Come on the Bikestyle Tours cycling trip to the Vuelta a España in 2008 and SEE IT LIVE!
TRIP DETAILS:
Trip Duration: 11 days, 10 nights
Dates: 11th to 22nd September, 2008
Start-Finish: Madrid Bajaras Airport
Accommodation: 4 Star Paradores and 4 Star Hotels
Group Size: Maximum 30 people (4-5 Staff)
Cost: USD* $4641
Deposit: USD* $938 - Reserve a trip now.
Note:All trip costs are per person, not including airfare and based on two persons per room.
The Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain) is our flagship trip and our 2008 Vuelta trip will again be no exception with luxurious hotels, beautiful scenery and exciting racing.
The 2008 Vuelta will start in Granada on August 30th and finish in Madrid on Sunday, 21 September. Now that it is included in the Pro Tour it has lifted a notch and provides great race watching but without the stress of the larger races.
Spain is still relatively unknown and a surprise to most people.
We stay in fantastic hotels and Spanish Paradores which are castles, palaces, fortresses, convents or monasteries converted to luxury hotels and located in stunning natural settings and beautiful historic sites.
Eat some great Spanish food and enjoy yourself in a relaxed environment with great riding, terrific sightseeing and personal service.
Ride parts of the course, challenge yourself on some amazing climbs and through the beautiful mountains near Madrid.
Be a VIP
On given days we will be allocated VIP passes that will enable us to visit the race enclosure and also the VIP boxes on the finishing straight with access to Television and hospitality from the organisation. This is thanks to our close relationship with Neil Stephens (Stevo). We will also be catching up with Stevo along the way to get his insight into the racing.
Our trip will be fully escorted (including rides each day) by ex Gerolsteiner Pro, Fred Morini and our fantastic Spanish guide Carlos Canizares.
Fred Morini, from the Umbrian town of Città di Castello already has a life which is full of experience, a life which touched on glory and also overcame a serious accident. Federico is his real Christian name and he has dedicated two thirds of his life to sport because he started cycling at seven years old. Read more about Fred here.
Carlos is from Oviedo although he now lives in Madrid. He knows the roads of Asturias like the back of his hand so he will be sure to show us the best of this beautiful area while we are there.
Bikestyletours.com have been organising cycling trips to Europe since 1996 and this is our eighth trip to the Vuelta a España. Over those years we have learnt a lot and our knowledge is supported by the race experience of Fred and Carlos.
Whilst our trip is primarily based on the Vuelta a España it will cater for non-cycling partners too, with bus trips to strategic locations along the course and visits to tourist spots while the cyclists do what cyclists do!
Our trips are designed to give excellent quality, value for money cycling holidays with the emphasis on cycling while not forgetting to enjoy what our destinations have to offer.
We like to ensure our travellers get a complete experience of the areas they visit from cycling to tourism and culture… not to forget the shopping and eating!
We have found that our trips attract cyclists of differing ability as well as people who do not ride and but just want to catch up with the Vuelta. To cater for this quite diverse group of people we offer options on most days.
See Photos from our previous Trips
Our Rides
Experience tells us that people who come on our trips have quite different goals and the range of capabilities on the bike vary from those who are race fit and want to see what it is like on a hard day at the Vuelta to people who ride infrequently and just want to “stretch” their legs. So each day we offer rides to suit most people with 2 or 3 options varying from 40km to 120km depending on terrain. Our rides are planned around the Vuelta and often involve rides along the course ahead of the race or through a scenic part of the area we visit.
We also like to ensure our travellers get a complete experience of Spain from cycling to tourism and culture… not forgetting the wining and dining!
Trip Highlights:
- Great Cycling!
- Exclusive Paradores and 4 Star Hotels
- Relaxed Environment
- Beautiful Spain
- Personal Attention
Who Is This Trip For?
Anyone with an interest in Cycling and would like to do it with comfort and style. The daily rides are designed to suit cyclists of all abilities and vary between “serious” to “relaxed” and will often be on the race course ahead of the race and along scenic roads.
We also cater for Non Cyclists with visits to the race and staying in beautiful towns and villages.
Enquire about the Vuelta here.
Detailed Itinerary
Thursday, 11 September, Burgos – Suances: 180km
Our Own Vuelta will start by collecting you from the airport in Madrid today and taking you to our 4 star hotel in the centre of Madrid for the night before we depart for Oviedo tomorrow.
There will be someone to meet you at the Airport and assist you to our transport which will transfer you to our 4 star hotel in Madrid.
The first job will be to assemble your bike and Bikestyle staff will be available to assist if you have any problems.
Most likely you will arrive in the morning and will also have some time for a rest and a walk around Madrid before returning to watch the race on Television later in the afternoon.
Tonight we will dine together and get to know each other over a cerveza or a glass of Rioja. Restaurants in Madrid don’t usually open until 8.30pm so you may need a snack to tide you over to dinner. After dinner it will be off to bed as we will need an early start in the morning.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Madrid
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Friday, 12 September, Rest Day
This morning we will be on the road to where we will catch up with the race tomorrow on the toughest climb in Europe, the infamous Alto de l’Angliru.
Our drive to Oviedo will take around 5 hours however the scenery is quite special and we will show some movies to pass the time, not to mention taking the opportunity to catch up on some sleep.
On our way we will stop for some tourist breaks and schedule a ride in the afternoon from our hotel. We will offer a ride this afternoon to loosen the legs up for tomorrow’s stage.
This evening we will have dinner and a rest in anticipation for our first day of viewing at the Vuelta a España.
Non Cyclists: You have the afternoon to look around Oviedo.
Introduction to Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital of Asturias. Despite its high concentration of industry and mining, the area has unspoiled scenery. Only 26km (16 miles) from the coast, Oviedo is very pleasant in summer, when much of Spain is unbearably hot. It makes an ideal base for excursions along the Costa Verde.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Oviedo
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Saturday, 13 September, San Vicente de la B. - Alto de L’Angliru: 199km
Today you can ride one of the most difficult climbs you will ever do! The ascent of the mega-mountain: Alto El Angliru. The Angliru has only been used 3 times in the vuelta - 1999, 2000 and 2002 - and the winners have always been outstanding climbers able to conquer ramps that reach up to 23%.
Although it has a short history it is already a legend. A history that lists many racers like those that had to give up, such as the race favourite one year, Escartín and who can forget the day that David Millar after reaching the top did not want to go across the line, throwing his bike away and abusing the organisers. If nothing it is always controversial!
Alto El Angliru, a steep 1570 metre climb that ends with gradients of over 20%. The climb has a fearsome reputation and you can add it to your resume if you wish. “The climb is extremely tough, almost inhuman” Oscar Sevilla said once.
We will go out to La Vega-Riosa at the base of the climb by bike as it’s only 20 kilometres, a good warm up distance. This climb is the hardest in Europe and strikes fear into all professional cyclists except the absolute best climbers. Recommended gearing for this climb is 39 x 29 and this is what the pros will be using!
We will need to leave early as they close the road when the crowds get too big. Depending on the weather it may be a good idea to go as far as you can (yes it’s that steep) and then return to a point a little lower down the climb. We will set up a base at the bottom of the climb for us to regroup and ride back to the hotel in Oviedo.
Non Cyclists: You have the day to look around Oviedo or travel with the bus to see the race.
The evening is free to sample the delights of the local restaurants. Oviedo is famous for its Ciderias or Cider Houses where you can eat a meal and drink the alcoholic apple cider that is legend here. There are also many tapas bars and restaurants within easy reach of the hotel.
You may wonder why we don’t provide all the evening meals. We find that people prefer to be adventurous and try the local product! While hotel food is quite good it can become a bit much every night. It is great to take a walk and find a restaurant to your liking and sample some of the local food that the area is renowned for.
Overnight in Oviedo
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Sunday, 14 September, Oviedo - E. E. Fuentes de Invierno: 158km
If the riders weren’t tired after yesterday then after today they surely will be! The race will leave the Oviedo and head to the final climb at the ski station of Fuentes de Invierno.
This will be a tough stage with the first climb coming just nine kilometres into the stage and they will keep coming till the end!
In spite of the six mountain passes along the route, the stage is only 158 km long. This favours a breakaway attempt from the first kilometre and makes this stage one of the more breathtaking ones of this edition.
This will no doubt be one of the great days in the race and cannot be missed.
Today we are in the start town so we have many options to choose from including riding the course to Mieres approximately 25km away, where we can see the race pass twice before heading back to Oviedo by bus or bike.
Other options include riding part of the course including the Category 1 La Colladona 850 to see the race and then return to the hotel after the race making it approx a 120km ride.
If for some reason (probably the weather) we were unable to ride the Angliru yesterday, we will offer a ride to do it this morning and then go across to Mieres to see the race pass there.
Non Cyclists: Non cyclists will have the option to spend the day in Oviedo or spend the morning in Oviedo and then go to Figaredo to see the race around midday.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Oviedo
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Monday, 15 September, Cudillero – Ponferrada: 198km
This morning we will be leaving Oviedo and heading for Leon and our accommodation, the magnificent 5 star Parador Hotel San Marcos that occupies a restored 16th-century monastery built by King Ferdinand to shelter pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago; the bridge beside it has helped pilgrims cross the Río Bernesga for centuries. The huge, ornamental, plateresque facade also fronts a church and museum of archaeology (which is in the Antiguo Monasterio de San Marcos). Hallways and guest rooms have antiques, high-quality reproductions, and some nice contemporary art.
Introduction to Leon
The city of Leon has been very cosmopolitan, even since Roman times when it was known as Legio Septima due to the fact that the seventh legion was stationed here. The Moors moved in briefly but were driven out by the kings of Asturias who chose it as their new capital in AD913. One of Leon’s glories is without doubt, the Cathedral, one of the finest in Europe and having been constructed from the 13th century for a period of 200 years to completion.
The race will head inland today with two climbs to be overcome and one of them is again a Category 1.
Our riding choices today will be as usual a longer more difficult ride and a shorter less difficult one.
Our longer ride will leave Oviedo and follow the Trubia river towards Pola de Somiedo where we will meet the course and ride the 1st Category Puerto de Somiedo where we will watch the race pass and then head down to meet the bus at the base of the climb. This will be 85km.
Our shorter options will be to take the bus to a point 35km from the base of the Puerto de Somiedo and ride to the base with the option of riding up the climb from the opposite direction to see the race at the top. These two options will be 35km or 55km.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Leon
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Tuesday, 16 September, Ponferrada – Zamora: 185km
This morning we will leave our hotel and ride to the feed zone where we will see the riders pass and hopefully a few bidons and musettes will come our way! Although we don’t have the exact location of the feed zone until one month before the race we expect it will be about a 60km ride from Leon. The terrain here is pretty flat except for a few rolling hills so it will be nice after the past few days.
After the race we will return to Leon by bus or bike thus giving us the option of a 120km ride or a 60km ride. If you choose to return by bike we will take a slightly different route.
You may also choose to have a look around Leon this morning and then travel to see the race and return by bike or spend the entire day in this historic location.
It will also be possible to have a look around Leon this evening however if you wanted to have a good look it may be better to spend the day here today instead of going to the race.
The evening is free to sample the delights of the local restaurants.
Overnight in Leon
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Wednesday, 17 September, Zamora – Valladolid: 160km
Today the race is again on the flat and so should our ride be!
Again we don’t know exactly where the race will go however we will ride to the finish at Valladolid along part of the course.
We will again offer options of different lengths to suit the different abilities of the group.
After we see the race finish we will go to our hotel in Valladolid where we will spend the night.
Introduction to Valladolid
From the 13th century until its eventual decay in the early 17th century, Valladolid was a royal city and an intellectual centre attracting saints and philosophers. Isabella and Ferdinand were married here, Philip II was born here, and Columbus died here on May 19, 1506, broken in spirit and body after Isabella had died and Ferdinand refused to reinstate him as a governor of the Indies.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Valladolid
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Thursday, 18 September, Valladolid - Las Rozas: 179km
We will take the opportunity to go to the start today. Thanks to Neil Stephens we will most probably have passes to the village where you can mingle with the riders. Starts are a great to get up close with the riders. The riders are quite relaxed at the Vuelta and are far more approachable than at other races such as the Tour de France. Many of our clients got photos with their favourite riders as well as autographs.
After the start we will travel to the famous city of Segovia. It will take approximately 2 hours to get to Segovia. Along the way we expect to be able to catch up with the race again and then ride to our hotel for the next three nights, the Parador Segovia.
The Parador itself is modern and welcoming. The very spacious lobby displays modern paintings and decorations. The bedrooms are spacious and comfortable with splendid views of the city.
It is situated on the El Terminillo estate, a sight which was chosen for the panoramic view of the city. The skyline is impressive with the city being dominated by the cathedral and the alcazar (castle).
The Hotel has both the outside pool with views over the city for summer use and also a heated indoor pool. Other facilities include tennis court, gymnasium and gift shop.
Introduction to Segovia
One of the features of the town is roman aqueduct which brought water to the inhabitants from 15 km away. The Roman aqueduct of Segovia, probably built c. A.D. 50, is remarkably well preserved. This impressive construction, with its two tiers of arches, forms part of the setting of the magnificent historic city of Segovia. Other important monuments include the Alcázar, begun around the 11th century, and the 16th-century Gothic cathedral.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Segovia
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Friday, 19 September, Las Rozas – Segovia: 161km
Today the race will come to Segovia so again we have many choices of places to see the race and rides to do. The riders will tackle two major climbs before arriving in Segovia where it will finish with two circuits of the town.
It’s a great opportunity for us to ride in the beautiful Guadarrama Mountains along the course following it back to Segovia. Our rides will follow the time trial course for tomorrow from La Granja de San Ildefonso up the Puerto de Navacerrada where we will meet the course for today’s stage.
We will then follow the race route along beautiful roads before turning left to go up the Puerto de Navafria. Once over the climb it will be mostly downhill back to Segovia making a ride of approx 115km.
As an “easier” option you may choose to ride to the top of the Puerto de Navacerrada and return by the same road to Segovia making a ride of approx 60km. I would suggest that we return to Segovia to see the race there as it will be an interesting finish on a circuit in Segovia.
The race will finish with two circuits of Segovia. It will be spectacular for fans that want to see firsthand Spain’s Vuelta. The final circuit through the streets of Segovia is the same that was run for Spain’s Cycling Championship of 1995, won by Jesus Montoya. It is a rather demanding and winding test and goes twice through the finish line (the third time is the finish).
Non Cyclists: For non cyclists today we will spend the day in beautiful Segovia.
Dinner will be provided tonight. In fact it will be our final dinner together so we can let our hair down in the Parador with Segovia as our backdrop. This will leave you free to enjoy the bars and sights of Madrid tomorrow night.
Overnight in Segovia
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Saturday, 20 September, La Granja de S. I. - Alto de Navacerrada (C.R.I.): 16km
Today the race will be finalised one way or the other, there will be no second chances so you can expect an action packed race today with all contenders going flat out to win the stage and the overall victory.
Today will also be our last day on the bike so you may want to make the best of it or wind down with a shorter ride. Either way we can help!
For our hard men there will be one last ride in the mountains. We will leave Segovia and head towards El Escorial taking in a few small climbs before reaching the first big obstacle of the day in the shape of the Puerto de Guadarrama at 1511m. This was climbed by the race two days earlier as they were on their way to Las Rozas. This will be followed by the Puerto de Navacerrada but from the side that they climbed yesterday which is not quite as difficult as the other direction.
When we reach the top we will be at the finish line of the today’s time trial. We will stay here until the last rider crosses the line and return to the hotel by bike.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Segovia
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Sunday, 21 September, S. Sebastián de los Reyes – Madrid: 110km
La Vuelta ends again in the capital of Spain in the Paseo de la Castellana which can be compared to the Champs Elysées in Paris.
We know from experience that most people like one last ride this morning before we head into Madrid where it’s not possible to ride as the roads are very busy. So we will schedule a 40-50km ride this morning in the area around Segovia. After we will shower and pack and take the short drive into Madrid to our hotel.
On arrival we will pack our bicycles and then head over to the Paseo de la Castellana. The race will finish in its traditional place near the Plaza de Cibeles and it will be your choice as to how you spend your day. The riders traditionally enter the Paseo de la Castellana around 4pm and the race finishes around 5.15pm.
After the race there will be plenty of time to see the Jerseys presented to the winners and browse amongst the team vehicles and riders before returning to the hotel or continuing onto the Plaza Major.
You will be able to make the most of the night to have a good look around Madrid. For this reason we will have our final dinner the previous evening in Segovia. However it would be good to have a few drinks with our friends and no doubt share a few stories from the trip.
A suggested area to visit would be the Plaza Major and the many streets and alley ways around there.
Overnight in Madrid
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Monday, 22 September, Adios
Unfortunately all good things come to an end!
This morning we head our separate ways but we hope to see you again soon.
We will have a bus available to shuttle people to the airport during the day.
