Although the line between one season and the next is becoming increasingly blurred on the cycling calendar — mainly due to the rise of disciplines like gravel or cyclocross, and the growing popularity of cycling regardless of the time of year — the reality has always been that March marks the official start of the cycling race season.
This is the moment when the starting gun is fired on the professional race calendar and teams begin setting their objectives. At the same time, in amateur cycling, events like sportives or cycle touring rides get underway. Many of these events already have a set date on the calendar and have opened registration, while others take advantage of these months to present themselves publicly, announcing their rules, dates, and registration periods.
If you’ve ever had the chance to experience one of these events from the inside, as a participant, you’ll surely remember it fondly and have the moment of crossing the finish line etched in your memory. After so much training, sacrifice, and effort... challenge completed! And to help make that happen, behind every race or event there is an organization working to ensure everything goes perfectly on the day, guaranteeing safety and success.
Below, we’d like to introduce you to some of the many sportives or cycle touring events that take place in Spain. Fortunately, the number of events grows every year, and beyond the new arrivals, it’s worth highlighting how existing events keep improving year after year — enhancing their services, correcting past mistakes, and achieving very high loyalty rates.
But before we start introducing them to you, we think it’s important for you to understand a few key concepts.
Surely at some point you’ve asked yourself this question or heard someone else ask it. It’s a very good question, but one that’s not so easy to answer nowadays. Technically speaking, a sportive is an event with a competitive character, where times are recorded, and participants are allowed to ride at different paces. A cycle touring ride, on the other hand, is not focused on competition but rather on leisure and tourism — as its name suggests — to enjoy the experience of riding in a group through areas with great scenic appeal.
However, these days almost all cycling events, even those presented as cycle touring rides, are timed, which in a way gives them a competitive nature. As a result, some of these events face issues such as: forced stops mid-ride to regroup participants, intermediate cut-off times, groups of cyclists spread out along the route without proper protection, or cyclists assuming roads are fully closed to traffic and behaving accordingly...
This can lead to organizational chaos and the added risk that comes from cyclists having a false sense of security or being overly concerned about their pace and timing. A good way to solve this, as many events already do, is to organize staggered starts by pace groups, allowing each rider to choose their speed while maintaining control over each group. Another solution is to keep the peloton together except for climbs or crucial sections, where timing is allowed, and riders can push themselves as much as they want before regrouping and continuing after a food and hydration stop at the summit.
Many sportives that is, those with a competitive nature and timed sections — are often given the label of Gran Fondo or Medio Fondo. What’s the difference? The length and difficulty of the route. This often varies depending on the area and the event organizer, and what might be called a “Gran Fondo” in one event could have the same level of difficulty as a Medio Fondo in another event that already features a more demanding Gran Fondo route.
However, generally speaking, rides that exceed 120 kilometers and 1,000 meters of elevation gain are usually called “Gran Fondo”. Something increasingly common to attract riders of all levels is to offer multiple route options within the same event, depending on their length and difficulty. These are typically divided into “Gran Fondo” or “Medio Fondo”, allowing each cyclist to register for the ride that suits them best.
After this introduction, it’s time to start presenting some events that you should highlight in red on your cycling calendar. You’ll find their location, key information, and a brief description of each one. Plus, if you click on the links to each event’s website, you’ll be able to discover everything about them — and even register if you’re feeling motivated.
As mentioned before, there are many events — and the list keeps growing — so it would be endless to include them all. That’s why we’ve selected a few, hoping that you’ll share your favorite events or those you’re aiming for in the comments.
Let’s get started!
An event with a lot of tradition. Since its first edition in 1988, its essence hasn’t changed: offering participants the satisfaction of riding in a group through the streets of Bilbao, near the estuary and the Cantabrian Sea, and through the typical green valleys with their traditional farmhouses.
This is pure cycle touring, with no timing or competition, featuring 3 routes of different lengths (85, 115, and 125 km) and varying levels of difficulty so that everyone can enjoy cycling in a region where the sport has always been a way of life — just look at the number of cyclists in the area.
We’re staying in the north and in the Basque Country, as just a week later, on May 10, the 23rd edition of the Donostia-Baiona-Donostia will take place.
A non-competitive cycle touring event with a longer and a shorter route option, both featuring an elevation gain of 2,005 meters and 1,531 meters, respectively. This clearly reflects the typical profile of this region, with very few flat sections and continuous climbing throughout the route.
Check it out!
One of the longest and toughest sportives you’ll find in Spain. No less than 312 kilometers with over 5,000 meters of elevation gain. You might be thinking... are there really that many people willing to take on such a challenge? The answer is yes... so many that this year the event is already “Sold Out” and the only option left is to join the waiting list.
A true cycling festival with a great expo area, taking place on the last weekend of April (April 26), with start and finish in \"Platja de Muro\". Mallorca is undoubtedly cycling territory, with climbs and views you simply can’t miss. Enjoying them in an event like the 312 is priceless — an experience that attracts cyclists from all over the world. The organization offers three alternative routes: 312, 225, and 167 km.
Starting and finishing just a few meters from the sea, in Oropesa del Mar, this event will take riders through the beautiful landscapes of the Castellón inland on April 27. It features a Gran Fondo of 196 km with 3,200 m of elevation gain, along with two shorter route options of 160 and 110 km for those who might need to ease off the effort.
This is an event that has evolved significantly in recent years, changing its route, increasing its difficulty, and greatly expanding its participation. Traditionally a ride that started from the port of Valencia to follow the coastline, in recent editions the route has changed, now heading towards the mountains of the Valencia inland, within the Sierra Calderona area. This has resulted in a tougher challenge with different route options that attract many more participants.
Moreover, the chance to start and finish at the iconic port of a city like Valencia is something truly unique and very special for this event. It features a massive organizational effort that allows riders to feel safe while setting their own pace within the chosen route (177 or 148 km). In short, it’s a true cycling festival for all levels, in a stunning location that will attract riders from all over the world on May 3.
Starting and finishing in the Cantabrian town of Polanco, this event has all the ingredients to become a benchmark among the sportives in northern Spain. It’s the perfect ride to discover the paradise that is Cantabria, with countless places and corners that leave no one indifferent.
The event offers two route options: the first and longest route covers 170 km with 3,364 m of elevation gain, while the shorter option covers 110 km. The chosen date for this ride is May 10.
Riding through the vineyard valleys of the Douro River regions, in northern Portugal, is an experience that leaves no one indifferent. And if you can do it by bike — even better!
The Love Tiles Douro Granfondo is the perfect event for this, and it is currently one of the most renowned cycle touring events in Portugal.
The Gran Fondo covers a total of 141 km with 2,527 meters of elevation gain. Although it starts and finishes in Peso da Régua, the route links beautiful towns and landscapes, climbs, and meanders along the river.
We head to the north of the Valencia region, to Castellón, where on May 17 many cyclists will take the start line of the 10 Picos sportive.
Starting and finishing in the town of Onda, the route climbs 10 peaks within the Sierra de Espadán, as its name suggests. It’s a competitive and timed event with a demanding course. The long route covers 134.7 km with 3,125 m of elevation gain, while the short option is 65.3 km. Quite a challenge, right?
We head to the Canary Islands, where a truly epic event takes place, featuring a climb to the summit of Mount Teide. Over 4,000 meters of elevation gain spread across an exciting 175 km route through the stunning Canary landscape. There is also a less demanding option, a Medio Fondo of 95 km with half the elevation gain.
This is a highly recommended event to discover a unique setting in Spain and islands that you’ll undoubtedly fall in love with. Sport and tourism come together to offer you a truly unforgettable experience.
On May 18, the roads of Tarragona will turn pink — the distinctive color of the event and its jersey. Since its creation in 2014, it has become the event with the highest number of women participants in all of Europe, offering a sporting experience focused on providing the best possible service to every rider.
It offers the possibility of choosing between two routes of different lengths and difficulty levels, with the Gran Fondo covering 205 km and 3,238 m of elevation gain. This year, with start and finish in Salou, the route passes through beautiful natural landscapes and historic villages in the Baix Camp and El Priorat regions.
Riding through 3 countries in a single cycle touring event? This is only possible in the “3 Nacions” sportive. Starting and finishing in the Catalan town of Puigcerdà, the 140 km route takes riders over legendary Pyrenean climbs such as Envalira, in Andorra, and the Col de Puymorens, in France.
On June 7, it will celebrate its 45th edition — an event that has evolved, adapted, and grown to meet the demands of its participants.
The oldest and most iconic event on the Spanish cycle touring calendar. Without a doubt, it’s the most important and most talked-about sportive in the cycling world. If you want to register, it’s not enough just to pay — you must first enter a lottery to see if you’re allocated a bib number.
Huge demand, and not by chance. In Huesca, specifically in the town of Sabiñánigo, thousands of cycling enthusiasts gather on the weekend of June 21 for a true cycling festival around the event, with an impressive expo and a unique atmosphere. Over 10,000 participants take on this Pyrenean challenge, climbing legendary passes such as Somport, Marie Blanche, and Portalet, in a route of 200 km with 3,500 m of total elevation gain, comparable to a high-mountain stage of a Grand Tour like the Tour de France.
To ensure riders of all levels can enjoy the event, the organization also created the Treparriscos, a Medio Fondo of 85 km, held on the same day.
The Serra da Estrela Natural Park is the largest protected area in Portugal and is home to the highest points in mainland Portugal.
Without a doubt, riding through these stunning landscapes is one of the main attractions of the Granfondo Serra da Estrela, which starts and finishes in Seia. The route covers a total of 154 km (Gran Fondo) or 102 km (Medio Fondo), including the iconic 19 km climb up to the 1993-meter-high Alto da Torre, the highest point in mainland Portugal.
On July 26, a sportive will depart from Villava (Navarra), the hometown of the most successful Spanish cyclist in history, and the event proudly bears his name: none other than Miguel Indurain.
This is a ride designed for everyone who wants to enjoy cycling alongside the 5-time Tour de France and 2-time Giro d’Italia champion, and to get to know both him and his roots up close. It’s a unique opportunity to ride through the forests and roads where Miguel trained to achieve his greatest feats. The event offers three routes with significant differences in difficulty and distance: 180, 100, and 65 km.
A ride that always becomes a true reflection of what Indurain conveyed through his achievements: love and passion for cycling.
Without a doubt, one of the toughest sportives out there in terms of elevation gain versus distance. Climbing 4,800 m of elevation gain in just 115 km is no easy feat.
An event created and led by former Spanish professional cyclist Purito Rodríguez, taking place entirely in Andorra, and tackling every single climb in this true cycling paradise.
On August 3, participants will face legendary climbs such as La Rabassa, Coll de La Gallina, Alt de la Comella, Collada de Beixalís, Coll d'Ordino, and Cortals d'Encamp. Surely some of these sound familiar. Are you ready to take on the challenge?
Do you want to ride the roads and climbs where all the professional teams prepare their seasons? A great way to do it is by taking part in the Gran Fondo Alberto Contador, featuring a route of 147 km with 2,534 m of climbing.
The roads and climbs of the Alicante coast, known as the Costa Blanca, have become the training base for professional cyclists in recent years as they prepare for their seasons. The stunning landscapes, ideal climate, and countless route options have made this possible.
On September 20, from the Oliva Nova resort, the starting gun will signal the beginning of this sportive promoted by Alberto Contador, who will be present at the event. With an impressive level of organization, the roads are closed to traffic, allowing participants to feel like professional riders for a day. An event that attracts people from all over Spain and different parts of the world thanks to its great tourist appeal.
As part of the major cycling fair held in Girona on the weekend of September 20-21, several events take place in parallel. One of them is the Ciclobrava, a non-competitive ride designed so that all cyclists can enjoy the paradise of the Costa Brava, an area between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean coast. A tailor-made route with 3 options: 70, 100, and 140 km, allowing each participant to choose the distance that best suits their level.
For one weekend, Girona becomes the world capital of cycling, bringing together all the brands, companies, and people connected to the cycling world. An unparalleled event that every cycling enthusiast should experience at least once in their life — and if you combine it with the chance to explore the area on two wheels, it doesn’t get any better than that.
Now that you’ve discovered them... are you tempted to take part in any of these events? All of them, maybe? Have you already participated in any? Do you have another one in mind? We’d love for you to tell us and help us expand the list with your favorite events. To do so, leave a comment sharing your plans, experiences, and recommendations... We’ll be delighted to read them!
Enjoying the experience of riding in a sportive alongside other cyclists and overcoming the challenge is something we highly recommend — and once you try it, you’ll never get tired of doing it again.
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