The cycling tours in Spain have become must-attend events for cycling enthusiasts, thanks to the boom this activity has experienced in recent years. Taking part in these events is not only an unforgettable experience, but also an excellent opportunity to share moments with your group, your partner, your family, or other bicycle enthusiasts. In addition, many of these tours will lead you to discover landscapes and routes that you probably would not have explored otherwise, creating unforgettable memories beyond the effort required to reach the finish line.
While going out with your road bike to train regularly is fantastic, there comes a point where improving your performance and measuring your progress becomes an exciting challenge. Participating in a cycling tour is an ideal way to see how much you have improved and to enjoy an organized event that combines sport and adventure. These events are not exclusive to road cycling; mountain bike enthusiasts can also find options for tours on more technical and challenging terrain with their mountain bikes.
Whether you prefer to ride on asphalt with a road bike or tackle trails with a full-suspension mountain bike or hardtail, these cycling tours offer a unique experience for all cyclists
Gran Fondo Jaén Paraíso Interior
The Gran Fondo Jaén Paraíso Interior starts in Úbeda and ends in Baeza, both World Heritage cities, just as the professional Classic does the following day. The route is 90 kilometers long, 40 of which are sterrato sections. The Gran Fondo route is shorter than the Classic, designed so that all fans can enjoy it. Participants receive, of course, a bottle of extra virgin olive oil as a gift.
📍Location: Úbeda (Jaén).
Marcha Bilbao-Bilbao
The Bilbao Bilbao International Cycling Tour is possibly the one that best represents the passion for bicycles in its broadest sense. The range of participants is enormous. Hence the five staggered starts every 15 minutes. No classification is established, allowing each rider to complete their own tour according to your wishes and abilities. Everyone receives a trophy at the end. There are three route options: 85 km Short, 115 km The Classic, and 125 km Vivero. The ride takes place on the roads of Bizkaia, with views of the Iberdrola Tower (start), the Bilbao River, the Cantabrian Sea, the typical green valleys with their hidden farmhouses, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Gran Vía of Bilbao (finish). The registration fee is the same for all three routes, and you don't even have to inform the organization which route you are going to take. You can decide on the day of the event. In 2023, the event takes place on March 19
📍Location: Bilbao
La Mussara Reus
La Mussara Reus turns the roads of the province of Tarragona pink. It is one of the most iconic cycling events on the national scene and the one that gathers the most women in all of Europe, around 20% of the total participants. The routes pass between the natural parks of the Sierra del Montsant and the Prades Mountains, crossing the spectacular roads of Baix Camp and Priorat. La Mussara offers two distances: the new one, 200 km with more than 3,500 m of elevation gain, and the classic one of 135 km and 2,500 m. In 2023, the event takes place on April 16
📍Location: Reus (Tarragona)
Marcha La Gamba
Limited to 1,000 participants, this is a 139 km route with a total elevation gain of 2,600 m that passes through the towns of the Alicante region of La Marina Alta. A total of six summits are crossed: Coll de La Garga, Pla de Petracos, Port de Tollos, Sa Creueta, Coll de Rates, and Font del Gel. The full climb to Puerto de Tollos is timed and has its own classification; an ascent of just over 4 km at just under 6%. In 2023, the event takes place on April 23. Location:
📍Dénia (Alicante)
Mallorca 312
A spring cycling event to combine with a mini-vacation in Mallorca. What do you think of the plan? The Mallorca 312 has quickly established itself as one of the most popular cycling events in Europe. A long route that circles the northwest of the island, with an elevation gain of about 5,000 meters and runs on roads closed to motorized traffic. A real luxury. The route takes cyclists through the Serra de Tramuntana and includes the well-known climbs of Puig Major (14 km at 6%) and Col de Femenia (7 km at 6%). The event is a fantastic way to get to know the island of Mallorca while riding through breathtaking viewpoints. As in many other events, you will find a group of cyclists who are easily recognizable and will ride together at the slowest possible pace. If they catch up to you, your race number will likely be taken away and you will be expelled from the event; of course, you can keep pedaling, but your records will be ignored. In 2023, the event takes place on April 29.
📍Location: Platja de Muro (Mallorca)
Eroica Hispania
La Rioja becomes the epicenter of classic cycling. No carbon, no electronics, no aerodynamics. A return to the origins with four route options: 25 km, 74 km, 124 km, and 184 km. The event is the main act of a weekend filled with recreational, cultural, and folkloric activities centered around classic cycling. On the non-competitive route, there are plenty of long stretches of gravel roads. Registered participants who wish to take part must do so with historic bicycles or bikes with a vintage look. Thus, all road bikes manufactured before 1987 can be present in the carrera, with gears or without. In addition, participants must wear period cycling clothing, using wool jerseys and shorts, and may also wear vintage-style jerseys and baggy shorts. The use of synthetic jerseys is not permitted. Participants are also encouraged to use all kinds of classic accessories: leather cycling shoes, traditional cycling caps, aluminum water bottles, etc. In 2023, the event takes place on June 4.
📍Location: Haro (La Rioja).
Irati Xtrem
A ride to enjoy an incredible landscape. A circular route of 128 km that starts in a small village in the Navarre Mountains called Otsagabia, with barely 300 inhabitants. There are no rankings, no winners. The route runs through one of the most unknown, almost untouched corners of the Pyrenees, circling the Irati Forest. Along the way, some almost unknown passes with nearly impossible slopes are climbed. Those who want to compete can take part in the Larrau Hill Climb, one of the legendary passes of the Pyrenees that the route covers. The Tour de France passes through there in 2023. The col where Miguel Indurain had to surrender in the 1996 Tour, after his five consecutive victories in the French round. In 2023, the event takes place on June 10
📍Location: Otsagabia (Navarra)
Marxa Tres Nacions
Starting from Puigcerdà, the route crosses the Pyrenees over 140 km. An area notable for its high mountain topography, but without being hostile. In total, there is a positive elevation gain of 2,400 m. The Marxa 3 Nacions is the only one that crosses three countries, giving it a distinctive touch. The route covers the Spanish Pyrenees, the French, and enters Andorra, passing through legendary mountain passes like Envalira (2,407 m), one of the highest paved mountain passes in Europe. There, the timed section of the race is also located. In 2023, the event takes place on June 10
📍Location: Puigcerdà (Girona)
La Indurain
One of the most emblematic cycling tours on the national calendar, sponsored by Miguel Indurain, who accompanies fans in every edition. Enjoying a day of cycling alongside a champion of 5 Tours and 2 Giros is an incredible experience, but doing so—additionally—through the roads, passes, and forests where Indurain still trains today represents a unique opportunity. The event offers three routes for cyclists of all levels to enjoy (60 km, 100 km, 180 km). The long route features tough elevation, with a total ascent of more than 3,100 m. A route that includes two 3rd category climbs, one 2nd category climb, and three demanding 1st category climbs. In 2023, the event takes place on July 17.
📍 Location: Villava (Navarra)
Quebrantahuesos
What can be said about the most massive and eagerly awaited cycling tour held in Spain. The demand is always much superior than the supply and the 11,000 available spots sell out at an unprecedented speed. It has a short version (85 km), held on the same day, known as the Treparriscos. The long route starts and finishes in Sabiñánigo, at the foot of the Huesca Pyrenees. The Gran Fondo Quebrantahuesos is a demanding event of over 200 kilometers and 3,500 meters of elevation gain. The route runs through the mountain passes that form the border between Spain and France. In total, three passes: Somport, Marie Blanque, and Portalet. In 2023, the event takes place on June 17
📍Location: Sabiñánigo (Huesca)
La Purito Andorra
The most enjoyable, fun, and toughest cycling tour in Europe. This is how the event promoted by Joaquim Rodríguez is presented, a cyclist who has left one of the greatest marks both on and off the asphalt. His victories in the Tour, Giro, La Vuelta, Lombardy, Fleche Wallonne, Tirreno-Adriatico, or Volta a Catalunya are memorable. La Purito Andorra represents a challenge featuring up to six mountain passes, 115 km and 4,800 meters of elevation gain. An undeniably difficult ride, which allows you to choose between three routes (115 km, 80 km, and 30 km). A great opportunity to ride through the quintessential Pyrenean cycling territory, where many elite cyclists usually train. In 2023, the event takes place on August 6th
📍Location: Andorra
Marcha Pedro Delgado
A true super classic among cycling tours in Spain. A route that takes place around Segovia and the Sierra de Guadarrama, with two routes starting from Plaza de la Artillería, next to the iconic Roman aqueduct. The main one, the Gran Fondo route, is 164 km long with 3,200 meters of elevation gain. It passes through Guadarrama, Navacerrada, La Morcuera, Canencia, and Navafría. The alternative, more accessible route covers 119 kilometers and 2,100 meters of elevation gain; it goes through the Navacerrada and Navafría passes, then heads back to Segovia. The event is a recognition by the cycling world and his fellow countrymen of the great Pedro Delgado, winner of the Tour de France in 1988, when he was part of the Reynolds team. In 2023, the event takes place on August 20th
📍Location: Segovia
Madrid 7 Picos
An original two-day format touring the main passes of the Sierra de Madrid, with the added incentive that much of the route is closed to traffic. On the first day, the Morcuera, Canencia, Campadales, Puerto del Cardoso, and La Hiruela passes will be covered, totaling 160 km and 2,800 m of elevation gain. On the second day, Sunday, the spectacular area of La Puebla awaits. A short stage (70 km), but with two long passes (Alto del Robledillo and La Puebla) that add up to 1,200 m of positive elevation gain. The event offers the possibility of double registration. You can participate in both stages and thus ride the 7 peaks (240 km and 4,100 m of elevation gain), or just take part in one of the days. In 2023, the event takes place on October 7-8
📍Location: Buitrago del Lozoya (Madrid)
Tuvalum Team
