When we think of cycling holidays, especially those on the more luxurious end of the spectrum, a certain image springs to mind: that of the MAMIL (a middle-aged man in Lycra), an older, more experienced cyclist, on a plush carbon bike with the latest, expensive kit. And male.
That’s because cycling trips, by and large, have long been viewed as the domain of the experienced, male cyclist. But something has been changing in recent years.
According to inGamba, the luxury guided cycling tour company, more women and couples are joining in on the fun than ever before. In 2026 alone, the number of women joining inGamba trips has grown by ten per cent, reflecting an increasing trend towards a broader, more diverse, and more inclusive community of guests.
Couples and groups of friends are also becoming an increasingly regular presence on the brand’s tours, creating an environment where newcomers are riding alongside seasoned cyclists, and are encouraged rather than intimidated by the experience.
However, the numbers only tell part of the story. Ever since former professional João Correia organised his first trip back in 2010, the ambition to bring together people whose paths might never otherwise have crossed – over great meals, long climbs, and unforgettable locations – has been at the core of inGamba’s ethos and ongoing success.
While some guests arrive after crossing the finish line of an Ironman, others come to celebrate a milestone birthday, reconnect with a spouse, recover from loss, or simply discover a new corner of the world from the saddle of a bike.
And it’s that inclusivity which is currently driving the growth in female cycling holidaymakers, even among those you might typically class as ‘novices’ on a bike.
For example, Dottie Bond had never owned a road bike before joining her first inGamba trip last year.
A lifelong skier, knee injuries had pushed her towards cycling only a few years earlier, and the prospect of riding alongside accomplished cyclists through northern Portugal’s mountainous terrain was intimidating, she says. Yet by end of the week, that fear had disappeared.
“I was surrounded by former professionals who instinctively knew when to encourage, when to pace the group, and when to quietly give me some advice about bike handling,” Dottie says.
“The experience helped me not only become a stronger rider, but a more confident one.”
That feeling is echoed by Kristie Callahan-Gill, whose relationship with cycling was transformed through friendship. After meeting Sarah Palestine through the Pan-Mass Challenge, the two women discovered that they shared more than a love of riding; they had both lost their mothers to breast cancer.
“Sarah believed in me long before I believed in myself,” Kristie says. “She’s helped me become the cyclist I never imagined I could be.”
Their decision to join inGamba’s Women’s Week in Spain at the beginning of 2026 felt like a natural extension of that friendship.
Instead of finding themselves in the minority, as they so often had on their local group rides, they spent a week surrounded by women of every background, ability, and age, enjoying conversations and forging friendships over coffee and on mountain roads.
The experience inspired them to build a stronger women’s riding community back home in Massachusetts.
For Wu Shu, the trips offer an opportunity to switch off. An accomplished triathlete who has travelled to more than 70 countries, she often arrives at an inGamba trip immediately after completing an Ironman. This allows her to shift her attention to riding her bike simply for pleasure.
“I’ve been on trips where some people only want to train and others only want to sight see,” she says. “InGamba somehow attracts people who want both.”
That same inclusivity has attracted an increasing number of couples, too.
Jenny and Roger Brown had dreamed for years of sharing a European cycling holiday with family and friends. After discovering inGamba’s private trip options for groups of eight or more, one trip quickly became two, then three, taking them to Tuscany, northern Portugal, and, this year, French Provence, where they climbed the fearsome Mont Ventoux together.
“It’s been great, and every time we’ve been able to grow the guestlist to include as many of our friends as possible,” Jenny says.
“And it doesn’t really matter how experienced they are as cyclists. Some of us ride the Pinarello Dogma F racing bikes laid on for us, while others go for the Nytro e-bike.
“It means we can all ride together. Or some of us can ride hard and others can go at a gentler pace. Then we all have coffee and dinner together, with some nice local wines, of course.”
“I was watching my son descend behind Sergio Paulinho, a former pro, and thought, you can’t recreate this anywhere else,” adds Roger.
“It’s nice to travel and not have to think, and just enjoy riding a bike,” says Karina Maher, who has returned to taking cycling holidays in recent years with her partner Michael Kovac.
“There were lots of other couples, and we were able to have long lunches and vineyard dinners. We were able to create friendships, which is great.”
The growth in the number of women and couples joining inGamba also underlines a deeper shift within the culture of cycling holidays, reckons the brand’s creative director James Startt.
“There are women who join us who see discovering confidence they never knew they possessed as the week goes on,” says Startt.
“Couples are creating experiences together, and friends are inviting friends. We’ve even had people who met as strangers on the trips start planning future journeys together before the week’s over.
“We’ve learnt that cycling holidays like ours don’t have to be about extraordinary fitness or experience. They’re really about the willingness to show up, just ride a bike, and share things together.”
And you don’t have to be a MAMIL to show up, either.
