About this Route
← Costa Blanca Cycling GuideThe benchmark ride of Costa Blanca, built around Coll de Rates — one of the most analysed and ridden climbs in professional cycling. 6.43km at 5.5%, Category 2, favoured by WorldTour teams who winter in the area. Tadej Pogačar holds the Strava KOM at 11:57 (19 December 2025). The 117km route adds La Fustera, a 4km Category 3 approach climb, and returns through the vineyards and coastal hills of the Marina Alta.
We rode this in March 2026, and it confirmed what the Costa Blanca cycling community already knows: this is the benchmark route of the area.
La Fustera catches you almost immediately out of Calpe — a Category 3 climb that feels anything but minor. The gradient is steady and consistent, with a few sweeping bends that carry you upward before the views arrive. Around halfway up, the road opens onto what feels like a balcony: Calpe and the Mediterranean spread out below you, the riders behind you visible on the road beneath your wheels. One of those moments that stops you mid-effort.
Port de Bèrnia is a climb many underestimate. The average gradient looks manageable on paper — but that number hides a lot of flat and false-flat terrain in the lower section. When the real climbing arrives in the final kilometres, it arrives hard. The last 3 kilometres average close to 9%, with ramps touching 15%. I rarely see this, but I passed a cyclist walking his bike up that section. The views from the pass more than compensate — the entire Costa Blanca coastline laid out below, dramatic limestone cliffs on both sides.
The descent into the Jalón valley and the ride through wine country toward Parcent is one of the pleasures of this route — almond trees, olive groves, almost no traffic. Parcent sits at the foot of Coll de Rates and is the natural stop before the final climb.
Coll de Rates itself I rode at a controlled, steady pace — this is not a climb for heroics. There are always other cyclists on the road here, which makes it easy to find a wheel and settle into a rhythm. The views open up as you gain height, and the upper section is one of the finest stretches of road on the Costa Blanca. A tip: in the last week of March 2026, brand new asphalt was laid on Coll de Rates. It is immaculate.
The descent toward Parcent is rightly famous — 6.5km of perfect hairpin bends, fast and flowing. We stopped in Xaló on the way back, at a café with outdoor seating. Velosol was closed that day — worth trying on another visit.
Kilometre by Kilometre
Coastal roads west from Calpe to Benissa. La Fustera climb: 3.97km at 4.9%, Category 3 — the warm-up and transition from coast to mountains. The Sierra de Bèrnia appears ahead as you crest La Fustera.
14.4km at 2.4% average — deceptive on paper. The lower slopes are manageable but the road narrows and steepens dramatically in the final kilometres as you push through the limestone cliffs to the pass. The views from the top across the Costa Blanca and Mediterranean are among the finest on the entire route. The descent toward Pinos is narrow and technical — concentrate.
Rolling inland roads through the Jalón valley wine country — almond trees, vineyards and quiet villages. Parcent sits at the foot of Coll de Rates and is the essential café stop before the final climb. Rest the legs and eat something.
6.43km at 5.5%, 347m of elevation gain. Category 2. Tadej Pogačar holds the KOM at 11:57 (19 December 2025), averaging 32.3 km/h. A consistent, manageable gradient that rewards smooth pacing — find your rhythm and hold it to the top. The descent toward Parcent is one of the finest in Spain: 6.5km of perfect hairpin bends on flawless asphalt.
The Tàrbena valley and coastal roads carry you back to Calpe. Stop at Velosol in Xaló for coffee in the sun — the best cycling café in the Jalón valley and the perfect end-of-mountains reward before the final flat kilometres home.
Gallery
Route map & elevation profile
Key Climbs
Port de Bèrnia
Cat 2Coll de Rates
Cat 2Highlights
- •Coll de Rates as the finale — The classic ascent from Parcent. 6.4 km of steady rhythm on what many call the best asphalt on the Costa Blanca. The climb the world's top pros use as their winter benchmark before the Tour season.
- •Port de Bèrnia first — One climb with a split profile: 12 km of flat or gentle gradient, then steep — up to 15% in the last two. Easy to underestimate on a first try; the last kilometre costs more than you expect.
- •Stamp clock at base and summit — A physical timing post at each end of Coll de Rates lets you check your time without Strava. The card is free and goes home in your bag as proof you were here.
- •Café rhythm you can rely on — Velosol Cycling Bar five kilometres before the climb begins; Blanca Bikes Base Camp Café 27 km from the finish. Both are cyclist-specific, no tourist clutter around them.
- •Winter training terrain — Calpe is Europe's winter base — October to April with clear mornings and empty roads. UAE, Visma and half the WorldTour peloton train here, and this is one of the first loops they ride.
Must know
- ⚠Training traffic in winter — November to March, the pros own the roads before 10 a.m. If you're in a small group, expect 20–30 riders to come through fast on intervals. Hold your line and give them room.
- ⚠Tàrbena descent has tight corners — From the Coll de Rates summit you drop towards Tàrbena through technical hairpins. Local cars know the road too well and cut blind corners — keep right.
- ⚠14 km of the route sit above 6% — You don't need 34×32 to finish, but 34×28 feels comfortable in mid-winter when form is patchy. Compact plus 28 at the rear is standard here.
- ⚠Café Coll de Rates at the summit is open but can be packed — The restaurant on the pass serves coffee, water, soft drinks and hot baguettes. Saturday morning in February you'll meet two thousand cyclists at once — consider filling bottles at Velosol instead.
- ⚠Water stops are sparse on the first half — Between the Calpe start and Velosol Cycling Bar (km 45), there are no reliable fountains. Fill two bottles before you roll out.
- ⚠Winter kit: long sleeves in January–February, gilet through May — Even at 18 °C during the day, mornings sit at 8–10 °C at the Coll de Rates summit. You'll suffer on the descent if you under-dress. Gilet plus arm warmers is the minimum.
Café & Water
- km 45Velosol Cycling Bar
Five kilometres before the Coll de Rates climb begins. An espresso bar built for cyclists — pumps, mechanic's hose and hot baguettes. Grab a cortado before the climb.
- km 90Blanca Bikes — Base Camp Café & Bike Rental
On the return to Calpe, 27 km from the finish. Bike hire, coffee and an informal cyclist meeting point. Run by the same people who publish much of the Coll de Rates content you'll find online.
Frequently asked questions
- How many climbs are on the route?
- Two that matter. Port de Bèrnia first — flat for 12 km then up to 15% in the last two. Coll de Rates as the finale — 6.4 km of steady rhythm at 5.5%. (A short ramp at La Fustera early on warms the legs but is too short to count as a climb.)
- Do I climb Coll de Rates from Parcent or Bolulla?
- From Parcent. That's the classic side — 6.4 km at 5.5% average, the asphalt the pros test on in December. The Bolulla approach is longer and gentler, but also less interesting — it's for those who have ridden Parcent five times and want something new.
- What about Tossal dels Diners?
- The optional 2.5 km concrete extension that starts right behind Café Coll de Rates. The average is above 10% with ramps of 15–20%. Our route continues from the summit down towards Tàrbena. If you want Diners, take the out-and-back detour from the summit — roughly 5 km and 300 m of additional climbing.
- Who holds the Strava KOM on Coll de Rates?
- Tadej Pogačar, set on 19 December 2025. He took 24 seconds off his own time from a year earlier and is the first rider to climb it in under twelve minutes. That's why the climb gets more attention in the cycling press than most 6 km ascents — every winter, younger pros come back to chase him.
- When is the best time of year for this route?
- October to April. November through February is the prime window — mild temperatures, clear mornings and very little traffic on the mountain roads. March and April are still good but warmer, and from March northern European teams start arriving in waves you'll share the road with.
- What gearing do I need?
- Compact (50/34) up front and 11/28 at the rear is standard, but 11/30 or 11/32 buys comfort in mid-winter when form is patchy. The final 2 km of Port de Bèrnia sit at 15% — that's where you'll be grateful for a 30 or 32. Coll de Rates needs nothing 1:1, but the last 1.5 km hold at 7% and can feel long if you've blown yourself out earlier.
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Route Details
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Costa Blanca
For experienced cyclists. Significant elevation and demanding distances.