Top 10 Spanish Climbs on a Road Bike

10. Jaizkibel - Basque Country Spain's most prestigious one day race, the Classica San Sebastian is defined by the climb of the Jaizkibel. By no means the toughest or most picturesque climb, it deserves a mention for it's importance in the pro calendar. 9. Coll de Rates - Costa Blanca The Costa Blanca has long been a playground of northern european pros looking for a bit of winter sun, and there are always a handful of world tour teams that have their training camps in the region. For that reason, although you might not have heard of the Col de Rates, most of the pro peloton certainly do. It is the scene of many early season fitness tests. The perfect road surface, the beautiful gradient and the amazing scenery makes it one to look out for though. 8. Soller - Mallorca Like the Costa Brava, Mallorca is a place of pilgrimage for many cyclists who suffer with frigid winter weather, and its roads are some of the very best in the world. The climb of Soller is not the hardest on the island, but both sides are covered in hairpin bends that are a joy to ride, and the tunnel underneath the mountain ensures that the only traffic you are likely to meet is fellow cyclists. 7. Rocacorba - Catalonia A climb made famous by the legions of pro cyclists that call the Catalonian city of Girona their home, and who have tested themselves on it's slopes. Ryder Hesjedal is reputedly the fastest, with a time of 27.44 minutes on the 13.8km long ascent. Local rider David Millar puts it very well: To reach the top of Rocacorba offers a sense of achievement few mountains can match. Climbing for climbing's sake; that's what Rocacorba is about" 6. Alto de Velefique - Almeria The Alto de Velefique is a serpent of a climb, with more hairpin bends than the legendary Alpe d'Huez in France. If you attempt this, take plenty of water as Almeria is the driest region of Europe. It's tough in more than just climate though, at 13km and 7.2% it is a stern test. 5. Lagos De Covadonga - Asturias The first of the climbs to feature in our top 10 from the incredible Picos de Europa mountain range in Asturias, is the Lagos De Covadonga. It's been of pivotal importance to the Vuelta a Espana on many occasions, although it is missing in 2013. The climb is 12.3km and an average gradient of 7%, but that belies some sections of really tough gradients. 4. Sa Calobra - Mallorca Our second climb from the island of Mallorca is another steeped in pro legend. It is a dead end road, so you'll enjoy an amazing descent first. Starting at the beach, the road climbs to over 700 metres, taking just shy of 10km to do so. Near the top, there is also an incredible 360 degree corner. The record time is under 25 minutes, reputedly held by Bradley Wiggins. 3. Mt Teide - Tenerife The summit of this mountain is the highest point in Spain, and it is unmistakably a volcano. While there is a road almost to the top, the best climb, and most unrelenting takes you to the shoulder of the crater. It is 32km long, and climbs 2107metres, averaging 6.2%. It is on these slopes that Team Sky have laid the foundations for their two Tour de France victories. 2. Pico de Veleta - Grenada This is the longest climb in the Sierra Nevada, and super tough. It is an astonishing 41km long, and averaging 6.3%. That sees an ascent of 2700metres, and it tops out at an oxygen starved 3319 metres. As if to make matters worse, the steepest sections of road are saved for the barren moonscape at the top, where it is consistently close to 10% for the final 8km. 1. Angliru - Asturias One of the most brutal climbs in Spain, the statistics don't tell the whole truth. It's 13.2km long and averages 9.4%. However, when you factor in the first 5km are 7.6%, and the 6th km is only 2.1%, you get an idea of what lies ahead. The final 6km averages 13.1%, with pitches as steep as 23.6%! Difficulty on this level comes at a price, and in it's earlier appearances in the Vuelta, David Millar quit the race in protest just 1 metre from the finish line. Since then, the riders haven't complained. This is one of the hardest climbs around, and in our opinion, the most legendary in Spain.