Dubbed a “motorway for cyclists”, where avid amateurs can chase three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar up mountains teeming with the highest concentration of professional cyclists per square mile in the world, Spain’s Costa Blanca has forged a new reputation for itself in recent years.
Long known as the ideal summer destination for those in search of sun, sea and sand, the coastal region in Spain’s southeast now has a winter vocation too.
During the season break in December and January, a stretch from Calpe to Benidorm experiences an invasion of cyclists.
Star names such as Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe flock to the region to take advantage of Costa Blanca’s Mediterranean climate, its little-used roads and its bustling seaside hospitality sector that rolls out the red carpet for them.
Sixteen of the 18 men’s World Teams have set up their winter quarters there to prepare for new seasons, with some riders staying on privately between camps to take advantage of the conditions.