Pico Veleta Hill Climb
Rio Frio Holidays provide great road cycling holidays and training camps in Andalucia, Spain.
Amongst our local road cycling events is the Pico Veleta Hill Climb. Up until 2008, this challenging event was advertised as a 42 km race on the highest road in Europe. The start was at an altitude of 770 metres, in Pinos Genil, a small town just outside Granada; the finish was almost at the top of Pico Veleta, at approximately 3200 metres. However, a number of changes have been made for 2008. The main route has been extended to 51 kms, with 2400 metres of climbing, and a shorter, easier route has been introduced. The new route is 33 kms long and has only(!) a little over 1600 metres of climbing.
The profile below was measured during the 2007 event using a polar 725X heartrate monitor. The odometer is usually very accurate and shows the course to be 37.3 kms long. The altitude was calibrated at the start, but appears to have been out by up to a couple of hundred metres at the finish. However, it should serve to give an indication of the challenge involved in completing this climb.
What the profile can't show is the strength of the winds on the top part of the climb. During this race some of the gusts were so strong that they almost brought competitors to a standstill! Many people would be wary of the heat in Spain at this time of year (mid July); however, in 2007 heat was not a problem for anyone except the rear markers. The wind chill at the top and, especially, during the descent after the finish was much more of a issue. Also worth noting is that the road surface is very poor for the last 11-12 kms of the race (from the barrier near Albergue Universitario).
Profile of Pico Veleta Hill Climb
(click image to enlarge in new browser window)
The organising club, Club Ciclista Pinos Genil, has further details of the 2008 event online [click here]. If you are interested in taking part, by far the best way to do so is to book a break with us.
Rio Frio Holidays
Urb. Parque Sol, Bloque 14, 4A, 29200 Antequera, (Malaga), Spain
UK Free Phone 0-800-520-0814
US & Canada Toll Free 1-866-934-2641
Spain Direct Lines (0034) 952-701-802 & 620-530-883
[info@rio-frio.com]
| UK Free Phone
0-800-520-0814
US & Canada Toll Free
1-866-934-2641
Spain Direct Lines
(0034) 952-701-802
(0034) 620-530-883
E-Mail:
[info@rio-frio.com]
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