ANDALUCIA BIKE RACE - Mountain bike race
by Chris Chaplow
26th February - 2nd March 2024
(Confirmed by the organisers)
The Andalucía Bike Race is a cross-country mountain bike race which takes place in February each year. The race lasts five or six days and is usually held in and around the Andalucian cities of Cordoba and Jaen; the first edition took place in 2011. Each stage takes between one and a half and three and a half hours to complete.
The first six editions of the competition were carried out in pairs, in which both members rode together. For the sixth edition in 2017, a more mainstream format of individual winners and larger teams is being introduced. The event was created and largely funded by the regional government and Cordoba and Jaen town halls (up to 2016), making it a highly attractive race for international amateur riders to take part. In 2017, 800 riders of 27 (2016 was 33) nationalities competed in the race. The 2021 edition took place from 21 to 25 April due to uncertainty of Coronavirus restritions in February.
The Andalucía Bike Race was sponsored by Japanese bike manufacturer Shimano in the 2016 to 2019 editions. Total prize money is about 20,000 €. since Covid GARMIN have been the race name sponsors.
The calibre of entrants is shown by the fact that 15 of the olympians competing in the cross-country mountain biking event at Rio de Janeiro had competed in the Andalucia Bike Race, including the entire Spanish Olympic Mountain-biking Team.
Taking Part
If you are interested in taking part in this event, registration is opened on July in and closes February 16th 2024. It is limited to 800 riders (400 pairs). Registration cost is 800€ per pair (men, women or mixed) teams. Registration is made on the race website www.andaluciabikerace.com. You will need a competition cycling licence (annual or temporary) approved by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and issued by a national cycling federation. You must also have a written authorisation from your national cycling federation certifying that their insurance is valid in Spain. An alternative option is to simply buy a temporary license from the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) for the six days of competition for about 60 €. If you are taking part please contact us (link bottom left this page) so that we can highlight your progress on Social Media.
Andalucía Bike Race 2024
The first stage of the Andalucia Bike Race will take place in Bedmar, and there will be a time trial on the last day in Cordoba city.
The opening day commences in the village of Bedmar on February 26 starting with a long hard climb.
The second day features Jaen. Heading in the direction of Pegalajar, cyclists will climb the Mirador de las Siete Pilillas to enjoy several trails before heading towards Mancha Real. The return is to Pegalajar via La Guardia de Jaén. Not for its mileage, but for its physical and technical demand, this second day is designed as the queen stage.
At the halfway point of the race will arrive in Jaén just on the Day of Andalusia to enjoy a short stage in the area of El Neveral. Endless trails, with some new additions that will allow riders to finish the stage early . In the afternoon the camp moves to Cordoba.
The village of Villafranca de Córdoba has become almost a fixed part of the race, thanks to the routes and the possibilities it offers. This time, the stage will finish in Villafranca, but Adamuz will be part of the route.
The main day in the area of Cordoba is long with just over 80 kilometers and almost 2,000 meters of elevation gain. Riders will leave in the direction of El Reventón, uphill, to look for the Torre de las Siete Esquinas and pass through the urbanization El Cruce. Riders will climb an ascent to Santa María de Trasierra and follow the trails in Santo Domingo to end in La Asomadilla.
On the last day the great novelty of this year is a time trial around Santo Domingo and La Palomera. With hardly any tracks it will leave riders with the feeling of having done real mountain biking.
Past Editions
Andalucía Bike Race 2022
by Alex Cutts
21st ot 26th February 2022 saw the return of the annual Andalucia Bike Race, spanning from Jaen to Cordoba. The 12th edition of the race took place from 21 to 26 February with entrants, covering five stages over the course of the race. Martin Stosek and current world champion, Andreas Seewald, were crowned winners of the 358km race
The first stage of the race, also known as the ‘Flash Stage’, covers a 61.7km track across Jaen. On this route, racers climbed to “El Pincho”, a peak that hadn’t been scaled in 2021’s eleventh edition, only making the route more demanding.
The second stage, which began on Tuesday 22nd February, of 64km began and finished at Jaen’s Olivo Arena.
Stage three, the halfway point, ranges almost 70km and passes through the town of Andujar.
The 30km stage four route features a fast circuit in Villafranca de Cordoba, beginning and ending at the fairgrounds.
The Fifth and final stage covers more than 80 kilometers of track, the longest route on the race.
This year’s race, sponsored by Garmin, saw 73% of entrants complete the race as finishers.
Plans are already in place to prepare for the Andalucia Bike Race 2023. No dates announced yet.
Andalucía Bike Race 2021
Andalucía Bike Race held its eleventh edition from 20 to 25 April 2021. The important national mountain bike stage race was held later than the usual end February dates due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
International Cycling Union (UCI) had chosen Andalucía Bike Race as one of the 8 world competitions to be part of the new Marathon Circuit, called UCI MTB Marathon Series.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) recognises the Andalucía Bike Race at as the most important mountain biking stage race in Spain and the only one in Europe, reaching the Hors Catégorie (SHC) in 2020 in 2021 awarding it a place in the UCI MTB Marathon Series.
2021 Andalucía Bike Race returned to pairs formal after changing its format to individual in 2017. As always it was in six daily stages, incorporating a time trial and five marathon stages routed through provinces of Jaén and Córdoba. It is open national and international Mountain Bike Elite and amateur Mountain Bikers. Since the third edition thare have been about 700 registered participants of whom 30% are international.
A new mixed category was incorporated in 2021 (woman and man) in addition to the Male and female elite, male Master 30, 40 and 50 and female Master categories.
2021 Andalucía Bike Race has been sponsored by Caja Rural Jaén since the 2020 edition.
Andalucía Bike Race 2020
The tenth edition took place from 25th February in 1st March 2020, luckily just two weeks before the Coronavirus lockdown in Spain. Here is a PDF review of the 2020 edition.
Andalucía Bike Race 2019
The Andalucía Bike Race 2019 (9th edition) took place 8 April - 13 April 2019. The 380km course was divided into six stages with a departure from Linares in Jaén province again and a final in Córdoba city. It took place a month later than usual. All the races have a circular route and start and finish in the same town, but a different town each day.
The first flash stage on Monday 8th, the start was an individual time trail. 38 km time trail around the mining area of Linares.
The second stage on Tuesday 9th of 75 km the riders left Linares together heading to the Rumblar reservoir and the village of Baños de la Encina.
The third stage on Wed 10th of 70 km with a started and finished in Andújar including the climb to the top of the Virgen de la Cabeza.
The shorter fourth stage on Thursday 11th of 54 km with a start and finish is Villafrance de Cordoba.
The longer fifth stage on Friday 12th of 87 km around the countryside to the north and west of Córdoba city , including the climb of Los Mirabuenos.
The sixth and final stage on Saturday 13th of 57 km is closer to the centre of Cordoba next to the canal del Guadalmellato and climb the Canchuelapara and pass through Trasierra, Las Jaras and Los Morales finishing at Santo Domingo.
The race continues in individual format. Entrance costing 450€ closed in February. All 800 places were subscribed. Rules in English the prize money for the stage winners on the UCI Elite men is 200€ and for the final is 1.000€.
Andalucía Bike Race 2018
The Andalucía Bike Race 2018 (8th edition) was 412km in total divided into six stages with a departure from Linares in Jaén province and a final in Córdoba city. It took place from Sunday 25th February to Friday 2nd March.
The first stage was a 43km time trail around the mining area of Linares.
The second stage of 70km was from Linares to Baños de la Encina, following the Rumblar reservoir.
The third stage of 63km with a start and finish from Andújar including the climb to the top of the Virgen de la Cabeza.
The fourth stage, the longest at 93km, on 'Andalucia Day' bank holiday (Wednesday) was in the Sierra de Córdoba: climbing the Reventón, Trasierra, and descending by Monte Cobre, climbing Santa María de Trasierra and decending into Cordoba.
The fifth stage of 71km was around Villaviciosa de Córdoba, including the climb of Los Mirabuenos.
The sixth and final stage of 70km was in the centre of Cordoba next to the canal del Guadalmellato and climb the Canchuelapara and pass through Trasierra, Las Jaras and Los Morales finishing at Santo Domingo.
For second time this race will be in individual format. Entrance cost 450€ was open until 18th January 2018 or until all 800 places are subscribed.
Andalucia Bike Race 2017
Andalucia Bike Race 2017 took place from 26 February to 3 March 2017, with six stages. In 2017 the two-person team event had been discarded as the race evolves into a more mainstream event. The winner was Tiago Ferreira of Portugal with a total time of 15hr 29min 57sec of the main prize for the individual competitors. There was a prize for the first and second combined time in a race team.
The race will began with a time trial in Villafranca de Córdoba, while the second and third stages took place in Córdoba. The third stage, on Tuesday 28th of February, attracted large numbers of spectators, since it coincided with the Day of Andalusia holiday and the weather was beautiful. The fourth stage, transition day, was hosted in Andújar, and the fifth and sixth stage started and finished in Linares.
The first five editions of the Andalucía Bike Race had teams of two split into four categories: Elite Men (two men aged over 19 years), Elite Women (two women aged over 19 years), Mixed (man and woman aged over 19 years) and Masters (two men aged 30 years or older).
Andalucia Bike Race 2016
This took place from 21 - 26 February 2016, with six stages through the provinces of Córdoba and Jaén: Stage 1 was around Martos, Stage 2 around Jaen, Stage 3 around Andujar, and the last three stages were around Cordoba. Each stage was between 50 - 90 km and with a climb of between 1,000 - 2,000 metres. The winners of the Men's Elite race were Portuguese rider Tiago Ferreira and Periklis Ilias of Greece.
Andalucia Bike Race 2015
This was held from 22 - 27 February 2015, with six stages. It was won by the Austrian Alban Lakata and Czech Kristian Hynec.
Andalucia Bike Race 2014
The dates were 22 - 28 February 2014, with six stages. Stages 1 and 2 were around Jaen city, Stage 3 around Andujar, and Stages 4, 5, and 6 were in the rolling hills around Córdoba city, starting and finishing at the university campus outside the city. More information from the official race website www.andaluciabikerace.com Jochen Käss and Markus Kaufmann of @centurionvaude won the Elite Men's race.
Andalucia Bike Race 2013
From 24 February to 1 March 2013 - the Men's Elite race winning team was Topeak Ergon, comprising of former world champion Alban Lakata from Austria and his German teammate Robert Mennen, with a total time of 14 hours, 6 minutes and 47 seconds.
Andalucía Bike Race 2012
From 26 February to 2 March 2012 in the provinces of Córdoba and Jaén. More>
Andalucia Bike Race 2011
From 27 February to 5 March. It was a soft launch proof of concept event with 48 teams taking part.
