“I also enjoy coming back to reconnect with the SCCC staff - both old and new, too”

Let's give a voice to those who know us best : the riders! The Sa Calobra Cycling Club is a team, your team! Today, an interview with Jonathan, who talks about his experience at the Sa Calobra Cycling Club.

When did you start cycling?
Jonathan Koertge : I started cycling when I was around 14. Everyone else I knew where I grew up in the midwest of the United States played soccer, baseball or (American) football. I wasn't interested in any of those sports or cultures. A friend of my older brother raced bicycles and opened my eyes to the world of cycling.

Where did you find the Sa Calobra Cycling Club?
J.K I found SCCC through an online search. I'd quit one job in January 2022 and managed to fix a month off before starting my next in February. I was in Sweden, in the middle of winter but I knew I wanted to ride my bike. I'd made a few cycling trips to Nice and Girona previously but never in the middle of the winter. I quickly figured out that Mallorca was my best bet destination-wise. Google found SCCC for me. The SCCC concept was perfect, the website was professional and there was a spot open for me in mid-February. I had an incredible week of cycling, made friends I'm still in contact with and knew I'd be a return customer before long.

You have been here three times already. What makes you come back?
J.K What keeps me coming back? I literally can't think of anything that does not. The concept, the kit, the food, the massages, the bikes/sag service, the coaching, the other guests - any first-time customer quickly understands how seamlessly and perfectly these work together at SCCC. As a returning customer, what sticks out is Aurelien's constant drive to improve and re-invent the trips. This will be my third visit to the Alps and I'm confident that while a few iconic climbs will (thankfully!) be revisited during the week, Aurelien will have found plenty of new climbs, villages and routes for us to explore and test. Of course, I also enjoy coming back to reconnect with the SCCC staff - both old and new, too.

Do you prepare specially for the camp?
J.K I'd love to say that I don't (need to) prepare specifically for the camp, but... The Alps require a bit extra for me. Living in Stockholm, Sweden, I don't have the opportunity to prepare on any real practice climbs. Instead, I focus on long weekend sessions in the rolling countryside to build up the endurance I know that I'll appreciate having with me. I am convinced that pretty much any cyclist can survive a week with SCCC thanks to the team's help and dedication. What pushes me to finding my form pre-camp is the desire to be able to really enjoy my week with SCCC to its fullest.

How do you feel about this camp?
J.K I'm super-excited to be back for the Alps in 2024! I know that SCCC will deliver perfectly, letting me focus on my own performance and getting to know the rest of the riders. Strange as it may seem to some non-cyclists, the seamless rhythm of sleep, eat, cycle and recover that a week with SCCC provides is addictive.

What will be your next cycling challenge after this camp?
J.K My next challenge after this camp will be - as always - heading back to "normal" life and getting sights set on another challenge - perhaps another visit!