Costa Blanca Magazin

Cycling Costa Blanca - training paradise coast and mountains

Radfahren – Trainingsparadies zwischen Küste und Bergen

From professional teams to leisure cyclists: the Costa Blanca offers varied routes, sea views and mountain trails for cycle training and leisure rides.

In recent years, the Costa Blanca has developed into one of the most important training centres for international cycling. In winter, it is not uncommon to see entire professional teams on the road in Calpe, Dénia or Benidorm - including big names such as Jumbo-Visma or UAE Team Emirates. They use the region because they can go from sea level to 1,000 metres in just a few kilometres. For riders, this means varied training without long transfers.

Routes with character
The most famous climb is the Coll de Rates near Parcent. Hardly a training week goes by without professionals and amateurs torturing themselves up the hairpin bends - often accompanied by support vehicles with spare bikes.

The loops through the Vall de Gallinera or the round via Guadalest are also among the classics. If you are looking for less steep routes, stay on the coastal road between Dénia and Altea - there you can collect relaxed kilometres, often with a sea view.

Infrastructure for cyclists
The region has responded to the boom. Hotels in Altea and Calpe now offer their own bike stations with secure storage rooms, workshops and washing areas. Local providers such as „Costa Blanca Cycling“ or „Siesta Advisor“ organise guided tours and provide rental bikes ranging from racing bikes to e-bikes. 

Even small villages along the routes cater for cyclists - from cafés with „Cyclist welcome“ signs to petrol stations with air pumps.

Amateurs also benefit from professionals
The wide promenades and gentle coastal sections are ideal for beginners. Many bike hire companies offer special tours for beginners, where the speed and route length can be adapted.

Ambitious amateurs, on the other hand, can try their hand at the same climbs that are ridden in the Vuelta a España. As a result, Sunday riders and WorldTour pros sometimes pedal side by side on the Coll de Rates.

An economic factor in winter
Cycling has also long been of interest to the tourism industry. According to the regional tourism authority, thousands of cyclists travel to the Costa Blanca every year. Hotels benefit in the low season, and restaurants and cafés along the routes are full when groups take their lunch break. For many municipalities, the winter training of the pros has become a mainstay of the economy.

Cycling on the Costa Blanca is therefore much more than a sport for specialists. From a relaxed coastal tour to the ultimate mountain stage, there is something for everyone on two wheels - and that is precisely what makes this region so appealing.