Aitana Tour 2027: Cycling Holiday Experience with elitecycling
Ride the mountains, prepare with an experienced cycling coach and experience the Aitana Tour with Elitecycling, based in Albir on the Costa Blanca.
The Costa Blanca has become one of Europe's favourite destinations for road cyclists, and it's easy to understand why. Quiet inland roads, challenging mountain climbs, spectacular scenery and a fantastic climate make this part of Spain an outstanding place to ride.
On Saturday 29 May 2027, Aitana Tour offers riders the opportunity to experience the region through an organised cycling event, with two distances to choose from: 165km and 100km.
At Elitecycling, we're offering more than just a place to stay and an event entry. We're bringing together our coaching experience, our local knowledge and our established Costa Blanca cycling holidays to create an experience that allows you to concentrate on what matters: preparing for the challenge, enjoying the roads and making the most of your time in Spain.
I'm Paul Mill, founder and head coach at Elitecycling. Having spent years coaching cyclists of different abilities, including my experience as head coach at Team Wiggins, I know that getting the most from a cycling event involves much more than turning up on the start line. Preparation, pacing, nutrition and confidence all play an important part.
We also have a real advantage when it comes to the destination. Our regular cycling holidays are based at Albir Playa Hotel & Spa in Albir, so we know the surrounding roads, climbs and local area extremely well.
If you're considering the Aitana Tour as your cycling goal for 2027, here's what you need to know about the event, preparing for the challenge and joining us for the complete experience.
What is the Aitana Tour 2027?
The Aitana Tour takes place on Saturday 29 May 2027 in the mountains of Alicante, bringing together cyclists who want to experience the challenging terrain and spectacular scenery of the Costa Blanca.
There are two distances available, allowing you to choose a challenge that suits your experience, fitness and ambitions.
The Gran Fondo: 165km
The longer distance is ideal for riders who want to test their endurance over a substantial day in the mountains. You'll need to manage your effort carefully, fuel consistently and approach the climbs with a sensible strategy.
The Medio Fondo: 100km
The shorter option provides an excellent challenge for riders who want to experience the event without committing to the longer distance. A shorter route doesn't mean an easy day, particularly when you're riding in mountainous terrain.
Both options offer a fantastic opportunity to experience the Costa Blanca on closed-event roads where applicable, surrounded by fellow riders and the atmosphere of an organised cycling event. Check the organiser's official information for the final route and road arrangements.
The most important decision is to choose the distance that matches your current ability and the time you have available to prepare.
You can find the official event information at the Aitana Tour website.
Discover the Costa Blanca's famous cycling roads
One of the things I enjoy most about organising cycling holidays here is the variety of riding available. Within a relatively small area, you can move from the Mediterranean coastline to quiet inland villages before heading into the mountains.
The climbs offer very different challenges, and understanding how to manage them is an important part of getting the most from your ride.
Puerto de Tudons
Tudons is a substantial mountain climb and the sort of ascent where pacing matters. The temptation can be to push hard while your legs are fresh, but a long event requires you to think beyond the next few kilometres.
My advice is to find a sustainable effort and keep something in reserve. You want to reach the top feeling that you've worked steadily, rather than having used up valuable energy that you'll need later.
Puerto de Confrides
Confrides offers another opportunity to test your climbing ability. Changes in gradient require you to adjust your effort while maintaining a rhythm that you can sustain.
This is where structured training can make a real difference. Producing a high power output for a short period is one thing; repeating controlled efforts over several hours is another.
Coll de Rates
Coll de Rates is one of the best-known climbs in the Costa Blanca and a favourite with visiting cyclists and professional riders training in the region.
It's also a climb we know particularly well through our regular holidays based in Albir.
As part of our Aitana Tour experience, we'll take you out to discover Coll de Rates on Thursday 27 May, giving you the opportunity to experience one of the area's signature climbs before event day
This is a great way to familiarise yourself with the local terrain, enjoy the scenery and get into the rhythm of riding in Spain without the pressure of the event itself.
Puerto de Sa Creueta
Exclusive to the 165km Gran Fondo, Puerto de Sa Creueta is a significant challenge, climbing 12.5km with 624 metres of elevation gain and gradients reaching 14%. The climb winds through the beautiful Vall de Tárbena and demands careful pacing, particularly after the earlier climbs. From a coaching perspective, managing your effort and nutrition is crucial here. It is not just about how much power you can produce, but how well you have conserved your energy for the final challenges of the day.
Enjoy the wider region
The attraction of the Costa Blanca goes beyond individual climbs. You can enjoy quiet mountain roads, traditional Spanish villages and long descents with views across the surrounding countryside.
Our experience of riding in this area means we can help you make the most of your time here, rather than simply following a route without understanding the roads around you.
For me, that's an important part of a good cycling holiday: the riding should challenge you, but it should also be an experience you remember for all the right reasons.
How should you prepare for the Aitana Tour?
As a cycling coach, this is the part I consider particularly important.
You don't need to be a professional cyclist to enjoy the Aitana Tour, but you do need to prepare appropriately for the distance you choose. A 165km event places considerable demands on your endurance, muscular stamina and ability to maintain a consistent effort over several hours. The 100km route should not be underestimated either.
Here are five areas I'd concentrate on in the weeks leading up to the event.
1. Build your endurance
Longer rides should form part of your preparation, allowing you to develop the aerobic fitness needed to keep riding comfortably as the hours pass.
Build your training progressively rather than suddenly increasing your mileage in the final few weeks. Consistency is far more valuable than trying to make up for missed training at the last minute.
2. Train for sustained climbing
Climbing well isn't just about having a high maximum power output. You need to maintain a repeatable effort while keeping your cadence and breathing under control.
Include sustained efforts on hills or suitable indoor training sessions, matching the intensity to your current fitness and experience.
3. Practise your pacing
One of the most common mistakes I see is riders getting carried away early in an event. They feel good, push harder than planned and then struggle when the real work begins.
Use your training to understand your sustainable power or heart-rate zones. On event day, be particularly disciplined on the opening climbs.
4. Get your nutrition right
You can't expect your body to perform well over several hours without adequate fuel.
Practise your event-day nutrition during training, including your carbohydrate intake and hydration. Don't leave it until the event itself to discover what works for you.
5. Make sure your bike is ready
Check your tyres, brakes, drivetrain and gearing well before travelling. For a mountainous event, suitable climbing gears can make a considerable difference to comfort and fatigue management.
If you're unsure whether your current setup is appropriate, get it checked before you leave home.
Train with Elitecycling before you travel
One of the biggest advantages of joining us for the Aitana Tour is that your preparation doesn't have to start when you arrive in Spain.
I always encourage riders to build their fitness progressively and arrive at an event feeling prepared, rather than trying to squeeze in extra training at the last minute.
That's why I'd encourage you to join me on Turbo Beat with VQ Velocity, where I coach live indoor cycling sessions using power, heart rate and cadence to help you get more from your training.
With live coaching and performance data, indoor training becomes more purposeful. Rather than simply turning the pedals, you can work towards specific training objectives and learn to control your effort. It's an opportunity to train with me before the event, develop your fitness and become more confident in managing your intensity.
Alternatively, from January 2027, we'll be introducing a new series of my pre-recorded cycling training sessions, available to purchase and complete in your own time.
These sessions will offer another practical way to prepare for the Aitana Tour, whether you're training indoors during the winter, fitting your cycling around a busy working week or looking for more structure in your training.
You don't need to spend every day on the bike to improve, but you do need to train with a purpose. Developing your endurance, improving your ability to sustain an effort on climbs and understanding how your body responds to different intensities will all help you get more from your experience in Spain.
My aim is to help you arrive at the start line with confidence, knowing you've put the work in and are ready to enjoy the challenge.
Start preparing with Elitecycling before you arrive in Albir. Explore our Turbo Beat with VQ Velocity coaching and look out for the new pre-recorded training series launching in January 2027. The relevant training links can be updated here as the new series becomes available.
Why choose Elitecycling for the Aitana Tour?
This is where our experience of the Costa Blanca really makes a difference.
Elitecycling has been running cycling holidays from Albir for many years, working in partnership with Albir Playa Hotel & Spa. We know the surrounding roads, the mountain routes, the local facilities and the practicalities of organising a successful cycling trip.
Albir provides an excellent base for exploring this part of Spain. You can enjoy the mountain scenery and challenging rides while staying in a welcoming coastal location with restaurants, shops and places to relax after a day on the bike.
Many visiting cyclists naturally look towards Calpe when planning a Costa Blanca cycling holiday. However, our base in Albir puts us in a fantastic position to explore the wider region, including the roads around Altea, Coll de Rates and the inland mountains.
We know the area because we ride here and bring groups here regularly. That local experience matters when you're organising an event trip, particularly when you want to balance preparation, recovery and enjoyment.
For the Aitana Tour, we're bringing that knowledge together with our coaching experience and the practical arrangements needed to make the trip straightforward.
Your Aitana Tour itinerary: 26–30 May 2027
Wednesday 26 May: Arrival and an easy leg stretch
Arrive at Albir Playa Hotel & Spa, settle in and enjoy a relaxed introductory ride. The aim is to loosen the legs after travelling without adding unnecessary fatigue.
Thursday 27 May: Discover Coll de Rates
We'll head out to ride Coll de Rates, giving you the opportunity to experience this famous local climb and enjoy the surrounding roads. It's an ideal way to get a feel for the terrain before the event.
Friday 28 May: Easy ride and event strategy
We'll organise an easy leg-stretch ride, keeping the effort comfortable and avoiding anything that could compromise your performance the following day.
On Friday evening, I'll give a strategic talk covering event preparation, pacing and how to approach the challenge ahead. We'll look at the importance of managing your effort, fuelling properly and making sensible decisions throughout the ride.
Saturday 29 May: Aitana Tour day
This is the day you've come for. With your event entry and the arrangements included in your holiday package organised through Elitecycling, you can concentrate on enjoying the experience and riding your chosen distance.
After the event, we'll have the opportunity to celebrate together over dinner at Pasta & Pasta.
Sunday 30 May: Departure
We'll organise the designated airport transfer arrangements included in the package to help make your journey home straightforward. Check the booking page for the applicable transfer times and travel arrangements.
The idea is simple: you concentrate on your cycling, while we take care of the practical details included in your holiday.
What's included in the Elitecycling Aitana Tour experience?
Our Aitana Tour 2027 Cycling Experience is based at Albir Playa Hotel & Spa from 26 to 30 May 2027.
The package costs £999 per person, with a £200 deposit to secure your place.
The published package includes:
Four nights' accommodation on a half-board basis.
Aitana Tour event entry, Race jersey and goody bag
Airport transfers at the designated times specified in the booking information.
Guided preparation rides, including our ride to Coll de Rates.
Professional cycling coaching and local route knowledge.
An event strategy briefing with Paul Mill.
A celebratory dinner after the event.
Full package details, payment terms, transfer arrangements and any exclusions are set out on the booking page. Flights and personal travel insurance should be arranged in accordance with the published terms; please check the booking information before making your travel arrangements.
We want you to enjoy the complete experience, from the first ride in Albir to the satisfaction of crossing the finish line.
More than a cycling holiday: coaching experience you can trust
At Elitecycling, we believe a successful cycling holiday should give you more than a collection of memorable rides.
My background in performance coaching, including my experience as head coach at Team Wiggins, has shaped the way I approach training and event preparation. I work with cyclists at different levels, from riders developing their fitness to athletes targeting specific performance goals.
That experience is valuable when preparing for an event such as the Aitana Tour because every rider arrives with different strengths, weaknesses and ambitions.
Some riders will be aiming to complete the 165km Gran Fondo. Others will want to enjoy the 100km Medio Fondo. Some may be looking to improve their climbing performance or use the event as a target within a wider training programme.
There isn't one approach that works for everyone.
The important thing is to understand your own fitness, prepare sensibly and make decisions on the day that allow you to enjoy the experience.
Our cycling holidays also give you the opportunity to spend time with other riders who share your interest in cycling, explore new roads and enjoy the social side of being away on the bike.
You don't need to be an elite athlete to benefit from good coaching and careful preparation. Whether you're an experienced rider looking for a new challenge or someone who wants a goal to focus on through the winter, the Aitana Tour can be an excellent opportunity to take the next step in your cycling.
Frequently asked questions about the Aitana Tour cycling holiday
When is the Aitana Tour 2027?
The event takes place on Saturday 29 May 2027. The Elitecycling holiday runs from Wednesday 26 May to Sunday 30 May 2027.
How much does the Elitecycling Aitana Tour holiday cost?
The published price is £999 per person, in a single room and £749 PP in a twin or Double room with a £200 deposit to secure your place. Check the booking page for the full payment terms and package details.
Which distances can I ride?
There are two event options: the 165km Gran Fondo and the 100km Medio Fondo. Choose according to your endurance, climbing ability, experience and preparation.
Where will we stay?
The holiday is based at Albir Playa Hotel & Spa in Albir, Costa Blanca. Elitecycling has an established relationship with the hotel through its regular cycling holidays in the region.
Is event entry included?
Yes, event entry is included in the published Elitecycling package. Review the booking page for the full list of inclusions and conditions.
Are airport transfers included?
Airport transfers are included at the designated times specified in the package information. Check the booking page before booking flights to ensure your travel arrangements align with those times.
How can I prepare with Elitecycling before travelling?
You can join me for live Turbo Beat sessions with VQ Velocity or, from January 2027, purchase sessions from our new pre-recorded training series. Both options provide ways to introduce more structure into your training before the event.
Do I need personal travel insurance?
Yes, you should arrange appropriate personal travel insurance in accordance with the package terms. Check the booking page for the specific insurance requirements and any event-related cover included.
Book your Aitana Tour 2027 cycling experience
If you've been looking for a reason to experience the Costa Blanca on your bike, the Aitana Tour is an excellent opportunity to combine a memorable cycling challenge with a few days away in one of Europe's great cycling destinations.
Whether your ambition is to complete the 165km Gran Fondo or take on the 100km Medio Fondo, our aim is to help you get the most from your trip.
With experienced coaching, local route knowledge and the practical arrangements organised for you, you can spend less time worrying about logistics and more time looking forward to the ride.
Your preparation can start well before you arrive in Spain, too. Train with me on Turbo Beat with VQ Velocity or look out for our new pre-recorded training series launching in January 2027.
Aitana Tour 2027 Cycling Experience
Dates: 26–30 May 2027
Location: Albir, Costa Blanca, Spain
Price: £999 per person
Deposit: £200 to secure your place
Event distances: 165km Gran Fondo or 100km Medio Fondo
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