Velo Velefique

07/09/2026

Still buzzing after my day on Alto de Velfique.

They all deserve today’s rest day.

03/09/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1c5FGoJ8hh/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The Vuelta arrives in Almería: schedules and towns along the route between Vera and Calar Alto

The Vuelta a España cycling race has arrived in Almería. This Thursday, September 3rd, will be a landmark in the province's sporting history with the passage of the international peloton, which includes Cristian Rodríguez (Astana), from El Ejido, currently thirteenth in the general classification. The stage, 166.6 kilometers long with 4,530 meters of elevation gain, will start in Vera and finish at the Calar Alto Astronomical Observatory. The route will take the riders from practically sea level to over 2,000 meters in altitude. The leader, Enric Mas, will defend the red jersey on a stage entirely within Almería province.

Vera will be the starting point. The Vuelta Park will open its doors at 11:00 AM, serving as a prelude to the cyclists' signing-in at 11:30 AM, the best opportunity for fans to see their idols up close. At 12:45 PM, the neutral start will take place, departing from Calle Mayor in Vera, continuing through Plaza Fernando V, Plaza del Mercado, Calle Diego Caparrós, and Calle Isabel la Católica, before reaching the N-340a highway. At 1:07 PM, the Vuelta's general director, Javier Guillén, will officially start the race.

General classification before the stage in Almería
Enric Mas (Movistar Team) - Leader (+0:00)
Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) - +1:18
Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) - +1:39
Oscar Onley (Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team) - +2:20
Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) - +3:26
Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) - +3:55
Sepp Kuss (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) - +4:09
Harold Tejada (XDS Astana Team) - +4:39
Gregor Mühlberger (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) - +7:33
Jakob Omrzel (Bahrain Victorious) - +8:05
Clément Berthet (Groupama-FDJ United) - +9:32
Jarno Widar (Lotto Intermarché) - +9:34
Cristian Rodríguez (XDS Astana Team) - +9:42

Race Route and Times
At 1:31 PM, with an average speed of 38 km/h, the race will pass over the Alto de El Cabecico, a Category 3 climb. It will be 8.3 kilometers at 3.3%. Immediately afterward, at 1:40 PM, it will pass through Zurgena and six minutes later through Arboleas. At 1:55 PM, it will pass through Albox. The second climb of the day, the Alto de Cóbdar, is 5 kilometers long at 4.5% and is also a Category 3 climb. If the schedule is met, the climb will finish at 2:32 PM. The Vuelta will fly through Chercos at 2:46 PM to climb Collado García, a Category 2 climb of 19 kilometers at 2.4%. The riders are expected to reach the summit at 3:20 PM.

The arrival at Calar Alto is scheduled for 5:30 PM. Without a break, and in a stage perfect for a large breakaway, the first major climb is the Alto de Velefique, a Category 1 climb of 13 kilometers at an average gradient of 7.2%. The race is expected to pass through at 4:07 PM. It will pass through Bacares at 4:51 PM to begin the ascent to Calar Alto. This Category 1 climb is 17 kilometers long at 5.6%, reaching the Astronomical Observatory at an altitude of 2,153 meters. The stage is expected to finish around 5:30 PM.

The mountain passes of the Almería stage
Km. 16: Alto del Cabecico (Category 3 - 8.3 km at 3.3%)
Km. 57.5: Alto de Cóbdar (Category 3 - 4.9 km at 4.5%)
Km. 86.4: Collado García (Category 2 - 18.5 km at 2.4%)
Km. 135.4: Alto de Velefique (Category 1 - 13.1 km at 7.2%)
Km. 166.6: Calar Alto (Category 1 - 17 km at 5.6%)

Good weather with special attention to traffic
Regarding the weather, no rain is expected and temperatures will be around 30 degrees Celsius for almost the entire route, becoming milder on the ascents, especially to Calar Alto. The Provincial Traffic Headquarters has reported that the disruptions will last from approximately 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Those wishing to ascend will have to do so via the AL-4404 (Aulago) from junction 356 of the A-92 motorway.

There will be temporary closures on several roads
Regarding the Alto de Velefique (AL-3102), a total ban on parking partially or fully obstructing the roadway has been established to ensure the safe passage of the caravan. The Traffic Department recommends planning journeys in advance and checking real-time traffic conditions through the DGT website.

Among the roads with temporary closures due to the passage of the peloton are: N-340a: Vera-Real de Antas section; AL-7105: Real de Antas-Rambla Aljibe; A-1101: Rambla Aljibe-Zurgena; AL-7104: Arboleas-Albox; A-1204 in Albox; AL-7102: Albox-Almanzora; A-1100: Almanzora-Albanchez; AL-6106: Cóbdar section; AL-5100: Chercos section; AL-6105: Chercos-Macael; A-349: Macael-Tabernas; AL-3102: Velefique-Bacares; AL-5407: Bacares-Las Menas de Serón; A-1178: Las Menas-La Merendera. A-1178: Exclusive reservation for the organization (La Merendera-Collado del Conde). AL-4404: Ascent to the Calar Alto Observatory.
Source: La Voz de Almeria in English using Google Translate

28/07/2026

☕🐕 The Terrace Club – Late Edition

Good evening from the terrace.

Work done. ✅

Dogs sorted. ✅

Some doom scrolling. 🤦‍♂️

The world did wait.

☕ Tonight’s Brew:
Sugar-free Fanta Strawberry.

My new tipple.

🎧 Today’s soundtrack:
The TV is on.

I’ve been a telly addict since I was 13.

🐕 The dogs:
After another exhausting day…

…doing absolutely nothing.

Millie and Cilla enjoyed a late walk in the cool breeze.

So did I.

📚 Tiny idea:
For a committed person…

…there is no such thing as failure.

Only feedback.

🙏 One thing I’m glad about:
Two cooler evenings…

…and a proper breeze.

💭 Thought of the night:
A sofa.

Two dogs.

Nothing urgent.

Sometimes that’s enough.

👊 Today’s focus:
One job at a time.

Not everything got done…

…but enough did.

🤔 Tonight’s unnecessary thought:
When was the last time…

…you saw someone actually skip?

It used to be everywhere.

Sleep well…

Then let’s go mañana. 🌙

25/07/2026

Just checking my Strava for my time when I went up Alpe d'Huez

Tadej Pogačar just pipped me by “a few seconds” yesterday

What a Stage that was by the way.

09/07/2026

This is great news and should be finish before Stage 12 of La Vuelta

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EMrgumfSN/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The Almería Provincial Council will refurbish the access road to Calar Alto with an investment of €340,000

The Almería Provincial Council will rehabilitate the road that provides access to Calar Alto from the Venta Luisa junction, which runs through three municipalities: Gérgal, Bacares, and Olula de Castro. This was announced by the president, José Antonio García, who stated that the project is already in the contracting phase for the improvement of a section of more than 4 kilometers connecting the Observatory and the A-1178 highway.

It is worth noting that this section, which will be improved thanks to provincial investment, will be the finish line for the twelfth stage of the 2026 Vuelta a España cycling race, between Vera and Calar Alto, on September 4th. Furthermore, this road is a top-tier tourist attraction because it connects to the Observatory, which has established itself as the epicenter of industrial tourism in the province.

The President of the Provincial Council, José Antonio García Alcaina, highlighted the importance of this project: “The Almería Provincial Council continues to fulfill its commitment to connecting the region and genuinely improving the safety of our roads. We will be resurfacing more than four kilometers of road that runs through the municipalities of Gérgal, Bacares, and Olula de Castro. With an investment of €340,000, we will guarantee smooth and safe traffic flow,” he explained.

Boosting Mobility, Science, and Provincial Tourism
In this regard, he explained that thanks to the Provincial Council's investments, an infrastructure will be improved that “boosts mobility, science, tourism, and the future of our province.” It is worth noting that 100% of this project will be financed by the Provincial Council and that all the necessary permits have already been requested so that work can begin once the construction contract is signed.

The importance of this project lies in its diverse uses, which see a significant increase in traffic during the summer months. This road is used by observatory workers and visitors, by those who come to enjoy some of the clearest skies in Europe at night, and by cyclists who want to tackle one of the most challenging cycling climbs in the province of Almería.

Currently, the municipal road connecting the Calar Alto Astronomical Observatory to the A-1178 regional highway is in a poor state of repair, with a badly deteriorated surface, a winding layout adapted to the terrain, and a narrow carriageway that poses difficulties for traffic flow and road safety.

Technical Details and Implementation of the Road Improvement Project
The project involves resurfacing the road to address these deficiencies and adapt the infrastructure to the current volume of traffic. The work will be carried out on a section 4,145 meters long and 5.70 meters wide.

The technical intervention will consist of applying a pre-treatment with asphalt emulsion to the existing pavement, followed by the application of a 5-centimeter layer of hot-mix asphalt. With this action, the Provincial Council will not only provide the area with an optimal and durable surface, but will also guarantee a substantial improvement in traffic flow and road safety on this strategic access road.
Source: Diario de Almeria in English using Google Translate

07/07/2026

Me this morning. Millie doth circle a lot.

03/07/2026

Chris Froome has called time on an incredible career.

Four Tour de France victories. Seven Grand Tour wins. One of the greatest stage racers the sport has ever seen.

His horrific crashes could have ended far more than his career, yet he kept fighting his way back every single time. He may never have reached those same heights again, but the resilience he showed deserves as much respect as the yellow jerseys.

Love him or question the era he raced in, you can’t deny his impact on professional cycling.

Thanks for the memories, Froomey. Enjoy the next ride. 🚴💛

02/07/2026

I´m still waiting for results of my scan. Should know more on 14/7.

Hopefully back on the bike.

01/07/2026

getting excited now for the start of the TDF on Saturday. Is Tadej Pogačar gonna win it for a 5 time or has Jonas Vingegaard finally got over all his terrible injuries. What about Remco Evenepoel?

Its going to be a hot one.

30/06/2026

53 days to the start in Monaco of La Vuelta 26 and 65 days till stage 12, the stage I’m really looking forward too.

Keeps your eyes open for the Velo Velefique motor home on the slopes of Alto de Velfique.

Should I go fancy dress or stick with VV kit.?

Let me know.