Cycling Holidays: Cycling Holiday Spain

We asked Nozard at CHS for his top 10 reasons why he thinks (we do to) Cycling Holiday Spain are the number one training retreat in Spain and why it should be on your bucket list for your next cycling holiday!

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Cycling Holidays: Cycling Holiday Spain

No.1 – Location
This region of the Costa Blanca including Calpe and surrounding areas has been used as a training base for a huge percentage of the pro peloton, with Team Dimension Data, Trek-Segafredo, Team Sky and Sunweb to name a few setting up camp there including many British pro teams.

Why CHS is great for it’s visitors is because it is located in the mountains with really close access to some of the best climbs in the area and away from the busy national roads where the hotels are based.

The area boasts an incredible 325 sunny days a year. Cyclists tend to visit in the months between September and when maximum temperatures are around 16°C to 25°C. The months from June to September can reach 30° quite easily.

Then, of course, there are the climbs. Many of these are fairly steady, from five to six per cent in average gradient and anything from six to 15 kilometres long. These lend themselves perfectly to training efforts at and around functional threshold power.

These also allow for a little energy left in the legs for sprint efforts over the brow, which is perfect even for amateur teams practicing lead outs ahead of the season proper.

There’s also some steep climbs which can be used as launch pads for some high torque efforts, if you’ve got the legs. Examples include the 4km Cumbre del Sol which – depending which way you climb it – averages around 10 per cent and includes ramps of over 20 per cent.

In 2015, the climb enlivened the Vuelta a España as Tom Dumoulin went on to take the win whilst riders behind cracked on the slopes. Then, in 2017 it was Chris Froome who was best over the ramps.

No.2 – Set up and Facilities
Imagine a cycling retreat where all you have to think about from the moment you arrive until the day of departure is riding your bike, eating well and relaxing in style. Well, CHS has it all taken care of. It’s no wonder we were featured in Cyclist magazine as a premium ‘goto’ training and cycling retreat that needs to be on your bucket list.

Set high up in the Marina Alta mountains with panoramic views of the Sierra Bernia, our retreat has been designed to provide you with the ultimate cycling experience and the very best in post ride relaxation

We have an incredible set up with awesome facilities
– 12 person wood burning authentic Finish sauna
– 6 person hot Jacuzzi
– Huge fully equipped 130 m2 gym with turbos and free weights. Also, an exterior gym overlooking impressive mountain views dedicated to calisthenics
– Cinema room with 80 inch smart TV
– Games room with Brunswick top of the range American 9 ball pool table
– Tennis and Basketball courts
– Swimming pool with breath taking views
– Bike work room
– Beautiful gardens with various fruit trees
And much much more. It is dedicated to providing the best in Cycling retreats with CHS raising the bar..

No.3 – Food and Nutrition
The food at CHS is homemade, healthy, tasty and there is plenty of it. We know how important good food is for you guys. At CHS, all the food is sourced locally and we use organic as much as we can.

Jubi cooks everything up from scratch ensuring you get the freshest healthiest meals. Huge breakfasts from cereals to poached eggs and more. Freshly squeezed juices. Post ride CHS recovery shakes. Post ride lunches and fantastic 3 course evening meals. Only the best at CHS!

No.4 – Daily Post Ride Massage
We all love a good massage for many reasons and the benefits to cyclists and athletes are well known. So if you like massages, come to CHS and get one free every day after your ride. Now, that’s too good to miss!

No.5 – Car support and Guided riding
We support you here at CHS just like the pro teams do. Full vehicle support and guided riding where we carry spares, tools and nutrition. We take away any stress from your ride and are there to help when needed. We don’t let mechanicals stop you from having an epic day on the bike ☺ We also get the best shots and video of you creating amazing memories!

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No.6 – The CHS Spa and Relaxation Zone
After a fantastic day on the bike and a soothing massage, what better way to unwind than using the outdoor spa at CHS. A bespoke 12 person wood burning Finnish sauna where you can heat up tired legs and relax with incredible mountain views.

How about spending time in the Jacuzzi surrounded by stunning sea and mountain views nestled in a peaceful location at the retreat with flowers and colours around you. Take a deep plunge in the swimming pool to cool off after a hot sauna or just to float away aches and pains.

The spa at CHS is a unique experience set in beautiful surrounding and is something we all look forward to. Come and try it for yourself.

No.7 – Cinema & Movie Nights!
After a day on the bike, massage, sauna, Jacuzzi and a three course evening meal, we get the movies going down in the cinema! We got chocolate, cakes, popcorn, ice-cream and drinks! What’s your favourite movie and we will put it on the big screen!

No.8 – Pristine roads with perfect climbs, swooping descents, incredible views and no cars!
Ever wondered what mainland Spain is like for riding a bike. Well, this area is home to almost every single pro team set up during their winter training. Endless miles of smooth tarmac in just perfect condition.

We often ride 120 km with 2000 meters of climbing easily and we see a handful of cars. It’s incredible here. Perfect climbs betweeen 5 and 8 percent on average with the fun 18% ramps thrown in from time to time.

How about the Cumbre Del Sol featured on stage 9 of La Vuelta Espana with epic battles between Froome and Tom up a finishing climb 3 km at nearly 20 percent.

We have it all here. It’s no wonder the pros base themselves here and La Vuelta comes by our door step at least every other year. Simply put this region of Spain has the best riding available!

No.9 – Beautiful beaches waterfall, castles and an incredible environment to explore
We are so lucky here at CHS to be surrounded by fabulous beaches, amazing waterfalls and a stunning environment. On rest days we hit the beach for a dip and relax at one of the many lovely beachside cafes.

A popular night out is to the beautiful town of Altea to El Castels for a pizza or one of the other great restaurants. The waterfalls have to be visited and the water is so cold but refreshing! So much to do it’s hard to decide!

Guadalest is a great climb, but it is also an enchanting mountain village with lots of attractions, shops and things to see! Come along and take a look yourself!

No.10! – The Nawras bros and CHS crew ☺
The crew here at CHS. Run by the Nawras bothers, Nozad and Jubi, with help from Diana the masseuse and of course Suarez and Mo, the Spanish water dogs!

We take pride in our work and training retreat and love what we do. Nothing is too much for us and we will always go the extra mile to make your trip with us special and packed with great fun, great service to make it your most memorable cycling trip .

We put 100% passion into running CHS and with returning clients season after season, we believe we have made CHS something very special. Come along and find out why we have an awesome reputation.

Some say we are bonkers and that’s all good! We don’t do things in half measures; we ride hard, train hard, and run CHS harder!

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