Mountain Bike fans in particular, and cycling in general, are today with a wide range of tests throughout the entire peninsula in which we can participate.
Whether they are the provincial circuits or the Opens and regional and national championships, it is almost certain that in an area of a few hundred kilometers around a cycling fan can have almost a race to play every weekend from the first weeks of the spring to the last of autumn.
But there was a time, not so long, in which the calendars were neither numerous nor so massified. Years in which some races began a journey that has led them to pass the barrier of the decade and a half. One of these races is the
MTB march of Colmenar Viejo.
Crossing the Camino de Santiago de Madrid
Forming today of the Open of Madrid XCM, the MTB march of the
Cyclist Club Colmenar Viejo He was born with the new century, to become a classic within the calendar of the center of the Peninsula.
During all these years, the route has always remained faithful to a series of representative points of the surroundings of Colmenar Viejo, changing very little its pinking route that reaches 1400 meters of positive slope in just over 70 km.
Areas such as the Bridge of Piedra de la Marmota, the vertiginous area of the Tapia of El Pardo, the section that coincides with the road of Santiago de Madrid, and above all, the wandering rod of the Woven stream, are part of the memories of the memories of The thousands of bikers who have participated in this test since its inception.
Cold, heat and water
It may be 1400 meters of accumulated unevenness, do not seem too much unevenness for a 72 -kilometer test. But don't trust yourself! The terrain is very broken, the maximum level does not reach 1000 meters, and the lowest point, after the descent to the stone bridge, are 620 meters. In those just 380 meters of difference is where 1400 meters of slope accumulate, so that the continuous sube-low is noticeable in the legs.
Although the greatest difficulty is in the changing meteorology of that time of the year. When normally celebrated in the second half of April, the heat may be suffocating, or that on the contrary the bones and reach the cold cold target.
In my four participations I had two dishes of each, doing good the click among those who know the proof that "if last year it rained, this year we have a sun." Although I believe that the more fun this march, which can be done perfectly as a route any Sunday with the group, it is when it rains a little.
If this occurs, the terrain becomes heavy and muddy, there are sections in which a good effort to advance, and if the tissue is growing, the more than seven times that is seen become a demonstration of skill about skill The bicycle ... if we don't want to dive into it.
The organization
But above all, if you choose to make the march or participate in the Madrid Open test, any biker will verify that the best of this march is its organization.
Year after year criticisms are almost unanimous: it is an example of good organizational. From the large number of volunteers who encourage you and are aware that you do not take any wrong detour no matter how much it rains, until so that we often look at the most popular fans of the marches: the supplies.
A large amount of fruit, water, soft drinks, bars and nuts will make some even stay in the three avituallamientos with which the test has.
Macarrones for everyone
In summary, a veteran of the central calendar who has become a reference thanks to the good work, the illusion and affection with which the organization tries to overcome its bar year after year.
A breakpiene route and with hard sections, but in which if you measure your forces along the route, you will reach the goal without any setback to be able to take a good beer accompanying the macaroni that always give to the one who wants to eat a dish at the end, while while Comment with each other how the route has gone.
