Road bike training camp in spring: Andalusia as an ideal alternative to Mallorca
Jörg Wenzel
· 16.10.2023
To the west and east of Málaga, the Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) on the Atlantic and the Costa del Sol (Coast of Sun) on the Mediterranean already have light and hours of sunshine in their names. The good weather is accompanied by undulating terrain for rolling in and spectacular mountain roads. If you want to hone your form in spring, Andalusia's coasts are the place to be.
Road cycling in Andalusia
Andalusia is the southernmost and most scenically diverse autonomous community on the Iberian Peninsula, with long sandy beaches, deserts, forests, pastures - and even high mountains. On the Atlantic coast of the Costa de la Luz, quiet byways stretch from the beaches far into the hilly hinterland - ideal for a relaxed start to the season. You can glide along endlessly in basic mode, apart from a few crisp ramps up to one of the many pueblos blancos, the "white villages" with winding alleyways and whitewashed houses, which are often exposed on high plateaus and can be seen from afar. The mountain roads of the Sierra de Grazalema, on the other hand, most of which have excellent tarmac surfaces, require a good level of fitness with long climbs, but reward you with magnificent views of the karstic mountains of Andalusia, the shimmering Atlantic Ocean and the mountain peaks of Africa towering behind the Strait of Gibraltar.
The Costa del Sol is also ideal terrain for spring, as mountain ranges protect it from cold northerly winds. Some of the roads are surprisingly wide, others, such as the MA-3101, which is legendary among cyclists in Málaga, are rather narrow. However, a little training for the surrounding climbs can't hurt, as the coastal strip on the Costa del Sol is much narrower than on the Costa de la Luz - and therefore also busier. It only makes sense to cycle along there to leave the coast towards the hills and mountains. But beyond that it gets lonely. The climbs from the Mediterranean to the hinterland are sometimes steep, with gradients of around 15 per cent. The same applies to the small roads in the karstic Sierras Subbéticas, our insider tip 120 kilometres from Málaga, which is more suitable for the months of April and May due to the altitude of between 500 and 1,000 metres.
Andalusia is one of the most beautiful regions for me: the rustic cork oaks in the Alcornocales Park and the Sierra de Grazalema, which is so green because it acts as a barrier against the humid Atlantic air - Martin Roos, TOUR travel author
Info about Andalusia
Start of the season: March, April.
Temperatures: 18 degrees (March), 20 degrees (April) are average maximum temperatures on the coast, in the mountains it can be significantly colder.
Journey: Direct flights to Jerez de la Frontera and Málaga in three hours, from around 200 or 400 euros depending on the German airport (return journey, without bike transport).
Topography: Flat to mountainous.
Locations: Ciclana de la Frontera, Málaga, Torrox.
Weekly rate for hotel and guided tours: From 540 euros per person in a double room with half board; only a few tour operators (such as Huerzeler and Velo Andaluz) offer this bike package.
Bike hire: Less than a dozen stations (e.g. Huerzeler, Starbikes, ToroBike2.0, bike2malaga) on the coasts - six days bike hire costs from around 120 euros (aluminium frame with Shimano's 105 groupset), top racers up to 240 euros.
5 more destinations for your road bike training camp in spring
Plus points: That speaks in favour of a road bike training camp in Andalusia
- Mild climate, many hours of sunshine and little rain (except in the Sierras)
- Varied landscapes and route profiles
- Flat routes on the Costa de la Luz
- Small, low-traffic roads in the hinterland and on the Costa de la Luz
- If you don't book a bike package, there are plenty of inexpensive hotels to choose from on the coast
- Direct flights from several German cities
Minus points: That speaks against it
- Possibly long (hire car) journey from the airport to the location
- Few organisers offer the all-inclusive package
- Manageable number of bike hire stations
