BISCAY CHALLENGE TOUR

Program

• Breakfast at Hotel Miró.
• Equipment set up before starting the route.
• Departure by bike: Orduña climb.
• A support van will always be available to provide technical assistance and snacks, as well as transportation through any section of the route if you do not wish to continue cycling.
• Lunch en route, including fresh produce, drinks, healthy snacks.
• Private guided tour of the Guggenheim Museum.
• Dinner at a renowned restaurant in Bilbao, including a careful selection of wines, beers and other beverages.

Stage 1 – Orduña Climb

Starting in the center of Bilbao, today we will head towards the interior of Bizkaia and the stately Ayala Valley, with its overflowing nature and towns with centuries of history.

Along the Encartaciones road, the westernmost region of Bizkaia, we will reach Sodupe and then take the road to Okondo. This peaceful municipality has splendid natural viewpoints, offers numerous itineraries to enjoy its green landscapes and hides a rich cultural heritage.

From there, we will head towards Amurrio until we reach the emblematic town of Orduña. The only town with the title of city in the province of Bizkaia, something that makes clear its historical importance, has narrow cobbled streets where we will discover buildings of great interest.

After regaining strength, we will ascend its mythical mountain pass, enjoying spectacular views along the 7 km of its tough ramps.

We’ll ride towards Peña Angulo and take a detour through a spectacular valley to reach Artziniega. A quiet and cozy medieval village located in the Ayala Valley, which has some of the most striking urban centers of Euskadi, with impressive tower houses, emblazoned palaces and cobbled streets.

Program

• Breakfast at Hotel Miró.
• Equipment set up before starting the route.
• Departure by bike: Sollube climb.
• A support van will always be available to provide technical assistance and snacks, as well as transportation through any section of the route if you do not wish to continue cycling.
• Lunch en route, including fresh produce, drinks, healthy snacks.
• Massage by a professional physiotherapist.
• Dinner at a renowned restaurant in Bilbao, including a careful selection of wines, beers and other beverages.

Stage 2 – Sollube climb

Leaving Bilbao through its iconic estuary we will head to Asua. After a first gentle climb to warm up, we will descend to Mungia, a small town surrounded by mountains and a multitude of farmhouses, some of them built between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

From here we will face the ascent of Sollube, a 7.5 km climb with slopes of up to 12%. The descent will be made by a little-traveled backroad that will take us to Busturia. Municipality that gives its name to this coastal region, is located in an impressive natural enclave, surrounded by the marshes of Urdaibai, an area declared a Biosphere Reserve.

From there we will pedal towards Paresi, a short but hard climb with a gradient that can reach 17% and that will take us to the village of Arrieta, located in a wonderful landscape of large green meadows and many mountain areas.

A series of backroads will lead us back to Bilbao until we reach the Artxanda mountain, one of the most emblematic places of the city from where we will enjoy the best views. We will descend gradually ending a day full of challenges and breathtaking views.

Program

• Breakfast at Hotel Miró.
• Equipment set up before starting the route.
• Departure by bike: Urkiola climb.
• A support van will always be available to provide technical assistance and snacks, as well as transportation through any section of the route if you do not wish to continue cycling.
• Lunch en route, including fresh produce, drinks, healthy snacks.
• Transfer by private van to Bilbao’s airport.

Stage 3 – Urkiola climb

Today we have a memorable stage ahead of us. Starting from Bilbao and through the estuary we will head to Asua. From there we will take the Txorierri until we reach Larrabetzu. We will ascend another slope of Morga, then down Gerekiz towards Gernika.

We will climb Mendata, an exceptional natural area surrounded by green mountains, until we reach the Balcony of Bizkaia. On the slopes of Mount Oiz, south of the Biosphere Reserve of Urdaibai, this viewpoint gives us one of the best panoramic views of the Urdaibai basin. Legend has it that witches used to gather here at nightfall, and for this reason, the locals avoided spending the night here.

After a few kilometers of flat terrain, we will connect with the descent of Monte Calvo until we reach Durango, a historic town located in the geographical center of the Basque Country, at the foot of the impressive Urkiola Natural Park.

From there we will face the ascent to Urkiola, mythical ascent of the Basque cycling races. It is the hardest pass of the trip due to the harshness of its ramps, but also the most spectacular and the one with the longest history in Basque cycling.

It is 6 km without rest, with an average gradient of 9.13% and a maximum gradient of 14%. From its summit we will flatten a few kilometers to face the descent of Dima, one of the longest and most fun of the region with 11 km of uninterrupted beautiful scenery.

Not included

• Bike rental.
• Flight tickets to and from Bilbao.
• Other activities not included in the package and not organized by Bizi Cycle Tours.
• Accommodation before and after the end of the tour.
• Personal shopping during the tour.

Group

Minimum 6 people – maximum 12.

For smaller groups, please ask for rates.