Puiggraciós, mountain close to Barcelona

 

Puiggraciós is a very interesting unknown climb close to Barcelona. A challenging one to tell the truth.

The starting point is at L'Ametlla del Vallès, a village about 30 km from Barcelona, close to Granollers. The length is 3,23 km, according to the created Strava segment, with an average gradient of 8,5%, with some shorter parts at 15% maximum. The Strava segment is here:

https://www.strava.com/segments/11039030

The road heading to Puiggraciós is not especially nice, most of it into some residential areas, just a few bends, it is a mostly straight road. You don't focus on the landscapes, you just focus on the road and it is pure survival! 

To get to the Sanctuary you have to follow on a gravel path once the asphalt is finished. It is just 800 mts. long and you will see the nice church. If you get to Puiggración on a gravel bike, then a very interesting loop is following to Montmany, and then descending to El Figaró. The first couple of kilometers are graveled, but then in Montmany there is a nicely surfaced road with no traffic at all.

Then, the options are multiple, one of our favorites is climbing to Tagamanent, coming next...

Gravel cycling in Montseny mountain (Barcelona) - 1

Gravel cycling in Montseny

Montseny mountain is simply a paradise for cycling. So close to Barcelona (hardly 45 km) and you have a big range of mountains to explore and enjoy.

Being road cycling or gravel cycling, the options are endless. Let's focus today on gravel cycling. And specially in a quite popular place for locals, which is Pla de la Calma. This is a relatively flat zone at about 1100 mts height that you can reach from several places, and specially from the top of Coll Formic climb. Coll Formic is probably the best known road in Montseny (together with the climb to Santa Fe del Montseny). Your reach Coll Formic at 1145 mts height either from Palautordera (26 km ascent from C-35 road), either from Seva (shorter climb about 9 km long. The views from Pla de la Calma are amazing, specially to the Pyrenees on the north side, but also to the Mediterranean sea to the south. Of course the views to Montserrat and its rounded shapes, are also possible, not being far away.

But there are some other ways to reach Pla de la Calma. A very interesting way to reach it is from Tagamanent. This is an asphalted road, very demanding at some parts. The road leads to the etnologic park of Tagamanent and afterwards to the old Tagamanent Castle. The asphalted road ends at about 1000 mts (see profile attached) and then the path keeps going to about 1300 mts. This way you get the whole Pla de la Calma, from Tagamanent to Coll Formic, about 10 km long with stunnig views, always above 1100 mts.

A second very interesting way (probably my favourite) is a gravel path starting at Piscines del Montseny (a little before Montseny village). This is a path in quite good condition climbing for 10 km at about 9% gradient, reaching 1300 mts close to the highest point of Pla de la Calma, which is Puig Drau at 1345 mts. It is difficult to name this side of Pla de la Calma, but the best indication is to get to El Molar, an isolated house (Masia in catalan language) on the way up, about half way. In  my wet dreams, this climb could be included in a professional road cycling race (such as Volta a Catalunya or Vuelta a España), and then descent on the road via Coll Formic. That would be our "Coll delle Finestre".

But the gravel bikes allow a much higher number of new places to reach inside the Montseny mountains. One of my favourite places is Ermita de Sant Elies. This is an old church at 999 mts height. The highlight of this climb is the final 5 km stretch at about 10% in a gravel path in quite good condition. Very demanding part though. Considering the whole climb from the Refugis del Montseny, including an asphalted part at the beginning, you get 6,35 km at 10,3% average. Not bad.

On top of the plateau where the church is, you can get a little higher to the firemen observation area with amazing views over the Valles region and even over the Mediterranean sea. Fantastic place, worth a stop.

There is another nice summit you can get nearby which is Turó de la Cova, at 1100 mts height, and you can see one from the other (Sant Elies and Turó de la Cova). The condition of the path is similar to Sant Elies. The characteristic of Turó de la Cova is a bench on top of the climb, which you can sit at, together with a catalan flag. Picture compulsory there. From Turó de la Cova you can descend to Piscines del Montseny, but the path is very rough, and being on the north side it can be frozen and icy in winter.

There are many other options in the Montseny mountains. I'll keep digging, but I am sure this is a good start point. Enjoy!!

Top 10 roads for cycling in Spain

Same as we did a few weeks ago with France, here we go with a list of the best roads for cycling in Spain. Same as in that post about France, let me remind that this is a subjective list. 

Following roads are amazing, that's for sure, but I have no doubts that there are other similar ones and maybe better.

This is my choice:

1. Desfiladero/Cañón de Añisclo (Huesca). This road was included in last Vuelta a España 2020 for the first time (5th stage). This is part of the spanish Pyrenees.
   
2. Jaizkibel (Guipúzcoa). One of the most iconic climbs in all of the Basque Country, part of the route of Clásica de San Sebastián. The road, linking San Sebastián with Hondarribia is a fantastic balcony over the Cantabric sea. Also, steep and challenging climb!
   
3. 
   Coll de la Creueta. This is the first of 3 following roads being in Catalonia. Coll de la Creueta is an amazing road reaching almost 2000 mts.
   
4. Costa Brava (Tossa-Sant Feliu de Guixols). 25 km of amazing coastal road, with very scarce traffic and very smooth surface. Also, very good weather all year long. This is part of the charm.
   
5. Montserrat (Barcelona). This is an iconic mountain in Catalonia. Its unique shape has a magic touch, as the rounded forms suggest the mountain was under the sea for milions of years. The roads surrounding the mountain give different views depending on the angle. Fantastic.
   
6. Sa Calobra (Mallorca). Possibly one of the most famous roads in Mallorca and the target of all the cyclists arriving to the spanish island. The odd thing about this terrific climb is that you have to descend to the coast to climb it opposite direction.
   
7. Far de Formentor (Mallorca). Another iconic destination in Mallorca island. The road heading to the Lighthouse (meaning for Far) is just stunning.
   
8. 
   Portillo de Lunada (Cantabria).This is a very long and scenic climb in Cantabria province (just beside Basque country). The perfect loop in the area includes Alisas, Ason and Lunada in hardly 100 km and 2300 mts elevation.
   
   
9. Desfiladero de la Hermida (Cantabria) This road 21 km long is also located in Cantabria and it is the longest gorge in Spain. You get there from the twisty road N-621. The vertical walls get at some points 600 mts. Amazing.
   
10. El Torcal de Antequera. This place in Malaga province was declared World Heritage site by UNESCO. It was included in Vuelta a España route in 2017.  

Sure there are other great roads for cycling in Spain, as this is cycling paradise. 

Which roads would you include in the list?

Olot, a great destination for cycling in Catalonia

Climbing Coll de Bracons

 

Olot is one of the biggest destinations for cycling in Catalan Pyrenees.

Olot is the capital of the vulcanic region of La Garrotxa, an amazing destination with old vulcanoes, very known for local tourism, but not so many for foreigners. But it is absolutely worth to visit.

The choices are so many. The most popular granfondo (sportive) in Catalonia, takes place in a little village close to Olot: Sant Esteve de'n Bas. It is called "Terra de Remences", honoring an historical fact in history of Catalonia.

The double loop in Terra de Remences is fantastic: first loop including Coll de Capsacosta and Coll de Canes, and second loop including Coll de Bracons (steep!) and Coll de Condreu. From Coll de Condreu (a solitaire not-very-steep climb) you can reach Santuari del Far, an amazing place with stunning views. Worth a visit!

100% Tondo elevation profile

But it is not only these clouple of amazing loops that you can do from Olot.There is another granfondo, called 100% Tondo (honouring the catalan cyclist Xavier Tondo who died in a very young age while being professional rider), that starts at Sant Joan Les Fonts (very close to Olot). The final climb of this Granfondo is Vallter 2000, a 1st category climb, included several times in Volta a Catalunya.

Terrific climb: Collfred!

From Olot you can also reach a couple of very steep climbs such as Collfred (starting at Sant Privat de'n Bas), which profile you can see attached, and another big (but short climb) is Falgars de'n Bas, with the road in quite bad shape, but also big numbers, very steep climb.

Really close to Olot you can lead to Castellfollit de la Roca, the place to start a couple of very nice (and very steep for some parts) climbs, they are the climb to Oix and Beget (a couple of little villages) through a very nice and quiet road, and the second climb is Colldecarrera, a road through Vall de Bac (Bac valley), with some concrete and supersteep parts. Again, an amazing solitaire road.

Regarding places to stay close to Olot, my favourite place is called El Ferres, a house in Joanetes (starting point of Coll de Bracons). All of our customers love it, and they also love Carme, the lovely lady managing the house, the mum of all the visitors!

10 Hardest stages ever in Grand Tours

Coppi in Cuneo Pinerolo

It is difficult to make a list of the hardest stages in Grand Tours ever. After doing some research, you can read this list of 10 stages showing some of the most epic stages in history. Distance and elevation make those stages very special, and some of them will be, no doubt, in cycling History forever.

I've chosen 4 for Tour de France, 4 for Giro d'Italia and 2 from La Vuelta a España.

- Stage Luchon-Bayonne in Tour de France. Classic stage 326 km long including Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet, Aubisque and the much smaller Osquich. This stage was in the Tour de france route years1910, 1911 and 1912, and opposite direction Bayonne-Luchon (possibly harder as the big climbs are at the end of the stage) was in the years 1913, 1914 and 191 to 1929.

One of the most famous Tour de France stages, if not the most

- Tour de France 1983 stage Bourg d'Oisans-Morzine with 247 km and 7200 mts elevation including Col du Glandon, La Madeleine, Aravis, Colombiere, Chatillon and Joux Plane. The winner was Jacques Michaud in an amazing stage with 7 hours 45' 25". In this stage Laurent Fignon gave a big step to the final overall win.

Bourg d'Oisans Morzine, epic stage Tour de France 1983

- Tour de France 1992, stage Saint Gervais-Sestriere, 254 km long and 6500 mts elevation, including Col de Saisies, Cormet de Roselend, Iseran, Mont Cenis and Sestriere. Claudio Chiappucci was the winner in an amazing breakaway from km 28, wearing the polka dot jersey. It took 7 hours 44 minutes 51 seconds. Miguel Indurain bonked a few km to the finish line.

Epic stage ending in Sestriere, Tour de France 1992

- Tour de France 1996. Stage Argeles Gazost-Pamplona, 262 km including  Aubisque, Marie Blanque Soudet and Larrau (and still 100 km to go to Pamplona). The winner was the swiss Laurent Dufaux in 7 hours 7 minutes. Indurain said to be the hardest stage in his carrer. No need to say any more.

The stage should have been a tribute to Indurain.

- Giro d'Italia 1914. It is said to be the hardest big tour ever with 5 stages over 400 km long. Stage 1 Milano-Cuneo was 420 km long including the climb to Sestriere (this was the hardest stage ever in Giro d'Italia history as per La Gazzetta dello Sport), but according to other souces, stage 6 Bari-L'Acquila was the hardest, with many riders forced to retire.

- Giro d'Italia 1949. The epic stage Cuneo-Pinerolo won by Fausto Coppi is one of the most dramatic wins in cycling history, including the climbs to Maddalena, Vars, Izoard, Mongenevre and Sestriere. Coppi won in 9 hours, 19 min 55 sec.

One of the most famous stages ever. Cuneo-Pinerolo

- Giro d'Italia 2011 Conegliano-Gardeccia Val di Fassa, 229 km with the climbs to Piancavallo, Forcella Cibiana, Passo Giau, Passo Fedaia and Gardeccia. The winner was the basque Mikel Nieve in 7 hours 27 minutes.

Conegliano-Gardeccia Val di Fassa, Giro d'Italia 2011

- Giro d'Italia 2012: Caldes-Passo dello Stelvio: 218 km and total elevation 5900 mts, including Passo del Tonale, Aprica, Mortirolo and Stelvio. The winner was Thomas de Gendt in 6hr 54 min 51 sec.

Queen stage ending at Passo dello Stelvio

- Vuelta a España 1992 Viella - Luz Ardiden, a stage 144 km long including Portillon, Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet and Luz Ardiden. Total elevation 4500 mts. The winner was Laudelino Cubino in 4 h 52' 36". It is said to be one of the hardes stages in La Vuelta history.

- Vuelta a España 2015, Andorra la Vella-Cortals d'Encamp 145 km with Collada de Beixalis, Ordino, La Rabassa, Collada de la Gallina, and finish at Cortals d'Encamp at 2005 mts height. About 5000 mts elevation. Stage winner was Mikel Landa in 4hours 34 min 54 sec.

Stage in Andorra, not a single flat kilometer

This is my list of hardest stages ever in Grand Tours.
Do you agree? Feel free to share and comment below.

Cycling the Pyrenees border passes

Col de Banyuls, close to the mediterranean coast

The Pyrenees is the natural border between France and Spain. There are a lot of asphalted passes in the Pyrenees, some in the french side, some in the spanish side, but only some of them are exactly with the border at the top, having one side from France and one side from Spain.

Usually the french side is longer, steeper and colder, being on the north face. Worth to know this information when planning a cycling tour in the Pyrenees.

Let's have a quick list of all of them, starting from east to west, from the catalan Pyrenees to the Basque Pyrenees.

1. Coll de Banyuls (355 M) This is the most eastern proper mountain pass in the Pyrenees linking the coastal french Banyuls sur Mer with the little known village in Girona called Espolla. Very steep french side, longer, milder and nicer the catalan side.
2. Col de Pertus (290 mts). This is a historical pass, the lowest point to cross the Pyrenees. The main road is filled with cars and traffic, totally avoidable. Nevertheless in the Pirinexus route goes through this easy pass avoiding the road in a gravel path.
3. Costoja (830 mts) Little unknown pass in Girona province, even if it is a wide nice road. The starting point in Spain is the village called Tapis, and on the french side there is a village close to the top called Costoja, (Coustouge in french).
4. Coll de Manrella (637 m) Even smaller and less known pass than the previous Costoja. There is a monument dedicated to the people who exiliated to France through this tiny pass after the Civil war in Spain. Solitaire road, in fact there is about 1 km gravel path on the french side.
5. Coll d'Ares (1513 mts). Possibly the most known border pass in Girona province. Again, the french side is much more demanding. 32 km long from Arles sur Tech, or 14 km from Prats de Molló. On the way to Coll d'Ares you can collect other cols as Col de la Seille (1185 m) and Col de la Guille (1194). Interesting for the climbs collectors, type Club des cent Cols.



Monument at Portillon (spanish side)

6. Col de Portillon (1293 mts). As usual, the french side from Bagneres de Luchon is much steeper than the spanish one from Bossost. The spanish side has some milestones remembering the spanish winners in the Tour de France, and there is a monument dedicated to them at a viewpoint half climb.
7. Tunnel de Bielsa (1820 mts). This tunnel was opened in 1976 and is 3 km long. The tunnel connects the Lleida spanish province with St Lary Soulan and Fabian, on the french side, starting points of big climbs as Lac d'Aumar, St Lary Soulan or Pla d'Adet.
8. Puerto de Somport (1650 mts) This pass has a couple of remarkable characteristics: 1) It is a very old historical pass and there was a train line crossing Spain-France, the Canfranc train station is huge and now with no use, just the touristic visits 2) there is a tunnel to get through the mountain which we cyclists should avoid to reach to the top. 3) There is a very known ski station on the spanish side called Candanchú.
9. Portalet (1794 mts) Same as Somport, bot climbs are included in the "Quebrantahuesos", the most famous sportive (Granfondo) in all of Spain. The starting point of Portalet on the french side is the same as the almighty Aubisque, in a crossroad a little after Laruns.
10. Larrau (1573 mts) This climb was included in Tour de France 1996 for the first time. Such a discovery and such a climb especially, again, from the french side. Terribly steep.
11. Pierre St Martin (1760 mts) Pierre St Martin is the highest road in Basque Pyrenees. In fact there are 7 sides of this monster climb, just one from Nafarroa and other six in France. Included in Tour de France 2015 with big show and victory of Chris Froome. Click on link to learn more about the seven sides. 

    

    Col d'Izpegi, beautiful

12. Izpegi (690 mts). Simply beautiful. An amazing pass specially the side from Saint Etienne de Baigorry in France. This pass is often included in the Transpyrenees trips, and also makes part of the famous "Route des Cols" in the Pyrenees.
13. Ibardin (316 mts) This little climb has been included in Itzulia (Vuelta al Pais Vasco) several years ago. 
14. Lizuniaga (219 m) Little pass from Bera de Bidasoa with a Hotel on top.

 Now there is no police control on every border pass, but there was a time when it was, not so long ago...

Luchon-Bayonne the most classic stage in the Pyrenees

Luchon Bayonne, this is a Tour de France stage, come on.

Luchon-Bayonne is one of the classical stages in Tour de France history.

326 km including Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet and Aubisque. Also the small Osquich closer to the end. This is real cycling, this is cycling from the old times. This stage was first included in the Tour de France in 1910. Can you imagine the bikes and the roads in 1910? They were HEROES.

The first winner was Octave Lapize in 1910. When he arrived to the finish he said the famous sentence to organizers “Vous êtes des assassins! Oui, des assassins!", “You are murderers!”.

These are the Tours in which this stage was included (either Luchon-Bayonne, either Bayonne Luchon). Opposite direction (west to east) is even a more demanding stage, as the climbs are closer to the end of the stage. Here is the list of the Tours and the stage winners:

1910 Luchon-Bayonne 326 km Octave Lapize
1911 Luchon-Bayonne 326 km Maurice Brocco
1912 Luchon-Bayonne 326 km Louis Mottiat
1913 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Philippe Thijs
1914 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Firmin Lambot
 (World War 1)
1919 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Honoré Barthelemy
1920 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Firmin Lambot
1921 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Hector Heusghem
1922 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Jean Alavoine
1923 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Jean Alavoine
1924 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Ottavio Bottecchia
1925 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Adeline Benoit
1926 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Lucien Buysse
1927 Bayonne-Luchon 326 km Nicolas Frantz
1929 Bayonne-Luchon 363 km Salvador Cardona

In the old times the Tour de France (or La Grand Boucle-the big loop) was really a route around France following the pentagone shape of France. The route was very similar for many years then some stages were always the same: Brest-Les Sables d'Olonne 412 km, Les Sables d'Olonne-Bayonne 482 km, Bayonne-Luchon 326 km , Luchon-Perpignan 323 km.

There is a Granfondo organized by the Federation Françoise de Cycloturisme, that follows exactly this stage, from Bayonne to Luchon. There are 2 choices: doing in just one stage the 326 km, and the second option is doing it in 2 stages. Next 2020 the dates are June 20th and 21st.

In our Transpyrenees trip we climb all these famous mountains in different stages: Stage 1 Hondarribia-St Jean de Pied de Port, Stage 2 St Jean de Pied de Port-Bielle (including Osquich), Stage 3 Bielle-Luz St Sauveur (including Aubisque), Stage 4 Luz St Sauveur-Luchon (including Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde). Join us!!

Col d'Aubisque

Col de Peyresourde

Col d'Osquich

Le Tourmalet, le roi