The best road bike route from Dénia – COLL DE RATES

Technical Requirements and Route Profile

We’re assuming you’re a regular road cyclist and in reasonably good shape, since this is a challenging route covering about 85 km with 1,300 m of elevation gain. In other words, if you’ve only been cycling for two days, I can assure you this route is going to be a real struggle.

Depending on your average speed, it should take you between three and four hours of “effective cycling” (actual time spent on the bike).

Coll de Rates: The “Mecca” of Cycling

The Coll de Rates Pass can be considered the “Mecca” of cycling in our area. None of us cycling enthusiasts who live around here—or those who come to visit—can leave without having conquered it.

And if you come during the winter, it’s very likely that you’ll run into (or rather, have your “stickers removed” while hiking up) one of the many professional teams that come to our area to prepare for their season.

From Dénia to Parcent: Start of the climb

The start of this mountain pass is in the town of Parcent. To get there, head to La Xara, where you’ll take the CV-724 to Pedreguer and then the CV-720.

In Pedreguer, a fairly gentle climb of about 6.5 km begins, passing through the small village of La Llosa de Camacho. This section has an average gradient of 3%, with a few spots that get a little steeper as we approach the area around Llosa de Camacho and continue to the end.

From there, it’s a gentle descent to the town of Alcalalí. Halfway down, you’ll find a fountain on your left if you want to refill your water bottle. From Alcalalí, it’s just under 3 km of ups and downs to Parcent (more uphill than downhill), and once you’re in Parcent, the hard part is over.

As soon as you reach the town and turn left (onto the CV-715), you’ll find yourself at the start of this famous mountain pass, which is just over 6 km long. It’s a fairly consistent climb with an average gradient of around 6%, where you won’t find any flat sections but will encounter some more challenging stretches with gradients of up to 10%. The views as you climb are breathtaking; you can see the sea in the distance in the Bay of Jávea, as well as Mount Montgó and Cape Sant Antoni, which form a natural border between the towns of Jávea and Dénia.

Climbing toward Tárbena and stopping for lunch

Once you’ve reached the top of the pass, there’s a long stretch of ups and downs all the way to Tárbena (staying on the CV-715). The views from this other side of the mountain are also breathtaking, offering a glimpse into the valley and the Bernia mountain range; and once you reach Tárbena, you can even see the sea and the skyscrapers of Benidorm.

These days, I can’t imagine going on a bike ride without stopping for lunch. On this route, I always stop in Tárbena at a little bar that’s a bit hidden away, right across from the turnoff we’ll take toward Castell de Castells.

The bar is called Ca’s Pelut, and it’s one of those places you find in these little villages where you can enjoy a traditional lunch, coffee and toast with tomato, or even order a paella (which they make really well)—all for a very reasonable price. Plus, the views from the terrace are incredible. Be sure to check—they’re closed on Tuesdays for a day off.

Sa Creuta Pass (“El Somo”) and the descent

Once we’ve regained our strength, we still have a tough stretch ahead of us before reaching the highest point on the route (780 m). This is the Sa Creuta Pass, better known to locals as “el Somo.”

To get there from Tárbena, take the CV-752 toward Castell de Castells. It’s about 6 km—quite a “leg-burner”—with final gradients of up to 17%. But once you’re there, it’s a “piece of cake.” The descent to Castell de Castells is quite “twisty” (be careful, as there are a few pretty dangerous curves). From there, we rejoin the CV-720 and head toward Benigembla.

The “Bicycle Highway” to Dénia

This section is a “bicycle highway”. It is 10Km on a super wide road, with plenty of shoulder and very well groomed. It does not have any dangerous curve or too much slope (between 5% and 2%). So if you want to fly you will have to pedal. But you will see that as you go down you will wonder how they have “planted” that piece of road there, in the middle of the mountain.

After Benigembla, we have a “short climb” ahead of us to Murla (CV-719). We’ll head down to Orba on the CV-715, and then, on the CV-731, we’ll ride on flat terrain or a slight downhill through the towns of Benidoleig, Beniarbeig, and Ondara before arriving back in Dénia.

Historical Trivia: The “Strava” of the Past

Just as a fun fact, a few years ago—before Strava and other similar apps existed—a system was set up to time the climb. There was a booth down in Parcent and another one once you reached the top of the pass.

You had to pick up a card at the booth down below and fill in your information by hand. Once you were ready, you’d check a box to record the exact start time of your climb, and when you reached the top, you’d check another box and drop the card into a mailbox. Those cards were collected every week and manually entered into a website where the data and rankings were posted. Hard to believe nowadays, isn’t it?

Recommended Bike Rental Places in Dénia

And finally, if you have not brought your bike and you want to rent one in the area, we recommend some reliable places where you can find good quality rental bikes that work all year round:

• CAFÉ CICLISTA: Bikes, Cycling Guides & Coffee – Cafe Ciclista Denia
• HOTEL LOS CABALLOS: Selection of Cycling Hotels (costablancaradsport.com)
• KUNZ: Bike Rentals | CICLISMO DENIA KUNZ (radreisenkunz.ch)