beautiful views, traffic-free roads and the smoothest of pavements; Ramer is a brilliant base for a week of road cycling.

During the training camp you will stay in the five bedroom camp residence and all of your meals are included. Days start at 8am with a compulsory morning stretch before you set off on a three to four hour training ride with your group. Evenings can be spent attending optional educational lectures on time trialling, racing strategies and base miles or getting a free body and bike position efficiency analysis.

7. African Bikers: Road Bike Training Camp, South Africa

For a chance to complete a training camp by cycling across the top of Table Mountain, sign up for an African Biker’s road training camp in South Africa. After spending the first three days of the camp cycling around the idyllic wine lands framed by the Langeberg Mountains, you will get to spend two days training on a series of mountain passes in the Stellenbosch region before switching to riding along beautiful coastal roads including False Bay and Cape of Good Hope. Each day you will cycle between 34 and 84 miles depending on your grouping and you will get to witness incredible views.

8. Il Sasso, Penna San Giovanni, Italy

Train with expert road racers before competing in the Gran Fondo with Il Sasso Cycling Camps. Situated in the medieval village of Penna San Giovanni, just over an hour from Ancona, Il Sasso’s training camps immerse riders in the local Italian cyclist’s way of life.

The village is set way off the beaten track, right by the Monti Sibilini National Park which offers exceptionally beautiful cycle trails to train on. You will stay in a historic townhouse and get to interact with locals, eat great food and learn about your passion. The camp culminates in a thrilling Gran Fondo race for the perfect end to a truly memorable camp.

If you’re looking for some inspiration of where to ride in the UK, check out these 20 great rides. Or if you want to cycle abroad but don’t fancy attending a training camp, how about booking a flight to one of these top road cycling destinations?