Get ready to watch the sweat, over 600 cyclists battle it out in Estepona

This Saturday, October 3, more than 600 people will clip in their cleats and ride around 127km through Sierra Bermejado, as the Costa del Sol Gran Fondo returns for its second year.

What is a Gran Fondo and where does it go?

Gran Fondo simply means a long-distance ride. This one is a mass-participation event where riders go at their own speed rather than racing for a podium. Cyclists from Spain and overseas are signed up, and the council says the first edition was a resounding success.

Departure and arrival are both at the Estepona’s fairground and leisure complex. Riders then pedal inland through Casares, Gaucin, Cortes de la Frontera, Jimera de Libar, Benadalid, Algatocin and Genalguacil, crossing Sierra Bermeja, the mountain range behind the coast. Distance is around 127km, and the organisers quote roughly 3,300 metres of total climbing.

The mountain the pros have only just tackled

Here comes the tough part. Around the 115km mark, riders reach Peñas Blancas, which climbs from near sea level to 1,268 metres. Professionals raced up it on September 11 to finish stage 19 of La Vuelta a España, where Eddie Dunbar took the win. One cycling magazine even dubbed it the “Angliru of the South”, after a famously brutal climb in northern Spain. Amateurs will then enjoy a well-earned descent back to the coast.

Good news for the whole community

Local businesses stand to gain too, as visitors fill cafes, bars and hotels. Anyone who fancies a change from the beach scene and wants to watch some cycling can head to the fairground on the day to cheer riders home. Motorists heading inland should allow extra time and give cyclists plenty of space. Full details are at www.costadelsolgranfondo.com. It is advised also to keep your eye on Town Hall updates for potential road closures, as yet none have been officially announced.