Riding around Malaga and Riogordo

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Monkeyboy3333
Posts: 632
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:41 pm

by Monkeyboy3333

I am Staying in Riogordo, Spain nr Lake Vinuela at the end of July and hiring a road bike from cycling rentals, anyone know the area and any routes to recommend?

pastronef
Posts: 1640
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:33 am
Location: Asti, ITALIA

by pastronef

Hi, nice place, maybe a little hot in the summer.

From Riogordo there's a nice climb to Colmenar, road A7204, then from Colmenar you either go down to Casabermeja (but from there you go either to Malaga and back from Alto del Leon) or from Colmenar you take A4152 direction Alfarnate and climb Puerto del Sol and go back to Riogordo passing near Periana.

There's a long loop from Riogordo, then Colmenar, over the Puerto del Leon, down to Malaga, then national seaside road to Velez Malaga, then Vinuela (find the old road, not the fast one) and then the long climb on the A7204 to Periana, and then Riogordo again
I did this loop, starting from Malaga town and 30 kms flat road to Velez, thne Vinuela, the hard climb to Periana, and getting home through Riogordo, Colmenar, Casabermeja. after 5 hours alone and a few gels and few coffees, during the 9 kms downhill to Malaga in the late january afternoon cold i wanted to quit cycling :mrgreen:

For longer rides, go to Colmenar (remember it climbs straight away from Riogordo) then Casabermeja, then either Almogia southbound or Villanueva Conception northbound on the A7075

or some loops through Comares, Benamargosa, El Borge etc

Just go to viamichelin.com and see the roads. On google street view you can find all the roads, and panels on the crossroads (i did so for my 5 days there last January)

the back country is quite wild, but i guess during the summer there will be more tourists going around, last winter I really saw few cars.

how many kms every day you plan to ride?

by Weenie


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Monkeyboy3333
Posts: 632
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 7:41 pm

by Monkeyboy3333

pastronef wrote:Hi, nice place, maybe a little hot in the summer.

From Riogordo there's a nice climb to Colmenar, road A7204, then from Colmenar you either go down to Casabermeja (but from there you go either to Malaga and back from Alto del Leon) or from Colmenar you take A4152 direction Alfarnate and climb Puerto del Sol and go back to Riogordo passing near Periana.

There's a long loop from Riogordo, then Colmenar, over the Puerto del Leon, down to Malaga, then national seaside road to Velez Malaga, then Vinuela (find the old road, not the fast one) and then the long climb on the A7204 to Periana, and then Riogordo again
I did this loop, starting from Malaga town and 30 kms flat road to Velez, thne Vinuela, the hard climb to Periana, and getting home through Riogordo, Colmenar, Casabermeja. after 5 hours alone and a few gels and few coffees, during the 9 kms downhill to Malaga in the late january afternoon cold i wanted to quit cycling :mrgreen:

For longer rides, go to Colmenar (remember it climbs straight away from Riogordo) then Casabermeja, then either Almogia southbound or Villanueva Conception northbound on the A7075

or some loops through Comares, Benamargosa, El Borge etc

Just go to viamichelin.com and see the roads. On google street view you can find all the roads, and panels on the crossroads (i did so for my 5 days there last January)

the back country is quite wild, but i guess during the summer there will be more tourists going around, last winter I really saw few cars.

how many kms every day you plan to ride?


Thanks man, useful intel - you're right about the heat I stayed in a little place near Jete last year and just rode until i melted! The BH bike I hire is by no means a WW but when the sun is shining I forgot about it! Yep I have been reccying the routes that you suggested and had planned doing those loops taking in the lakes as well. I bet it's a very different place in the winter yeah?!

pastronef
Posts: 1640
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:33 am
Location: Asti, ITALIA

by pastronef

Monkeyboy3333 wrote:
Thanks man, useful intel - you're right about the heat I stayed in a little place near Jete last year and just rode until i melted! The BH bike I hire is by no means a WW but when the sun is shining I forgot about it! Yep I have been reccying the routes that you suggested and had planned doing those loops taking in the lakes as well. I bet it's a very different place in the winter yeah?!


in winter it's not bad, but i really had the feeling of being alone in the wild when riding from one village to another. the landscapes are very nice. if you ride into Casabermeja do not enter the village, it's steep and not easy to find you way out. stay on the fast road and follow the road signs.

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Kraaf
Posts: 557
Joined: Mon May 22, 2006 8:18 pm
Location: Netherlands

by Kraaf

Instead of starting another thread, I'm bumping this with some more information. I can agree with the above posters on routes and climbs there. I just stayed in Cútar at vivasiesta.com, run by a very friendly and helpful British couple. Just about the perfect self-catering solution in a quiet and beautiful mountain village.

The climb from Benamargosa past Cútar is 8km of moderate and fairly constant gradients. You could add the slip road at the top for another crazy steep kilometer. Careful descending the same way down. Dropping down the other side of the pass, past El Borge and then up again to Moclinejo for >10% grades if you want. From there you can drop down to the coast at Rincon de la Victoria and ride along the beach to Velez de Malaga. From there I recommend the M-117 through the canyon up to Arenas and beyond, for a stunning landscape and an up-and-down type of climb.

There's much more to discover in the area, the roads are generally excellent and car drivers generally are more considerate of cyclists than in the Netherlands. And while there are other cyclists around, it's nothing like Mallorca, nor is the weather in winter (generally much better). Neither are the prices of accommodation, food (had lunch/dinner for €5/7) or car rental. From Malaga airport I reccommend Atesa car hire. No affiliation of any kind (nor to Vivasiesta, for that matter), simply based on their outstanding service, also with the bike case.

I'll definitely be back there.
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Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez
Posts: 2147
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 6:21 pm
Location: around Paris

by Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez

My girlfriend has some relatives in the region, in Vélez-Malaga. Looks super nice for some winter riding. Flatish along the coast and hilly inland.
Although it can be windy.
I have no routes in mind as I've never brought my bike there sorry.

I think the best region in Spain for winter riding is around Murcia. Less wind and even more sunshine than in Malaga. Probably warmer too. It's hilly but not as mountainous as Malaga, but anyway I doubt you'd want to climb above 700m in winter in Europe, except in Gran Canaria. There would be more group rides as Murcia is an important scene in Spain (Valverde, Rojas, Luis Leon Sanchez for example)

Big inconvenient is Murcia has no airport so far (it's under construction) while Malaga offers some good opportunities from everywhere in Europe.

by Weenie


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