On arrival into Barcelona you’ll be greeted by your pie team who will arrange your transfer to our hotel, the Parador de Cardona. We will set up our bikes, have lunch and set off on a choice of warm up loops in the hills around Cardona to work the travel out of your legs and acclimatise you for the trip ahead.
The “Challenging” route offers wide open vistas with the drop down into the valleys giving you a view across of the stunning next day’s climbs. The Epic and Tough groups will head further west to join the road north towards the Col de Jou, a Vuelta climb.
The “Tough” group have the option of sticking to the Vuelta roads, or taking on the big climb of the day taking you to the foot of a ski slope! For the hardy “Epic” group the Col de Jou is a must, as is the tough road to get you there. As we arrive on the outskirts of Berga you can look down on its prime position nestled in the foothills of the “pre” Pyrenees.
Accommodation is in the Berga Park Hotel with dinner at a local restaurant.
This morning we will all go out on the amazing high roads to the roads used by the Vuelta a España. There are stunning views as we skirt around small hilltop villages crammed on to promontories and looking down over forests and crags. The “Epic” group will hit the hard high road and the “Tough” and “Challenging” groups can take a lower and less demanding road. The “Tough” group will turn up into the hills to join the “Epic” group in the final stretch of the day, and the “Challenging” group will enjoy the lower route through Vic to catch a quick cerveza before the ascent up to the Parador.
Dinner and accommodation will be in the outstanding Vic Parador, with views down over the Panta de Sau reservoir.
Our final day in the saddle, and today the “Challenging” group head out of Vic, across the largely flatter, agricultural area peppered with tiny hamlets, in a more or less direct trajectory. The Tough and Epic routes wind their way taking in the best of the area as they go including the lovely hills just outside Gerona of Les Gavarres. The final element of the day is a beautiful ride to the coast where we can enjoy a dip in the sea before our finish at the impressive 4-star Costa Resort Hotel.
A morning of relaxation before transferring back to Barcelona for return flights to the UK.