Calpe — Finestrat & Guadalest

We rode this in March 2026, and it is one of the longest rides we've done from Calpe. Five categorised climbs across 153 km demand respect — we started at dawn, with pockets full of gels and bars, determined to hold a steady pace all day.

The route heads south out of Calpe through Altea before turning inland toward Finestrat. We stopped at Bar El Cantonet in the village to fuel up before Tudons — espresso and bocadillo, refilled the bottles. With a 15 km climb ahead of us, the timing was right. The Finestrat climb itself is 3.9 km at 5.1% average, opening beneath the Puig Campana massif. The view back toward the coast gets better with every kilometre you climb.

After Finestrat comes Port de Tudons, but we don't ride the whole climb. About 5-6 km before the summit, we turn off the Tudons road and take a small mountain pass over the ridge. The road is narrow, the tarmac good, and there are almost no cars here. It cuts through a gap in the rock before dropping down to the valley toward Torremanzanas. This is what makes the route distinct — the landscape is vast, and you've rarely felt so alone on the bike as here.

Alto de Torremanzanas is 8.3 km at 5.1% average, but the average hides what actually happens. The climb alternates between near-flat sections and short ramps up to 15% — you never quite settle into a rhythm before it changes character again. We stopped at Restaurant La Font in the village of Torremanzanas at the top, 700 metres above sea level. A quiet Spanish mountain village — barely a soul about, coffee in the sun, and a good place to breathe before Benifallim. Port de Benifallim comes right after, 3.8 km at 5.5%. Shorter than Torremanzanas, but you feel it because you've got 75 km in the legs. Drop into a low gear and hold the rhythm — don't push.

After Benifallim there are a few kilometres of rolling terrain before the climb to Confrides begins. 9 km at 4.5% average up to the village of Confrides itself. This is the climb where Tadej Pogačar set the Strava record in December 2025 — 18:01 at 30.2 km/h average. We were quite a bit slower 😅. On paper it's not bad, but you've got 95 km in the legs when you start it, and you feel it. La Venta de Pep de Toni in Confrides is a mandatory stop — take your time for a proper break here, refill the bottles, don't rush on. After this it's 40 km downhill and home to Calpe.

The final 40 kilometres follow the Guadalest valley down to the coast — mostly downhill, with a few small climbs along the way. We rolled home in the afternoon light. A long day, but not a brutal day. It's the route that costs, not any single climb.