One of the most asked frequently questions I get is How hard is a climb? My answer? Depends how hard you want to ride up! This camp is about enjoying the mountains and finding your own limits! The route has been designed so there are short cuts or add ons to suit any level of rider.
WHAT WILL WE DO?
→ Friday 23rd August
Travel day. Arrive at Hotel Princesa Park Arinsal to be welcomed by a member of the LAP Events team
→ Saturday 24th August
A day to get over the travel and acclimatise to Andorra. Head down from the hotel, through the tunnel and start the long steady climb to col d’Ordino that will be taken on by the Vuelta peloton.
42 km 1750m altitude gain
→ Sunday 25th August
The chance to take on 2 legendary Vuelta a Espana finish climbs. First the Coll de Gallina that last saw victory go to Enric Mas on the penultimate stage of the 2018 Vuelta when Britain’s Simon Yates secured the overall victory. We then cross to the other side of the valley and climb to Naturland which the peloton took on in 2019 when Thibaut Pinot was victorious. On the ride back to the hotel we take on the short yet challenging Comella climb which saw an aggressive race on stage 3 of the 2017 edition of the race. How do your climbing times compare?
100km 3000m altitude gain
→ Monday 26th August
3 climbs that have become legendary among the peloton. We start with the Col d’ordino before descending down its switchbacks towards Encamp where we take on the difficult Cortals d’Encamp Climb which hosted Vuelta a España stage finishes in 2015 and most recently 2017? The final part of the climb also saw Tadej Pogacar’s break through victory on a stormy day in 2019. We descend back down to take on Collada de Beixalis, where Sepp Kuss rode to victory on stage 9 of the 2021 Tour de France.
70km 2461m altitude gain
→ Tuesday 27th August.
We ride over to take on the climb to Arcalis, a stage finish of the Tour de France in 2009 and 2016. For those not yet tired of climbing we have the option of riding to the summit of Port de Cabús, one of the highest roads in the pyrenees and stage finish of Volta Catalunya in 2009.
Option 1: 49km 1321m altitude gain
Option 2: 81km 2327m altitude gain
→ Wednesday 28th August
Stage 3 of Vuelta a Espana 2023 finished on the climb to Arinsal riding directly passed our hotel. We will recreate this memorable stage where Remco Evenepoel sprinted to victory before crashing into the finish barriers! Ride over the Collada de Beixalis, descend to the town of Encamp where we pick up the stage route. We then ride the final km of the stage over Col d’Ordino and to the finish line at Arinsal.
64km 2184m altitude gain
→ Thursday 29th August
Travel Day. Departure from Hotel