Quebrantahuesos - now that's a sportive!
The Other McHoy
Posts: 161
Just back from the Pyrenees where I rode the Quebrantahusesos sportive - what an event! This has to be among the world's best, it is so well organised and if you are looking for an alternative to the etape or the Marmotte I can't recommend it highly enough.
It is now in its 18th year and the organisers clearly know what they are doing. 8000 riders, 205 kms with 3500 metres of climbing in Spain and in France.
I did it with a group of friends and we were blown away by the scale of it as well as the atmosphere. There is a mass start but the road is so wide we passed through the starting point within 2-3 minutes. There is then 40 kms of really fast riding on the flat before Somport, the first climb. This is followed at the 100km mark by the legendary Marie Blanque and then by the 29 kms climb up Portalet and back into Spain.
When you pass through the summit on the Portalet you can hardly see the road due to the number of well wishers cheering you on - it is like a scene straight from Le Tour, absolutely magic. Despite the very hot weather (35 degrees), a few of us managed gold which varies to account for age categories.
Did anyone else do it? What did you think?
It is now in its 18th year and the organisers clearly know what they are doing. 8000 riders, 205 kms with 3500 metres of climbing in Spain and in France.
I did it with a group of friends and we were blown away by the scale of it as well as the atmosphere. There is a mass start but the road is so wide we passed through the starting point within 2-3 minutes. There is then 40 kms of really fast riding on the flat before Somport, the first climb. This is followed at the 100km mark by the legendary Marie Blanque and then by the 29 kms climb up Portalet and back into Spain.
When you pass through the summit on the Portalet you can hardly see the road due to the number of well wishers cheering you on - it is like a scene straight from Le Tour, absolutely magic. Despite the very hot weather (35 degrees), a few of us managed gold which varies to account for age categories.
Did anyone else do it? What did you think?
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Haven't heard of it before but it sounds like fun. Congrats!0
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Another one for the pronunciation thread on cakestop.
Not heard of it either but thanks for the report and well done on your day.Where the neon madmen climb0 -
Did it last year - I can only echo the comments, its the greatest day out on a bike anybody could wish for and if theres a better cyclosportive in the world then please somebody name it but frankly I don't think its possible...lets see.
30 odd euros gets you:-
#event entry
#jersey
#medal
#certificate
#as much food as you want along the way
#as much pasta as you can eat at the end
#as much san miguel as you dare drink - the taps at the bar face ouward for you to use!!!
#email bulletins is Spanish for the next 300 years (ok this isn't so great but its certainly funny, My Quebrantahuesos xmas card arrived in March this year:D)
The scenery is stunning - the Portalet climb is one of the most beautiful in the Pyrennees and the closed roads is a great committment to riders safety. The legions of French and Spanish who turn out to cheer you on really make you feel special too. I'll definitely do it again in a few years time.
I've done the marmotte twice and as an experience it dicks all over that.\'You Come At the King,You Best Not Miss\'0 -
I did this one,, seems to be a closely guarded secret very much a Spanish affair, I can see why. a few French riders but very little english or other wise heard within the bunch. Even tho its a full UCI Golden bike event 205 km The best climbing exprience Ive ever had Col du Somport, Maria Blanc and then The Portalet Just incredible
I have to agree with you this was THE BEST a fantastic event,, The feelings you get on approching the tops of the climbs with the local supporters crowding the road does make you feel as if you are riding the Tour !
The event was faultless, closed roads with perfect tarmac,, Mechanical support endless feed stations. jersey, Diploma and plenty of free San Miguel. I was never without somebody to ride with throughout the whole event, and the encouragment i had from the spanish riders once they realized I was a Brit was great
(must have been my white legs that gave it away ?)
I didnt really know what to expect and hadnt heard about this one before. (The world is obsessed with the Etape :?: ) I booked with CicloCostaBlanca.com and can only say that they did a perfect job in looking after us all. Training rides, hotel, Staff were all great.
Ill be having another go next year,, By the way there didnt seem to be an cut off times either another plus piont0 -
I remember C+ or Cycling Weekly featuring an article on the event a few years back. What particularly stuck in my mind (other than the fact that I'd like to ride it one day) was the name “Quebrantahuesos” the Spanish name for the bearded vulture, literally, “the bone breaker” :shock: !0
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ricadus wrote:www.quebrantahuesos.com
I think the 'unlimited' beer at the finish clinches it for me.
Ice cold it was too! Perfect to wash down the tuna and pasta. There was also a big area set aside for free massage and stretching. I had two girls working on me - one for each leg, I kid you not.
As noted above, the vast majority of participants were Spanish - it is def. their biggest Sportive of the year. I was told that in previous years it didn't sell out for several weeks but this year it only took 48 hours which caught out loads of regular participants - even amongst the club that organises it.
One interesting story post event is the guy who came in second, and gave press interviews and collected his trophy, was found out to be racing under someone else's name and got disqualified - idiot! 5hrs 50 mins of flat out racing for 205 kms in the mountains for nothing.0 -
Anyone any idea when 09 entry opens?
I've looked at the website and can't find any indication.0 -
I like the sound of this one - looked at it before and plumped for the Ariegoise instead but now .... went looking and found very little info about dates/map and so on.
Has anyone got the basics - or is there a site somewhere I've overlooked. Help appreciated.0 -
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Remebmer reading about this last year. Very keen to do it in 09! is it the same route every year and are all the logistics easily sorted - accom at this years Etape was a nightmare to source, found a lovely place but it needed a 1 our drive to the start and from the finish. Let alone getting out of the car park at the end!
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i did this one this year 2008 was the best days cycling id ever had 8 hrs 4 mins ..on the top of the portlet was just like tour d france ...and it was so well organised .....you will have to be on the ball to get an entry .i only got in cos i have UCI membership ....i had 4 Glasses of San Miguel at the ned did my head in .....just do it if you can
Derek :shock:0 -
Just found out some info on the Quebrantahuesos 2009. It's on Saturday 20th June and registration opens at 10am on Monday 16th February.0
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The Golden Bike events are all pretty good. My mate did the Ariegoise a couple of years ago - killer route and red wine at the finish. I've done the Tour of Flanders - ditto, Belgian beer.
Maybe this is what the British sportive organisers are lacking. After the Etape du Dales, riders need a pint of Tetley, not a cup of tea and a slice of cake.0 -
Thanks very much for this info. I can diarise and then breathe easily.Art Vandelay wrote:Just found out some info on the Quebrantahuesos 2009. It's on Saturday 20th June and registration opens at 10am on Monday 16th February.0 -
De nada!0
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Its one thing geting an entry .....but geting a hotel is another id book one now if you can we stayed at the Hotel Santa Cristina at Canfranc It was wonderfull the breakfast was something special
Derek :shock:0 -
stjohnswell wrote:
Also check out the Quebrantahuesos Recon DVD from Cyclefilm:
Quebrantahuesos Ride & Route Reconnaissance
There's a Preview Trailer on VEOH:
Quebrantahuesos Trailer0 -
Dammit why is it so early in the year! Anyone able to recommend a good Euro sportive that runs in September? Grrr was very keen to enter this one.
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Hmmm, Tour of Lombardy is October, but it's supposed to be excellent.Le Blaireau (1)0
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Thanks very much for this info. I can diarise and then breathe easily.[/quoteRedGreenBaron wrote:Art Vandelay wrote:Just found out some info on the Quebrantahuesos 2009. It's on Saturday 20th June and registration opens at 10am on Monday 16th February.
We're doing it this year as part of a week in Spain. We're spending half of the week in Denia riding in the Marina Alta mountains to get aclimatized (and hopefully get a bit of colour) then going up to Jaca for the second half of the week. We're doing this with Ciclo Costa Blanca (www.ciclocostablanca.com) who take care of the entries, accommodation, airport transfers etc. As has been pointed out, accommodation is booked up long before the registration has been opened. We were told that many of the Spanish riders book their hotel for the following year while doing that year's event. The town where it starts, Sabinañigo, has waiting lists at the hotels and it's nigh on impossible to get in there. Jaca is only around 12 mles away and much bigger. Huesca is another option.
Having done it before I'm keen to make it an annual event. It's too good to miss.0 -
Can anyone recommend accommodation for the Quebrantahuesos? Up to 4 of us plan to go but we're trying to do it independently.0
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Art Vandelay wrote:Can anyone recommend accommodation for the Quebrantahuesos? Up to 4 of us plan to go but we're trying to do it independently.
If you go the Quebrantahuesos web site you will find a link that lists accommodation. Look up hotels in Jaca or Huesca for best options. You will need transport though on the morning of the event or be prepared to cycle to the start in the dark along with 1000s of cars heading in the same direction. Our organisers (ciclocostablanca) had us parked and at the start line about an hour before the start - there were already loads of people in front of us but we did beat the traffic jams that build up coming in from all over Spain.0 -
How does the QBH compare wth either this or last year's Etape?
Done both but keen to find something a little less filled with mid life crisis Brits and that's not overrun by tour companies who charge a great deal for not much.
+ would defo recommend Ciclo Costa Blanca on the basis of a training camp there last year - roads as good as Mallorca, slightly less traffic and nothing was too much trouble for the owners/organisers, John and Terry.0 -
londonbfg32 wrote:How does the QBH compare wth either this or last year's Etape?
Done both but keen to find something a little less filled with mid life crisis Brits and that's not overrun by tour companies who charge a great deal for not much.
+ would defo recommend Ciclo Costa Blanca on the basis of a training camp there last year - roads as good as Mallorca, slightly less traffic and nothing was too much trouble for the owners/organisers, John and Terry.
The etape, like winter training in Majorca, seems to have an iron grip on the imagination of most Brits - many just can't see beyond them even when there is much more out there to experience. I guess the only way to compare the two is to ride QBH and judge for yourself. There are very few Brits in evidence and even fewer tour operators. Instead it is mostly Spanish club riders who treat it as an annual pilgrimage. That's not so say they don' take it seriously though - plenty of top amateurs use it as a race and the average speed for the winner is normally just under 40 kmph for 205 kms. If the etape has a route that really appeals to you then it makes sense to consider it - but I don't think you'll be disappointed in any aspect of QBH. Another attraction is that they have another Sportive on the same day that is half the distance called Tres Pariscos, my wife is going to give that a go this year wich means we can both go and enjoy the occasion and both have a great ride n the Pyrenees.0 -
Art Vandelay wrote:Can anyone recommend accommodation for the Quebrantahuesos? Up to 4 of us plan to go but we're trying to do it independently.
Al - I think its going to be more than 4 now.... lets play it by ear though. I have no idea about getting acclimatised - perhaps we should make the trip last two weeks! 0 -
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This is great - we've virtually got a whole team now 8)
We can ride Through and off up the Portalet 0 -
Chaps, does anyone know anything about the message that's been posted on their website?
Here is the english translation:for all those who have entries in the lottery quebrantahuesos with the number 34820 and due to a confusion in the administration of lottery we inform you that the new number with which body shall in the draw for the Christmas on 22 december 2008 is 37178
So obvious questions - What lottery, should we be in it, and should I be worried?
Good stuff, so does that put us back up to 4 for the journey, and if so does that change our travel plans? Phips, need to get on our email group.
The long grazed legged one0 -
The emu wrote:for all those who have entries in the lottery quebrantahuesos with the number 34820 and due to a confusion in the administration of lottery we inform you that the new number with which body shall in the draw for the Christmas on 22 december 2008 is 37178
So obvious questions - What lottery, should we be in it, and should I be worried?
Wilf - saw that as well - No idea what it means :?0
