Road Cycling Routes near Parcent

From the name alone you know it is going to be a challenge. Every year Mathieu van der Poel invites his teammates and close riding friends for a ride that is long, hard, and unforgettable. Jasper Philipsen summed it up perfectly when he spoke about the route and the pace. He called it one to remember. This version of the route is slightly adjusted so it rolls out from Calpe.

This route delivers two beautiful climbs, starting with an easy roll out of Calpe through Callosa and Bolulla. The first test is the climb up Sa Creueta. After that, enjoy the long descent. You might want to stop for a coffee somewhere on this section. Continue towards Xaló, where the climb to the top of the Bernia begins. From the summit, soak in the coastal views before the smooth descent back into Calpe.

Before heading to Coll de Rates, this route follows the coast toward Xàbia and Dénia. The road rolls nicely here with a few short climbs to wake up the legs before turning inland. Once you do, the focus is clear as you ride toward Coll de Rates, the most famous climb in the area, then enjoy a mostly downhill run back to the coast.

From Calpe, the route rolls inland past views of the Peñón de Ifach before soft climbs lead to Jalón, where the main ascent begins. Puerto de Bernia is one of the iconic climbs of the Costa Blanca, a narrow road that twists up the ridge with stone guardrails, hairpins, and wide views. At the top, the landscape opens fully to the sea and the mountains behind. The descent through Pinos is smooth and quiet, dropping between terraces and limestone slopes before returning steadily to Benissa and back to the coast.

The route from Dénia begins flat, rolling through citrus groves toward Pego. From there, the road rises into the Vall de Gallinera, a lush and winding valley lined with terraces, stone villages, and open mountain views. After passing through the string of hamlets, the route drops through a flowing descent into Vall d’Ebo, where the road curves tightly along rocky slopes and opens to wide vistas. The return to Dénia follows quiet roads between orchards and farmland, calm and sunlit all the way to the coast.