Traverse the Spanish Pyrenees from the Med to the Atlantic and experience the wilderness and beauty of Northern Spain.
For the second year running, we’re offering a trip crossing the Spanish Pyrenees from East to West, starting just south of the French border and finishing in the beautiful town of San Sebastian. Over six days of cycling, you’ll cycle 870km, cross over 50 cols and climb an average of 2500m per day.
The roads of the Spanish Pyrenees are a pure delight for cyclists. The road surfaces are excellent, there is very little traffic, the climbs aren’t particularly steep, the views and the descents are spectacular and as you ride from one coast to another, the scenery is constantly evolving.
The climbs may not be as famous as those of the French Pyrenees but there are plenty of them to satisfy the most ardent climber, and while you’re only a short distance away from France as the crow flies, the terrain and local atmosphere in the remote villages and traditional hotels are distinctly different.
True to form, we stay away from the main roads, keeping to the smaller lanes and searching out the unexpected… the magnificent views, the challenging climbs with more consonants than vowels in their names, the picturesque local villages and of course the exhilarating descents. If getting off the beaten track and discovering the hidden gems of this stunning area appeals to you, we guarantee this will be a cycling holiday with a difference.
To get an idea of the scenery and terrain throughout the week, please see the photos from our 2023 trip.
The cost is £1395 per person based on sharing a twin room in the hotels. Single occupancy is available for an additional £275, subject to availability.
Our Spanish Raid runs from 6 – 13 July 2024, with everyone arriving on the 6th July to stay in Llanca that night. There are then six days of riding, arriving in San Sebastian on 12th July, with return airport transfers on the 13th July.
We will be following a very similar route to the stunningly beautiful one we did in 2023. The average distance will be around 145km per day, with 2500m of climbing and the days are likely to be broken down as follows:
We offer full-carbon hire bikes for an additional charge of £150 for the week if you prefer not to fly with your bike. All our hire bikes come with Shimano 105 groupsets, 34/50 compact chainsets and 11/32 cassettes.
The route we use covers 870km of stunning terrain, with around 15,500m of climbing. While your legs may ache from time to time, we’re sure the scenery and descents will more than make up for it! Our aim is to deliver a high quality riding experience which stretches you physically, but in a fun, relaxed and sociable environment. After a good day out on the bike, there is nothing better than sharing stories over a few drinks in the evening with like-minded cyclists!
The Spanish Raid Pyrenees is a supported ride, and there will be a support vehicle and a support rider at all times on the route with you. We stop every day for a picnic lunch, and on some days an additional stop at a café may be possible for a coffee, cake etc. During the ride, the support vehicle will leapfrog the group throughout the day providing support. Every rider will have the gpx files of the route and we recommend that the group rides together for the bulk of the flat/rolling terrain. It’s more sociable and enjoyable to ride with other people, and then everyone rides at their own pace on the climbs, regrouping at the top/bottom depending on the weather and temperature. Clothing, snacks, gels etc. can be left in the support vehicle and collected as needed throughout the day.
The route is designed to be challenging but doable for a reasonably experienced cyclist. If you are a club or sportive rider and you put in the training, you will be fit enough. Stamina and determination are more important than speed because they are long days with lots of climbing, and you ride for six days consecutively. You don’t need to have prior experience riding in the mountains, but you have to be a competent descender and strong enough to climb for a couple of hours at a time.
The support vehicle is also always there, and so if you’re having an off-day or there is just one climb too many, you can always climb in the van.
If you have any questions about the recommended level of fitness or would like advice on a training plan, then please contact us and we will be happy to provide you with guidance.
Please contact us with your flight options before booking any flights so that we can ensure we can cater for the transfers.
Arrivals:
You can fly into Girona or Barcelona airports. Arrivals into Barcelona must be before mid-morning, although we can organise an airport hotel if you prefer to fly in the day before. The transfer from Girona will be early afternoon.
Departures:
We can provide return transfers to Bilbao or Biarritz airports.
17th Feb - 1st March 2024
1st March - 19th May 2024
27th April 2024
31st May - 7th June 2024
15th - 22nd June 2024
24th - 29th June 2024
6th - 13th July 2024
14th - 21st July 2024
27th July - 4th Aug 2024
31st Aug - 7th Sept 2024
14th - 21st Sept 2024
14th Sept - 16th Nov 2024
During Mallorca Cycling Camps