🏊

Swim

Mediterranean Sea

🚴

Cycle

Waterfront & City

🏃

Run

Seafront Promenade

The Full Challenge — Sunday 17 May

1.5 km Swim 40 km Cycle 10 km Run ~2h30 Target time

The standard Olympic distance triathlon — the classic test of multi-sport endurance. The swim takes place in the sheltered waters off Playa del Postiguet, the bike segment loops the city and waterfront, and the run finishes at the iconic Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Road bike with traditional drop bars required for this distance. The Olympic is the distance that rewards months of consistent training — and the finish line at the town hall square, in front of a crowd, is a moment worth every early morning.

🏅 Requires a road bike with drop handlebars. Recommended for athletes with a solid triathlon base.

The Smart Middle Ground — Saturday 16 May

500 m Swim 20 km Cycle 5 km Run ~1h00 Target time

Half the Olympic distance, all of the atmosphere. The Sprint is the most popular format at MTRI Alicante and the ideal entry point for first-time triathletes. Mountain bikes and regular flat-bar bikes are permitted — so if you haven’t got a road bike yet, this is your race. It’s also the perfect target if you’ve been building fitness on the Costa Blanca climbs and want to add a race to the calendar without committing to a full Olympic effort just yet.

🏅 Mountain bikes and flat-bar bikes permitted. Perfect for first-timers and fitness cyclists.

The Taster — Sunday 17 May

350 m Swim 10 km Cycle 2.5 km Run ~30 min Target time

New to triathlon? The Supersprint is your starting point. A 350m swim in calm Mediterranean waters, a 10km city bike loop, and a 2.5km run along the seafront promenade. It’s enough to give you the full race experience without requiring months of specialist training. Mountain bikes and flat-bar bikes permitted. From €25 entry. If you’ve ever been curious about triathlon, this is the race that will answer the question.

🏅 Mountain bikes and flat-bar bikes permitted. Open to all ages from 14+. From €25.

17:00 Athlete registration & expo opens — Paseíto Ramiro, Alicante

20:00 Registration closes for the day

07:00 Registration resumes — Paseíto Ramiro

~09:00 Sprint Triathlon — race start, Playa del Postiguet

Afternoon Family Duathlon — non-competitive pairs event (adult + child)

06:45 Final registration & equipment check

~08:00 Olympic Triathlon — race start, Playa del Postiguet

~09:00 Supersprint Triathlon — race start

Midday Finish line celebrations — Plaza del Ayuntamiento

All distances start at Playa del Postiguet — the main city beach of Alicante, set in a sheltered bay directly below Santa Bárbara Castle. The water in mid-May is typically 18–20°C and calm. It’s one of the most spectacular swim settings of any triathlon in Spain, with the castle walls rising directly above the water.

The bike course rolls along the Alicante waterfront and circles Mount Benacantil — no climbing involved. The route takes in the seafront promenade and extends to the Cantera Paseo, with views across the port and the open Mediterranean. It’s a fast, largely flat circuit designed to be quick and spectacular in equal measure. Spectators line the route throughout.

The run is entirely along the seafront, finishing in the heart of the city at the emblematic Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The town hall square returns as the finish line in 2026, making for one of the most atmospheric finishes in Spanish triathlon. The crowd support on the final 500 metres is extraordinary.

MTRI ALICANTE 2026 — ALREADY BREAKING RECORDS

1,130+

Registered athletes

17

Nationalities

29.5%

Female participation

4,000+

Total circuit athletes

Family Duathlon — Saturday 16 May

New for 2025 and back in 2026, the Family Duathlon is a non-competitive paired event for an adult and a child. Both participants complete all three segments together — run, cycle, run — over distances adapted for young athletes. It’s a brilliant way to introduce children to multi-sport events in a safe, supportive, festival atmosphere. Every pair that finishes receives a finisher medal.

● For the Olympic (40 km): Your Costa Blanca climbing legs are an advantage. Add two flat 40km time trial efforts per week in the two weeks before the race to simulate race pace on flat terrain — the city course is quite different from mountain roads.

● For the Sprint (20 km): Practice brick sessions — a short 20km effort immediately followed by a 5km run. Two or three of these in the fortnight before the race and your transition legs will be ready.

● Transitions matter. A smooth T1 (swim to bike) and T2 (bike to run) can save you two minutes against a comparable competitor. Practice clipping in quickly and rack your gear in order.

● The bike course is flat but exposed. There’s no shelter along the waterfront. A light aero position and consistent cadence matters more than raw power here.

🏅 Ready to Sign Up?

Individual entry from €25 (Supersprint) to €45+ (Olympic). The MTRI Pack covering all three cities is available for multi-event athletes. Registrations close Sunday 10 May at 23:59.

→ mediterraneatriatlon.com

Big events to go: V Aitana Tour (31 May). In June we shift to beating the heat with early morning routes, San Juan night rides, and the best beach stops along the coast.

165 km

Gran Fondo

3,400 m

Elevation

4

Mountain Passes

1,700

Max Riders

The Full Challenge — 165 km

165 km · 3,400 m elevation · 4 major passes

The complete Aitana Tour experience. From Callosa, the route climbs deep into the interior via Puerto de Confrides, crosses to Puerto de Tudons — the highest pass in Alicante province at 1,024 metres — then takes in Sa Creueta before the legendary Coll de Rates as the final timed climb of the day. This is a serious undertaking. Budget 7–9 hours and arrive at the start line with a solid base of long rides in the legs.

The Smart Option — 100 km

100 km · 1,900 m elevation · 2 major passes

The Medio Fondo splits off at kilometre 99.8 on the CV-715. You still take on Puerto de Confrides and the early climbs, finishing back in Callosa before the route heads out to Tudons and Coll de Rates. This is still a proper day out — 1,900 metres of climbing is no joke — but it’s the right choice if your April training hasn’t quite gone to plan, or if you’re riding your first gran fondo on the Costa Blanca.

4.6 km · 257 m elevation · Beautiful but demanding ascent

The third climb of the march and the last challenge of the Medio Fondo route. Redesigned for this edition — the organisation has rerouted via Benifallim to make the ascent harder and more spectacular. A real wake-up call after the opening kilometres.

12 km · 5.3% avg · 603 m elevation · 1,024 m summit · Timed segment

The roof of the Aitana Tour and the highest mountain pass in Alicante province. Twelve kilometres with an average of 5.3% and sections hitting 11%. This is where the Gran Fondo is won and lost. Pace it carefully — there are still two climbs to come.

Featured in La Vuelta a España · Spectacular ridge-line views

A Vuelta a España climb that winds along an exposed ridge with views across the full breadth of the Costa Blanca interior. By this point in the Gran Fondo you will have over 2,500 metres in the legs. Ride it to your own rhythm.

6.7 km · 6.7% avg · 14.1% max · 350 m elevation · Timed segment

The most famous climb on the Costa Blanca saves itself for last. After 150+ kilometres you’ll tackle the Coll de Rates in a timed segment from Parcent to the summit. The descent to Tarbena, and the final roll back into Callosa, is one of the most satisfying moments in cycling.

Roberto Heras — Four-Time Vuelta a España Champion

This year’s Aitana Tour has a remarkable guest. Roberto Heras — the most decorated rider in La Vuelta’s history, sharing the record with Primož Roglič — will ride alongside all participants as the official event ambassador. If you’ve ever wanted to share a mountain road with a Grand Tour champion, May 31st is your day.

● Start conservative. The first 40 km feel easy. Riders who go too hard early pay for it on Puerto de Tudons.

● Fuel early and often. At 165 km and 3,400 m of climbing you need to eat from kilometre 1, not when you feel hungry.

● Know the cut-off point. At km 99.8 on the CV-715, riders not on pace for the full route are directed to the Medio Fondo finish.

● Savour the Coll de Rates descent. After everything you’ve been through, those hairpins down to Tarbena deserve to be enjoyed.

🎪 Gran Zona Expo — Saturday 30 May

The day before the ride, the Polideportivo Municipal in Callosa hosts a free public cycling expo — open to all. Bike brands, local industry, rider registration, and the atmosphere of a major event the night before. Well worth making a weekend of it.

→ aitanatour.com

Don’t forget the Mediterránea Triatlón Alicante (16–17 May) for multi-sport athletes. Covered in upcoming newsletters.

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.