Two Blancares crossings only set up the 15-kilometer, 1,177-meter timed ascent toward Pradollano
The 2027 Gran Fondo is a 119km point-to-point road route with 3,300m of climbing, starting at the Cenes de la Vega municipal sports center and finishing at Pradollano ski station around 2,100m. It is not the separate 38km Subida al Veleta held the following day. The official 15km no-drafting timed ascent packs 1,177m of climbing into the final mountain phase after riders have already accumulated two crossings of Puerto de Blancares.
For the rider with eight weeks and four to six hours a week, this plan uses compact race-specific sessions and a focused longer ride to prepare for the 119-kilometer route, 3,300 meters of climbing, two Puerto de Blancares crossings, and the late 15-kilometer, 1,177-meter timed ascent toward Pradollano.
INSIDE THE TIME-CRUNCHED PLAN — 4–6 HR/WK
Includes zone-tailored structured rides for your devices, built-in strength with video walkthroughs, heat protocols for when your race calls for them, peloton skills workouts, and nutrition and hydration guidance.
The Complete Sierra Nevada Límite Gran Fondo Guide — the training, the tactics, the gear and race day, explained simply and clearly: what to do, when to do it, and why it works.
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Hey, I'm Matti. I spent 11 years at TrainingPeaks, where they trusted me to teach coaches how to coach at TrainingPeaks University. I raced Amateur Elite with Rio Grande Cycling Team and podiumed my age group at Unbound 200 in 2026. I have a degree in biology and exercise physiology from St. Olaf. I'm also a middle-aged dad of three, so I know training doesn't happen in a vacuum. I help gravel riders get stupidly fast without becoming the person who brings a food scale to a party