On Your Bike

The River Júcar, or Xúquer in Valencian, runs for approximately 500 km from its source at Ojuelos de Valdeminguete, on the eastern flank of the Montes Universales, Cuenca, close the sources of the rivers Tajo, Cuervo, Turia and Cabriel (the latter serving as its most important tributary) to the Mediterranean Sea.

Located in the northernmost extreme of the province of Alicante and overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Vall de Ebo (Vall d'Ebo in Valencian) is one of the Region's most popular climbs among amateur and professional cyclists alike. Indeed, due to its proximity to coastal resorts such as Denia, Calpe and Altea, so popular in the off-season among the world's leading pro cycling teams, it's not uncommon to come across many of the international peloton's most famous faces both climbing and descending its slopes, team cars dutifully bringing up the rear. And it's not hard to understand the climb's attraction for cyclists of all levels: with its 7.5 km length, multitude of hairpins and gradients between 5% and 13%, on a ranking of 1 to 10 it can comfortably be classified as a doozy.