Coll de Rates — The Icon

6.4 km Length 5.5% Avg Grade 358 m Elevation Cat. 2 Category

● Accessible — All levels welcome

If there is one climb that defines cycling on the Costa Blanca, this is it. The approach from Parcent is steady and rhythmic — the road winds upward through a rocky limestone landscape, the gradient building gradually through the second half. The views from the top open across the entire Marina Alta valley toward the sea. It’s not the region’s hardest climb, but it is the one every visiting cyclist rides first. Tadej Pogačar holds the Strava KOM at 11:51 — you now have a benchmark.

🏆 WorldTour favourite: used for pre-season training by UAE Team Emirates and many others.

Cumbre del Sol — The Vuelta Wall

3.7 km Length 9.6% Avg Grade 356 m Elevation Cat. 1 Category

● Challenging — Intermediate to Advanced

Short, sharp and unrelenting. The climb to Cumbre del Sol averages nearly 10% with ramps that regularly push past 15%. It was a La Vuelta a España summit finish in both 2015 and 2017 — Tom Dumoulin beat Chris Froome here, and Froome returned to claim it back. The ascent from the coast rises from sea level in under 4 kilometres. Start steady or you’ll blow up before the final ramp. April morning light on this climb is genuinely stunning.

🏆 La Vuelta finish 2015 & 2017. Strava KOM held by Mike Woods (2017 Vuelta).

Val d’Ebo — The Hidden Gem

8 km Length 5.1% Avg Grade 420 m Elevation Cat. 2 Category

● Accessible — All levels

Val d’Ebo is what happens when a climb gets everything right. Eight kilometres of well-paved, well-graded road winds through a dramatic gorge deep in the Marina Alta interior. The lower section is sheltered by trees with wide sweeping hairpins; the upper section opens up to panoramic views back toward the sea. On a quiet April weekday you may not see another cyclist for the entire climb. That’s not a problem — that’s the point.

🏆 A favourite of those in the know. Described as having a touch of the Dolomites by visiting pros.

Port de Bèrnia — The Scenic Test

8 km Length 5.7% Avg Grade 280 m Elevation Cat. 3 Category

● Accessible — Great for first-timers

Narrower, quieter and arguably more beautiful than Coll de Rates, the Port de Bèrnia winds up through dramatic limestone scenery with the Sierra Bernia ridge towering above. The gradient is irregular — plenty of steep punchy sections interspersed with recovery stretches. The views looking back toward Calpe and the Peñón d’Ifàch are among the finest from any climb in the region. Pair it with Coll de Rates for a perfect day out.

🏆 Often combined with Coll de Rates on a classic 100km Calpe loop.

Castell de Guadalest — The Cultural Climb

7.5 km Length 5.0% Avg Grade ~380 m Elevation Cat. 3 Category

● Accessible — Ideal for building base

The road to Guadalest passes through citrus groves and dramatic rock formations before arriving at one of the most spectacular hilltop villages in the province. The climb itself is steady and perfectly manageable — ideal for building early-season base fitness. The reward at the top is a 1,000-year-old Moorish castle perched on a spike of rock above a turquoise reservoir. Stop for coffee in the village. You’ve earned it.

🏆 The perfect introduction climb for new arrivals. A strong base for longer inland loop routes.

For early-season form, ride Coll de Rates first — it’s the best benchmark for tracking fitness across the season. Once you can ride it comfortably, add Cumbre del Sol for intensity and Val d’Ebo for endurance. All three in a single day is a serious 130km challenge that will tell you exactly where your fitness stands ahead of the V Aitana Tour in May.

These five climbs are just the warm-up. In May, the V Aitana Tour (31 May) takes on nearly all of them in a single epic gran fondo. Next month we’ll have a full preparation guide — training plans, nutrition tips, and everything you need to line up in Callosa d’en Sarrià ready to ride.