Calpe — Finestrat & Guadalest

We rode this in March 2026 — and went in knowing it would be a long day. Five categorised climbs across 153 kilometres demands respect, and we came prepared: pockets full of gels and bars, and no ambitions about pace.

The route heads south from Calpe through Altea before turning inland toward Finestrat. We stopped in the village for coffee and something to eat before Alt de Finestrat began — a sensible call with Port de Tudons still ahead. The Finestrat climb rises beneath the dramatic Puig Campana massif, and the views back toward the coast grow with every kilometre.

We took a different line on Tudons — turning off about 5-6 kilometres before the summit onto a road that traversed a narrow mountain pass along the ridge. An extraordinary stretch of riding: the road cut through a gap in the rock, the landscape completely wild, before dropping slightly into the valley beyond. One of those unexpected moments that makes a long route memorable.

Alto de Torremanzanas is where the day gets serious. The climb has some genuinely steep sections — short, sharp ramps that force you out of any comfortable rhythm. We stopped briefly in the village of Torremanzanas at the top: a quiet, traditional Spanish mountain village, exactly as you imagine them. Almost no one around. A good place to breathe.

Port de Benifallim and CV-710 to Confrides follow in the final mountain section — by this point the legs are earning their keep. CV-710 is where Tadej Pogačar set the Strava KOM in December 2025 at 18:01. We were somewhat slower.

The final 40 kilometres descend and roll back toward the coast and Calpe. After a day like this, the flat kilometres home feel very welcome.