PedAlma: Madrid to Barcelona is a 700-kilometer road ultra-cycling event connecting Spain's two largest cities, part of the broader PedAlma series that also includes The Capitals gravel event. The route traces a path across the heart of the Spanish interior, likely crossing the high central plateau, the Meseta, before descending toward the Mediterranean coast and Catalonia, giving riders a genuine cross-section of Spain's varied geography from the dry continental interior to the more temperate coastal regions around Barcelona. This corridor between Spain's political and economic capitals has deep historical and cultural significance, having long served as one of the country's most important travel and trade routes.
The May timing offers favorable spring conditions for crossing the Spanish interior, avoiding both the cold of winter on the high Meseta and the often extreme heat that builds across central Spain by mid-summer. As a road-focused event connecting two of Spain's most significant cities, the route likely draws heavily on the country's well-developed network of secondary roads away from major highways.
GPS tracks and route files are provided for reference only. Always verify with official event resources before riding.
Based on this event's terrain, difficulty and riding style.
Pedalma: Madrid to Barcelona covers 700 km with 7500 m of climbing along the way — a fairly gentle profile from start to finish.
Pedalma: Madrid to Barcelona's terrain calls for a Endurance Road Bike, ideally running 30-35mm Tubeless tires. On the drivetrain side, a 46/30T-50/34T (2x) chainring matched to a 10-36T cassette gives enough range for the climbing involved.
Expect a Advanced-tier challenge at Pedalma: Madrid to Barcelona — fairly flat climbing over mostly smooth, fast-rolling surfaces, with mild and generally comfortable weather typical for the time of year.
Pedalma: Madrid to Barcelona runs on May 28, 2027, placing it firmly in the spring riding season, when weather can still be unpredictable, so a flexible kit is worth packing.
Pedalma: Madrid to Barcelona runs primarily on road, and we'd recommend 30-35mm Tubeless tires to handle it comfortably.