Ben Mitchell takes on mountainous Tenerife - by bicycle
here is some flat land on the island, our cycling guide Alberto Delgado says with a smile. “We call it the airport.”
It’s not long after getting into the saddle that I realise he is only halfjoking when we set out on a warmup ride preparing us for the Vuelta al Teide – a momentous “noncompetitive race” to the basecamp of Tenerife’s volcano, which amateurs can join.
I am on the south side of the island acclimatising to the glaring sun as I pedal along the gleaming asphalt. Alberto – who runs Tenerife Bike Training with his brother Marcos – has designed a series of rides to prepare us for the daunting ride. As I push over the summit to the small town of Grenadilla, giant wind turbines turning either side of me, I glimpse the peak of the volcano, Teide, rising above the mountainous horizon, and I realise the extent of the challenge ahead of me in just three days’ time. At 3,718m high, Teide is the highest point in Spain.
Thankfully, the cycle route for the annual ride reaches “only” 2,361m, but this is after a 39km ride to the top – 32km of it uphill. Alberto
Tadvises me: “The trick is not to shoot all your bullets on the first climb; crossing the national park is harder than you think with the head-wind and altitude.” Tenerife, with its all-year-round sunshine and brutal climbs, has become famous as a winter training base for professional cyclists such as British Tour de France winners Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome. And just as I start to panic at the thought of the gruelling big day, Alberto reminds me of the pay-off from all the effort, as he tells me: “The views are out of this world and then there’s 40km downhill to the finish line.”
However, before we take on this momentous climb, he will be showing us some of Tenerife’s cycling highlights – taking in the contrasting landscapes of the largest of the eight Canary Islands. After sweating my way up the sunsoaked slopes of our first morning on the bikes, I relish a trip on a catamaran, operated by White Tenerife, in an attempt to spot one of the 600 pilot whales which live off the southern coast, or any of the other 30 types of whales and dolphins that frequent the waters. Later we moor in the turquoise waters of Gypsy Bay and I jump in, the cool crash of water wiping away any after-lunch sleepiness.
The rest of the voyage, complete with Cava and snacks, comes alive to dancing to the sounds of the Macarena, rather than listening out for whale song.
The next morning, setting off for our second ride after a fresh and tasty breakfast at the stylish and welcoming Mynd Adeje Hotel, we are driven to the tranquil town of Tacoronte where we meet our bikes and head for a climb to the mountain pass of
Monte Aguirre.
The subtropical laurel forests have one of the island’s many microclimates, which leave the 25 types of trees constantly bathed in clouds and creating a lush green landscape.
Stopping for a breather at the mountain pass, I catch an occasional glimpse of the sparkling seas 1,000m below.
We roll down to Darsena Pesquera marina, near to Santa Cruz, where we are treated to a hearty lunch of fresh squid, before being transported to our home for exploring the northern side of the island – Hotel Alua Tenerife, in Puerto Santa Cruz.
As we head out on our final warmup ride, through the aptly-named Buenavista del Norte (beautiful view of the north) I begin to understand the striking difference of this side of the island.
While there may be more clouds passing by overhead, the mountain slopes are lined with lush vegetation, none more so than at the banana plantation at Finca los Cercados in Los Silos.
The next day I set off on the Vuelta al Teide and I’m soon grateful that I opted for the “short” version of 95km with 2,000m of ascent, rather than the full 175km and 4,400m of climbing.
To take part in next year’s Vuelta al Teide visit vteide.com.
Double rooms at MYND Adeje (myndhotels.com) start from £98.86 per night with breakfast; double rooms at Alua Tenerife (amrcollection.com) start from £74 per night with breakfast.