Stellaton Cycling

18/06/2026

So the Spanish adventure continues for Stellaton’s Rich Orrell today with a ride into and a climb to Puerto Frio with a small group of Belgian amigos. Great views from the top with the monument to

14/06/2026

Hoyland 2 Orihuela Costa (H2OC) - The final stats

Having had a couple of days to the let the dust settle and adjust to life not in the saddle the final stats are in……

Total distance; 2,523.53km
Total vertical height gain; 19,682m
Total time; 104 hours, 55 mins
Average speed; 24km/h

Other notes;

Longest stage; 205km Stage 5 Romilly sur Siene - Varzy
Shortest stage; 86km Stage 13 Alcañiz - Utrillas
Most vertical height gain in a stage; 2082m Stage 10 Castelnaudary- Les Angles
Fastest stage; 26.7km/h Stage 11 Les Angles - Balaguer
Slowest stage; 19.8km/h Stage 10 Castelnaudary- Les Angles

Final stat; 10,000kms between four of us with only 1 puncture (day 15)!

Bring on the next challenge…….

11/06/2026

H2OC Day 16 - Almansa - Orihuela Costa

The final push!

We left Almansa under cloudy skies and cool conditions with a nice and steady 14km climb to get the legs warmed up!
As a reward we then had a 22km descent into Yekla where we took our first coffee stop.
A further 24km descent followed to Pinosso, into an increasing headwind, where we had a short pit stop.
We then had an additional descent to Hondon de Los Frailes where some familiar tarmac eventually came into view.
A short climb up to Puerta de la Albatera before the 10km descent and lunch at Albatera
We picked up a couple of amigos who then took us back to Roberto & Sarah’s bar at Los Dolces before we finally made it to the front door!
My head really can’t compute what or where I am. Too many emotions for now.
A couple of day recuperacions and the should be good to go again 🥴🥴

WE DID IT, HOME TO HOME ❤️😎🇪🇸

Statistics post to follow…..

10/06/2026

H2OC Day 15 - Los Huertos de Moya - Almansa

A relatively strange sort of day.

We left our wellness retreat’ under cloudy skies and cool conditions and after a couple of rollers began the steady descent towards Utiel.
We took our first pit stop in Sinarcas (30km) before being sent on a diversion through the local market in Utiel (50km).
We took lunch in Requena (70km) before continuing southwards. Up to 90km our views were mainly of vineyards and olive groves. We eventually came to the crest on a small incline when the valley and views opened up and heyho we were back in Colorado!
We had a nice 8km descent and went through Cofrentes before climbing back out of the valley. A quick pit stop in Jarafuel before a couple more rollers for the last 35km to our final overnight stop in Almansa.

The end is definitely now in sight 😎😎

09/06/2026

H2OC Day 14 - Utrillas - Los Huertos

Tale of three climbs
Straight out of the hotel onto a 8km climb taking us to La Puerta de San Just (1408m - our highest elevation since the Pyrenees)
Followed by a 9km descent before another 3km climb to Puerto de El Esquinazo (1381m).
We then had a 50km descent all the way to Teruel, with a quick pit stop in Perales del Alfambra en-route.
We had lunch in Teruel before descending the Paseo de Turia with some absolutely amazing views.
Final pit stop in Libros before crossing the Rio Teria one last time at Ademuz, then came climb 3, 5km at 8%, just as the temperature went up and so did the headwind 🙈
Finished the day just outside the ancient town of Moya in a place that we have to ourselves!

Today was like cycling through a travel brochure with views resembling Montana, Arizona, Colorado, Grand Canyon NP, & Yosemite NP!
Spain has been simply stunning! 😍 😍

08/06/2026

07/06/2026

H2OC Day 12 - Balaguer- Alcaniz

We left Balaguer in pleasant 20 Celsius conditions and took a nice 25km route to Lleida for a croissant & coffee stop.
We then followed a road adjacent to an escarpment that looked like it was out of a cowboy movie.
We took a quick pit stop in Sosas followed by a steady descent to La Granja de Escarp where we crossed the Rio Segre and followed the valley to Mequineze.
Our first 8km climb took us up past the hydro electric dam and we then took rolling roads alongside the Mar de Aragon.
We took lunch in the picturesque square at Caspe (which strangely resembled a UN enclave?)
After Caspe we had a nice spin to Alcaniz with just a steady 6km to see off.
Today’s scenery resembled Arizona or Nevada landscapes.
Temperature was back up again to 36 Celsius at Caspe, 38 at the climb to Alcaniz and a cool 41 when we entered the city! 😍


-packing

06/06/2026

H2OC Day 11 - Les Angles - Balaguer

We left Les Angles in a very cool 4 Celsius conditions but the views soon made us forget about the temperature.
We reached the Cimma Coppi (Henri Degrande) for this trip early on at 1728m (5678 ft)
We then started a 100km (62mile) decent. Our first stop was when we crossed into Spain in the enclave of Llivia.
As we progressed down the valley in Spain the temperatures increased and so did the headwind.
We took a quick re-fuel stop at Organya for a hot dog & fries before completing the decent to Ponts.
The terrain then turned more agricultural before we made our way over to Balaguer via a beer stop in Montgai with 12k to go.

05/06/2026

H2OC Day 10 - Castelnaudary - Les Angles

The Queen Stage - What a day!

We left a dry Castelnaudary and took a gravel canal towpath that was Strade Bianche‘esque.
After a few kms through some nice vineyard countryside we took a 10km ravel to our first break at Limoux.
By the time we reached our second stop at Quillan we were beginning to realise what was in store…. 80km of 140 complete and only 500m of 2000m complete.
Then the fun began;
A steady climb up through.De Gorge de St George’s before a 23km climb to Querigut got us 1200m of elevation in!
After that it was the last 10km to our destination at Les Angles (finish of TdF stage 3 this year)
Tomorrow we hopefully cross into Espana 🇪🇸

04/06/2026

H2OC Day 9 - Caylus - Castelnaudary

We awoke to dry conditions, unlike the weather forecast predicted so made an early start
Following La Bonnette into Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val we climbed out of the village following a quick coffee and croissant.
As we rolled over the tops we got our first sight of the Pyrenees.
We took an early lunch at Lisle-Sur-Tarn and were still marginally ahead of the rain.
At 90km the rain finally caught up with us and we finished the day soaked to the skin albeit in reasonably high spirits.
When the rain came all I could hear in my ears was (imagine best Sean Kelly accent)…’De conditions for de last 45kms have been reeel difficult for de roiderz’
Anyway hopefully it’s dry tomorrow as our route is about to take us upwards 🙈