Day 1. Monday 08 September – Arrival (Madrid)

Arrive at your leisure to the Spanish capital Madrid. Your luxury boutique hotel, the Petit Palace Alfonso XII, is in the centre beside the Retiro Park with its gardens and lake, and walking distance to world famous museums. (Transfer option to Madrid included today for those on previous Week 2 Vuelta tour – combine them with a discount!). Today is an arrival day and so we will ‘officially’ meet tomorrow morning. Enjoy the evening exploring Madrid and her sights. Rest up!

 

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Day 2. Warm up Ride, Ancares Biosphere Reserve (Ponferrada)

Our ride: 50 km / 32 miles 

We meet early after a buffet breakfast in central Madrid. We have a longer van transfer (4hrs) to get near to the race action. En route will have a welcome introduction and coffee stop. Arriving in the village of Villafranco del Bierzo on the outskirts of Ponferrada, we head to the impressive Parador Hotel, our base for the next 2 nights. The hotel is a beautiful retreat, with outside and indoor pools, set in the tranquil countryside.

 

After lunch we will have a bike set up, making sure everyone is comfortable, before taking a ride from our hotel. We head into the scenic Ancares Biosphere Reserve, a protected nature park and ride the Lumeras climb (cat 2), a climb from past Vueltas. A beautiful ascent, with an average grade of 6%, be rewarded with fine views of the area. A great warm up ride. This area is a playground for cyclists, with many famous climbs, and Ponferrada hosting the 2014 World Road Cycling Championships.

 

We will enjoy a welcome dinner in the excellent Parador restaurant and plot our team tactics for the coming week!

Day 3. VIP Cat 1 Summit Finish, Morredero (Ponferrada)

Our ride: up to 110 km / 68 miles 

After breakfast, we ride from our hotel and experience our first taste of La Vuelta. Our hotel is well situated with the race route nearby! A fantastic day of cycling awaits as we cycle over our first challenge, the cat 3 Paso de las Traviesas. We pedal, following the race signs and being cheered on by the growing crowd.

 

Heading up the valley we head into Ponferrada with its Templar Knights Castle, before arriving at the foot of today’s big summit finish, the cat 1 Alto de Morredero. Cycle up this mountain (avg gradient 5%, but with ramps of 12%!) to the ski station at a height of 1750m. Experience crossing the finishing line on race day and entering the VIP zone. A great achievement of a ride, we await the finish with beer and tapas in hand.

 

After the race, cycle back down to earth and have a free night to explore the village. Villafranco del Bierza offers a wealth of sites, being a main stopping point on the French way of the Camino de Santiago – lots of restaurants to try with hungry walkers (and cyclists!).

 

To Explain – the VIP Hospitality Area – This is an exclusive part of our La Vuelta tour packages, where each of our cyclists have access with personalized accreditation given on a lanyard at the start of the tour. Here, enjoy just metres from the Meta Finish line, a viewing zone to see the riders finishing the stage, and preview the entire race beforehand via large plasma TVs. The place to be at La Vuelta after riding the route! Also included is an open bar and tapas tasters for a real Spanish experience.

Revitalize, Refresh and Reboot in order to be ready to Ride the next day, that is the mantra of all cyclists (especially the Pros!). That is why our hotels will guarantee your sleep time will be well spent in comfort. Places which allow you to ease into inaction, and calm that beating heart in the evenings. The hotels on this tour are a Parador, a boutique hotel and excellent quality 4 star City hotels – great accommodation.

A highlight is the Parador hotel of Villafranco del Bierzo. This hotel is on the outskirts of Ponferrada set in a village, surrounded by quiet countryside. With 2 swimming pools and well regarded regional cuisine, it’s a fine place to rest for 2 nights.

In Valladolid we have selected a 4 star hotel near to the historic centre. Then relax and enjoy the facilities of an elegant and grand 4 star hotel with pool and hamman baths in Segovia.

Our hotel in Madrid at the start and end for 2 nights is the Petit Palace Savoy Alfonso XII. A stately building designed with modern influences, it is set beside the Retiro Park, near to the Prado museum and a 5 minute walk from the finish line of the La Vuelta. Perfect.

“Julie and I had an incredible time riding with our group and leaders on the roads and race course of La Vuelta. Geoff, Dean, Jose and Santi are not only fun and interesting to travel with but go way beyond expectations to make us comfortable and ready to ride! The hotels we stayed at are amazing as are the meals we enjoyed. The VIP access to the pros was sick! Kudos Cycling Country!! Kuss, Kuss, Kuss!!!”
D. & J. Mahler, Washington, USA – La Vuelta Sept 2023 – Week 3 to Madrid

“LA VUELTA BIKE TRIP!
Where to start… we (my dad and I) joined the group a couple days after the official start for the last week of La Vuelta 2021.
They were very accommodating to our travel needs and very responsive. Once we joined the group in Spain, the staff was very friendly and professional, the hotels selected were topnotch. Most dinners were included and the quality was superb. The rides were challenging but they were very accommodating to everyone’s abilities, you could ride as much or as little as you were comfortable with. We had amazing experiences from incredible access to the teams and riders. We got to ask them about logistics, advertising, etc. Super cool experience. They always had nutrition, and fluids readily available (I am sure they would have even offered a sticky bottle if you asked them for one). The bikes were in great condition. I got to ride a brand new Trek Emonda SL6. If you are not very knowledgeable about bikes, that is a very good bike, better than what I ride at home. I sent my measurements beforehand and the bike fit perfectly once I got there. I could not recommend them enough. I will most definitely be taking another trip with them.
Our guides were Javi and Dean. They both were super friendly and great riders. We shared beers, laughs and tears. Very amazing experience. Geoff and Maggi were also amazing. They made us feel as we were long time friends and bent over backwards to make everyone feel the same way.”

J. Pava, Illinois, USA – La Vuelta 2021 – Last Week

“Cycling Country Bike Tours took a group including me on the last week of la Vuelta 2021.
All details were pre-planned, routes, hotels, transfers, full backup on the routes.
I have been on many bike tours but none as good as this! Communication and planning prior to the event was efficient but when I first met the team I thought I would be dropped every day, they looked so fit and slim. But their focus was on each participant with helpful tips and advice. we cycled on the Vuelta routes and had to finish before the peloton arrived, we watched the finish from the VIP enclosure. We also had an opportunity to attend the start of the stage. This was truly amazing, the motorbikes, the lead car, the peloton, the broom wagon, team cars, police, ambulance, team busses.
Finally we rode the time trial and when we finished we enjoyed the facilities of the VIP enclosure to watch the finish and then the presentations.
It was a truly memorable spectacle.
Thanks to Maggie, Geoff, Javier and Dean for pulling out all the stops for a great week of cycling.”

T. Fahy, Galway, Ireland – La Vuelta 2021 – Last Week

“Geoff, Dean & Javier, Thanks for some glorious rides and a wonderful adventure. Again, a real pleasure to ride with you.
“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road without thought for anything but the ride you are taking – Arthur Conan Doyle – ” Still a good idea to keep an eye out for route signs though!! 😃”

D. & R. Coutts, Calgary, Canada – La Vuelta 2019 – Last Week

“Cycling Country far surpassed the high expectations we had for the tour. We had such a wonderful time 😃😃 A million thanks to you and Geoff and Dean and Javier. 😘
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J. & L. Hickman, MN, U.S.A. – La Vuelta 2019 – Last Week – Non Cyclists

“We had booked to visit Madrid to watch the final stage of the Vuelta Espana, we come every year as Madrid is a magical city. This year was my partners 50th birthday so for a surprise I decided to book with Cycling Country for the Neptuno VIP experience. There were a choice of experiences to choose from but I decided as it was a birthday treat we would go all out and chose the most comprehensive experience. Maggi was extremely helpful and gave me honest information on what we could expect. The Neptuno experience was amazing. We were situated to the side of the finish line with an unobstructed view of the cyclists as they passed.

Food and drinks were included in the day and were of very high quality and in abundance. Waiters would continually walk round with canape’s or take drink’s order.

I explained to Maggi this was a surprise birthday present and she arranged for us to get a behind the scenes tour of the riders area, podium and interview area’s. This was so much fun and for cycling enthusiasts to have your photos taken on the podium and finish line made the day so much more special.

We really couldn’t have hoped for a better day. Just as the riders crossed the finish line, we got a tap on our shoulder from Dean who works with Cycling Country to tell us to come with them as we might be able to get into the podium area again to watch the finishing ceremony. Very few people were able to get in so we crossed our fingers and followed. They managed to get us in and we couldn’t contain our excitement, cyclist ‘s coming in to be interviewed, have their press photograph’s taken and prepare for the ceremony. We were unbelievably close to the riders and to really make my day Alberto Contador and Juan Antonio Flecha were directly in front of us doing there Eurosport commentary.
We cannot begin to thank Cycling Country, Maggi, Geoff and Dean was making this day so amazing. They went over and above what we were expecting from the day. Thank you so much.

It’s my big birthday in a couple of years and my partner is going to have to work hard to beating this.

If you’re considering either a cycling tour or a VIP experience, look no further than Cycling Country, an honest and welcoming company that really do look after their guests.
M. & D. Lovatt, UK – La Vuelta 2018 – Neptuno Madrid VIP 2018

“I want to thank you for the fantastic experience you gave Alex and I. It will be something we will always remember. You and Geoff were excellent hosts and the riding and vip experience was outstanding! Thanks for all you did to make it so great. Thanks again for everything
Chat soon.”
M. & A. Webb, Calgary, Alberta – La Vuelta 2018 – First Week

“Just a short note to thank you all for making it such an enjoyable week. You could not have chosen better hotels or arranged better group meals.
We would have come back just for the pleasure of seeing you all again, so the hotels and the riding were a bonus!
The meal on the rooftop terrace in Malaga was particularly stunning as was the vista from the Parador in Ronda.
It is always interesting to meet different people and some of them were a little different.
We are back safe and sound, the cat is happy and the last washing is going out to dry.”
J. & P. Sharman, UK – La Vuelta 2018 – Andalucia

“With Cycling Country we made our first cycling trip to Europe. Geoff, Dean, Javi and the rest of the crew made our rides and say really happy. Balbino took care of my mom and showed her Spain while me and my brothers went riding, then we met at the finish line of La Vuelta stages. It was a terrific Trip and we will for sure do it again!!!”
D. Botero, Medalin, Columbia – La Vuelta 2017 – Andalucia

“The weather and the event were awesome. We had a very memorable experience. Thank you!”
P. Oppenheim, Sydney, Australia – La Vuelta 2017 – Neptuno VIP Experience

“Awesome Vuelta a España tour, amazing VIP access, up close & personal with the riders!
We recently did a Vuelta a Espana tour with Cycling Country, and had an amazing time. The tour was well-organized and thought out, with rider enjoyment in mind, both from the perspective of riding and spectating. The Spanish-based company clearly has a very close relationship with the race organizers, which is to the benefit of Cycling Country’s clients. The VIP access to starts and finishes, as well as the podium, were unbelievable. Because the race is smaller, it is also much more intimate, enabling access to the riders. The behind-the-scenes access and perspective was very interesting, as was the talk from a retired rider. This was our third time doing a trip with Cycling Country, and the reason we chose them for our Vuelta shadow tour. Previously we have done self-guided tours or fixed-stay trips, and have been very impressed and pleased with the company and the service it provides. Geoff and Maggi are wonderful people and it shows in their dealings with clients. We would definitely recommend Cycling Country for any of its tours, but especially the Vuelta a Espana tour!”
A. Sauve & Tim, Cobourg, Canada – La Vuelta 2017 – The North

“The Vuelta tour was probably the best bike tour I have ever done. Ok the days were long, but your team gave us the best access I have ever had to a Grand Tour. The routes you designed to ride the best climbs and see the stage finishes were exceptional. Chapeau!”
John, Ontario, Canada – La Vuelta 2016 – First Week

“Hi Maggie and Guys,
Since I got back in Oz I have telling everybody what an amazing time I had at the tour. I certainly appreciate the effort you guys put in to make things run smoothly for us.”
D. Reed, Victoria, Australia – La Vuelta 2016 – Last Week

“Let me write a few lines of thank you. I just can’t believe what a trip you gave us all! It was truly a cycling tour that I will never forget. Well done to all of the Cycling Country crew and thank you again for the good times. The Vuelta was the ride of my life.”
Steve, Sydney, Australia – La Vuelta 2015 – First Week

“That was an amazing trip to the Vuelta! So much behind-the-scenes access and some fab riding too. Thanks for everything!”
L.Rice, London, UK – La Vuelta 2015 – Andalucia

“The Vuelta Tour 1 (Andalucia 2014) was memorable! The VIP access was exceptional, beyond my expectations. Cycling Country beautifully handled different levels of cycling abilities in the group in the smoothest way, the coordination among them was very professional and efficient, providing to the group an ongoing feeling of safety, support and fun. I will highly recommend them to all my friends and they honestly deserve to run such a successful business. Muchas Gracias for the extraordinary experience!”
L.Sullivan, Colorado, USA – La Vuelta 2014 – 2nd Week

“Rob and I would like to take the opportunity to send you a big thank you for everything you organized for the tour. We had an amazing time. The ride routes where spectacular and the VIP access was fantastic. Dean and Javi were both lovely, very helpful and encouraging. We had the best time and keep reminiscing about the week wishing we were still in Andalusia. It definitely exceeded all our expectations and hopefully will see you at next years tour. Thank you again”
K.& R.Garland, Australia – La Vuelta 2014 – 2nd Week

“Thanks Geoff and Dean for a truly wonderful week in northern Spain, climbing up all the famous climbs of the Vuelta’s final week, then watching the pros do them in style, from the VIP vantage point of your preferred operator, special access status. The tour was expertly run and organised by you, accommodating all abilities with your usual skill and good humour. This is my third tour with Cycling Country and I hope there’ll be more to come. Excellent local food and comfortable accommodation – add great company, knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides who are expert road cyclists themselves, and what more could a roadie want! Thanks once again”
D. Jones, Oxford, UK – La Vuelta 2013 – Final Week

Testimonials from previous cyclists are always available and we enjoy receiving the feedback after tours. It helps us improve our services and offer you an even better experience. Please feel free to contact us if you would like a reference to talk to. Others have also posted reviews on the independent travel website .