Major cycling professionals have settled in the city of Girona over the last few years due to the large number and variety of cycling routes located in the area around the city. In this post we discover the most emblematic mountain passes in the province of Girona.
And if you haven't yet read our article on Girona as a cycle touring destination, we recommend you take a look at it!
With a positive difference in altitude of 800 metres over 14 kilometres, Rocacorba has become a classic in the counties of Girona as it has been the training ground for great cycling professionals such as Lance Armstrong and David Millar.
The first few kilometres of ascent are relatively gentle, with hardly any gradient. Things get serious after the seventh kilometre, at the Collet de Pujarnol, when the gradient starts to get steeper. During the last few kilometres you can enjoy views of the Pyrenees from a distance.
The road is narrow and with some rough spots, but it has the advantage of having practically no vehicle traffic. The altitude, average gradient and the remaining kilometres to the summit are signposted at each kilometre.
Vallter is considered the cycling roof of Catalonia, a long and hard high mountain pass, with 12 kilometres and 1,100 metres of positive vertical drop and an average gradient of 12% (6.3% in the kilometre with the lowest average gradient).
It is probably the most iconic pass in the Girona Pyrenees. In many editions of La Volta a Catalunya it has featured a high finish, characterised by the horseshoe bends in the final kilometres.
The route starts from Setcases and ends at Vallter ski resort, at an altitude of over 2,000 metres. The road, although narrow, is in good condition. For those of you who are thinking of doing this ascent in winter, remember to be well equipped for the arrival at the summit.
Sant Grau pass, also known as the Cadiretes pass, is one of the most emblematic in Girona. The climb is not particularly tough, 7 kilometres with a positive difference in altitude of 398 metres and an average gradient of 5.7%.
What makes the climb particularly enjoyable are the spectacular views of the Costa Brava. On the descent, be especially careful with the 180-degree bends and the areas where gravel accumulates.
If this distance is too short for you, you can complement it with the road between Tossa de Mar and Sant Feliu de Guíxols, included in the top 10 cycling roads in the world by the British newspaper The Telegraph.
Between the regions of La Garrotxa and Alt Empordà lies the Mare de Déu del Mont pass, a demanding ascent along a narrow and lonely road to the sanctuary of the same name.
It is a pass with very technical sections, not suitable for everyone. A total of 18 kilometres in which a positive difference in altitude of 1,111 metres is accumulated with an average gradient of 5%, which in some sections can exceed 9%.
During the first nine kilometres, the gradient does not exceed 3.5%. Between the eighth and fourteenth kilometre, one of the toughest uphill sections has to be tackled, with an average gradient of around 8%. The route culminates, in the last two kilometres, with gradients of between 8.9% and 9.6%.
The ascent to Sant Pere de Rodes, in the municipality of Port de la Selva, is 8.8 kilometres with a positive difference in altitude of 517 metres and an average gradient of 5.5%.
At the top is one of the most emblematic Benedictine and Romanesque monasteries in Alt Empordà, the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, with spectacular views of the Costa Brava and Cap de Creus Natural Park.
Although the gradient reflects an easy ascent, the first few kilometres can reach a gradient of 7%. During the last few kilometres you can enjoy the climb in a much more relaxed way.
The climb to Mare de Déu dels Àngels pass has a gentle profile, very popular with amateur and professional cyclists. Professional cyclists such as Simon Yates, Kristen Faulkner and Robert Gesink, among others, have trained here.
At the top is the sanctuary of Mare de Déu dels Àngels, where the artist Salvador Dalí and his wife and muse Gala were married.
The mountain pass has two different slopes: the western slope, through the town of Girona, is 11 kilometres long, with a gradient of 481 metres and an average gradient of 3.5%, and the eastern slope, through the town of Madremanya, is 6 kilometres long and has an average gradient of 5.6%.
Now that you know the main mountain passes in the province of Girona, stay in a sports hotel and start enjoying your holiday on wheels. Rosamar Hotels has two perfect accommodations for cycling holidays in Lloret de Mar, in the south of the Costa Brava.
Hotel Rosamar & Spa and Hotel Rosamar Es Blau Adults Only +21 have specialised services such as bicycle parking (equipped with water compressor, washing area and repair kit), bicycle rental service and special menus for sportsmen and women.
Both hotels have their own wellness centre, with sauna, hammam and a relaxation area with thermal loungers and sensation showers, and a gym with weight training and toning machines, treadmills, elliptical trainers and an abdominal bench.
Book now with Rosamar Hotels and make the most of your cycling holiday!
The city of Lloret de Mar and its surroundings have spectacular landscapes to explore in mountain bike as well as road bike. If you are a bike lover, you cannot miss these routes that start in Lloret de Mar. Put on your jersey, helmet and pedal!
The Costa Brava and the Girona Pyrenees have become one of the most desired cycling destinations in southern Europe. They have a wide network of secondary roads, tracks and trails that offer many kilometres of routes to ride in complete safety, while the city of Girona offers all kinds of specialized services for cyclists. If you are a fan of bikes, you cannot miss this post!
If you are a bike lover, you cannot miss one of the most outstanding road cycling events in the province of Girona. On Sunday, April 27, the Gran Fondo Lloret Costa Brava is held in the town of Lloret de Mar, a test with two distances (160km and 90km). Come and live a unique sports experience on the Costa Brava!