The HotChillee team visited Morocco earlier this year to recce a new tour - and they've come back with a sportive break that looks set to redefine your idea of a dirty weekend...
The new HotChillee Atlas Mountains is a four-day cycling tour through the back roads of Morocco's Atlas Mountains. The trip kicks off with the Marrakech Atlas Etape sportive, a well established - and challenging - ride for the more adventurous sportiviste.
But on this tour it looks positively tame compared with what follows. On days 2-4 the HotChillee team will lead riders off piste, using local knowledge to explore the spectacular gravel tracks that wind through the mountains.
Goats, mud, gravel, Jedis, lethally sweet tea poured from a ridiculous height - the HotChillee Atlas Mountains promises all of this and more.
But why gravel?
"We don't think cycling has to end where the road does," explain HotChillee, "so we've embraced gravel riding to see where the path leads us.
"We've explored the leafy trails in Surrey, the canal paths of Amsterdam, coral tracks on Barbados and the stunning trails in the Atlas Mountains in our search for gravel Nirvana.
"You can't help but notice the rise in adventure and gravel Instagram posts, freedom to ride over almost any terrain, true exploration. There's been a huge rise in popularity for good reason, it's extremely fun.
"In April, we made our way into Morocco to experience the unknown. Marrakesh is already known for it's awe-inspiring Atlas Mountains, popular with road cyclists for a while, but what about the lesser ridden gravel tracks? It was HotChillee's first time visiting Morocco, some of us equipped with road bikes, some with gravel machines. After a thoroughly enjoyable road experience on day one, it was time to really explore and take on the road less traveled."
HotChillee invited London-based film-maker Francis Cade, whose incredible reportage you may recall from last year's Transcontinental Race, along for the ride. "If Top Gear did cycling" was the verdict of Team Sky's Geraint Thomas; you can check out the film for yourself here.
HotChillee Atlas Mountains takes place on 21-26 April 2018. And with return flights to Marrakech just £75, we've got the date marked firmly in our sportive diary.
For more details and to book, visit www.hotchillee.com.
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