Spain 's biggest and best sportive proved once again to be a smash hit with all of our guests. The 205 km ride through the Pyrenees on a beautiful summer's day left an amazing impression on all of the riders with many already wanting to repeat it again next year.
This year's event was sold out in under 48 hours, the 8000 places being snapped up in record time. Ciclo Costa Blanca offered two packages for our guests – A two-centre holiday split between Denia and Jaca or just Jaca. The two-centre package allowed riders to spend four days riding in the Marina Alta mountains on the Costa Blanca which they all raved about. It gave them the chance to get used to riding in the hot, sunny weather and also to relax on the beach for a few days. We then spent the Wednesday driving up to the Pyrenees and our hotel in Jaca. On the Wednesday evening we picked up our second group of guests from Zaragoza airport.
With all of the party together now, we took a leisurely ride up Somport on Thursday morning to allow everyone to experience the first climb of the event and to enjoy the beautiful scenery. With QBH only a couple of days away, everyone was sensible and kept the pace nice and steady, spinning the legs and getting a feel for the heat.
On Friday we woke up to another lovely morning and some of the riders opted to chill out in the town and give their legs a rest ahead of the big event. As expected, however, a good-sized group decided to ride a 50km loop around a couple of local towns that gave us a few steep ramps to manage before a coffee stop and a great downhill descent back to Jaca.
On Friday afternoon we all headed to Sabiñanigo to collect our numbers, electronic chips and free maillots and bidons. The atmosphere was carnival-like as 1000s of riders milled around the bike fair and swapped stories and discussed their plans for the next day.
Back at the hotel in Jaca, the restaurant ensured we all had the chance to eat plenty of pasta and protein and then it was an early bed for most to try and get some sleep before the early start next day.
On Saturday the hotel once again excelled itself by serving breakfast from 5.00 am and allowing everyone the chance to eat well before beginning the sportive. We headed off nice and early to Sabinañigo to secure a good parking place for our four vans and we had everyone on the start line with around 45 minutes to spare.
QBH has a mass start but it only takes a few minutes to get the 8000 riders up and away, it is a remarkable sight. A blaze of colour, the clicking into place of the cleats and the whirring of the pedals signals the event is well and truly underway. The helicopter overhead filming adds to the occasion and as the peloton enters the main street of Sabinañigo the scale of this ride really hits you hard. The streets are jam-packed with well-wishers – thousands of them. Many of us admitted to feeling quite emotional about it all, it really was a great send off.
With the first 40 km or so being fairly flat, the peloton started to stretch out as those chasing gold naturally started to edge to the front while others settled into their own rhythm and found like-minded groups of people. Somport soon appeared and at 1640 metres it's 20 kms of ascent have to be ridden intelligently. Too many people attack it with enthusiasm and pay the price later in the day. Once over the summit, we dropped down into France and onwards to Marie Blanque. This Tour regular climb proved to be the starting point of suffering for many. It begins gently but the last 5kms of 12% gradients, and ramps of 16%, really starts to question the fitness levels of the riders. More than a few dismounted on this section, although not our guests, to rest and cool their feet off in the streams.
The next challenge of the day was also the most picturesque – the 29kms that make up the Portalet are just stunning. It is picture-postcard perfect. Snow-capped peaks, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and 1000s of supporters make it a real-life Tour de France experience. It is here that the majority of riders find out if they are on form or not. The climb seems to go on forever and with road signs telling you every km what the next km's average gradient is, it can turn out to be a form of mental torture. As the summit is approached, the tarmac disappears as the crowds gather around and swamp the riders with their screams of encouragement and offerings of water – another very emotional moment for everyone and unlike anything any of our UK riders had experienced before.
The long and fast descent back into Spain gives the legs a welcome opportunity to recover and the chance to prepare yourself for the sting in the tail that is Hoz de Jaca. Hoz has an average gradient of 9% over a couple of kms but when you have already done 180 kms and the sun is baking hot it feels much longer.
Once the technical descent of Hoz has been safely negotiated, the adrenalin kicks in as all of the riders realise they are nearing the finish. Groups of riders merge together once again and crank up the speed to try and shave a few seconds off their finishing times.
Once over the line it is time to begin the recuperation process with limitless refreshments and food on offer. Many of us took the opportunity to have a massage from the army of physios on stand-by while others propped themselves up at the San Miguel tent. Then, with diplomas and medals collected, it was back to Jaca and a final night of food and drink before heading home on the Sunday.
We'll be doing it all again next year so if you are looking for a truly remarkable lifetime experience, don't miss out. This is one of the world's top sportives and is just too good to miss out on.
Contact us now if you wish to reserve a place for 2009!