TOUR Transalp: A minimalist packing list for the stage race in the Alps
Sandra Schuberth
· 19.06.2026
In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
My packing list for the stage race has one special feature: I’m travelling there by train and back by bike and train. Either way, everything I take with me has to be compact and fit on my bike – even though there’s a luggage transport service in place to take my bags from stage to stage.
That means I have to cut down. So I can’t pack three cycling outfits, no jeans, and not several options for after the stage. My bikepacking experience helps me put my packing list together quickly.
Dividing items into checked-in luggage and race kit
On site, the organiser takes care of luggage transport. So my luggage is divided into two parts: what I carry during the stage and what I need on the bike – and the rest, which goes onto the luggage transport in the morning and turns up again at the stage finish in the evening. For the journey there and back, I stuff everything into bikepacking bags. For the race itself, the organiser provides a bag into which I hand in my luggage in the morning and get it back after the stage. Anyone who has specified their hotel will even have the bag delivered directly to their hotel, from where it will also be collected again.
But as everything has to fit into my bikepacking bags anyway, my luggage stays compact.
I’ll be taking this with me on every stage
On a bike
| What? | Details | That’s why it’s all about |
| Electric air pump | Cycplus | small, lightweight, pumps faster than a traditional mini-pump |
| Minitool | SQlab SQ-Tool NINE Key Card Multitool | in the event of a breakdown |
| Spare hose | Silca Ultimate TPU Tube | In case of a flat tyre, which I hope I won’t get |
| Sat-nav | Garmin Edge 1050 | so that I never take a wrong turn and can pace myself properly |
| Gels and carbohydrates | whatever my nutrition drawer has to offer | at least 60 g of carbohydrates per hour, so that I don’t run out of energy |
On the body
| What? | Details | That’s why it’s all about |
| Helmet | Kask Protone | Never cycle without a helmet |
| Glasses | Oakley | For protection from the sun, insects and dust |
| Cycling shorts | Rapha Women's Brevet Cargo Bib Shorts III | I can access the cargo pockets even more easily whilst cycling than the jersey pockets; test trousers – I’ll give my verdict after the Transalp |
| Jersey | Decision still pending | needs no justification |
| Base layer | Decision still pending | |
| Socks | Decision still pending | |
| Long-fingered gloves | GripGrab PACR InsideGri Full-Finger Summer Gloves | I just love long-fingered gloves, no matter how cold or warm it is. For me, they make shifting smoother and braking safer |
| Heart rate monitor | ||
| Rain jacket | Gorewear (unfortunately no longer available) | Take it with you on the stage if there’s a chance of rain; otherwise, pack it away with your spare kit |
| Wind vest | Rapha Women's Brevet Wind Gilet III | If there’s no chance of rain, I’ll be taking the wind vest with me on this stage; it’s a test product – I’ll give my verdict after the Transalp |
| Road cycling shoes | Specialized S-Works Ares | I’m already looking forward to seeing how it goes. I usually ride in gravel shoes, as they’re better for walking in |
Technology: Navigation and Electricity
| What? | Details | That’s why it’s all about |
| Charging cable | 2 x Anker USB-C to USB-C | So that I can recharge my electronic devices in the hotel in the evening |
| charging plug | Anker 47W USB-C charger, 523 Charger (Nano 3) | |
| Action Cam | Insta360 GO Ultra | for content production |
| Camera | Fujifilm X100VI | for high-quality photos |
| Smartphone | iPhone 17 Pro | For everything |
| Headphones | Shokz Open Fit | so that I can listen to music or podcasts on the way there and back |
Miscellaneous
This is where the concept of bikepacking is most evident – taking as little as possible, but not forgetting anything important:
| What? | Details | That’s why it’s all about |
| A minimalist everyday outfit | 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of underpants, 1 T-shirt, 1 long-sleeved top, 1 pair of sports shorts | for the stopover, in the evening, for the atmosphere |
| Hygiene | Toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, tweezers, hair tie, face cream, sun cream with SPF 50+, nappy cream, regenerating cream for the nappy area |
Less is more
A Transalp packing list can be as long as you like. Mine isn’t. Travelling to and from the start with my bike and by train forces me to think carefully about every item. In the end, I only take what I really need. Admittedly, two cameras aren’t exactly minimalist – but they’re essential.
Once the bags are packed on Friday evening, it all starts to feel real. The TOUR Transalp still feels a long way off, yet the starting gun goes off on Sunday.
What’s missing from my list?
I’ve still got a day left to sort out my luggage. Have I forgotten anything? Leave me a comment.
Cycling and bike fitting for the TOUR Transalp:
My preparations – or not
Sandra Schuberth
Editor
