I planned a lovely non-cycling holiday in Calpe: It didn't go to plan

A recent *Cycling Weekly* article detailed a rather predictable turn of events for its author, who had ostensibly planned a non-cycling holiday in the popular Spanish training ground of Calpe. Despite intentions for a bike-free break, the pervasive assumption from friends and colleagues that a trip to Calpe inherently meant cycling ultimately led the author to undertake "several long rides," succumbing to external expectations rather than their stated desire for relaxation.

This scenario is hardly unique; Calpe, along with Girona and Mallorca, has become synonymous with professional and amateur cycling training camps, creating a powerful cultural expectation. For anyone with even a passing association with the sport, a visit to these locales without a bike is akin to attending a concert without hearing music. The author’s predicament highlights the deep-seated identity many cyclists cultivate, where the bike is not just a hobby but an extension of self, making a non-cycling holiday in such a Mecca almost an act of defiance.

Ultimately, the author's "non-cycling" holiday proved to be a triumph of peer pressure and ingrained habit. One might say they merely embraced the inevitable; after all, who goes to Rome and doesn't see the Colosseum?