Gran Canaria Winter Break

Winter Sun, Warm Temperatures & Fantastic Terrain

Five irresistible Gran Canaria Winter Break highlights.

  • Experience the warm weather & ideal winter training conditions unrivalled anywhere in mainland Europe.
  • Climb challenging high mountains, traverse tight gorges and challenge yourself against the Valley of the Tears.
  • Boost your fitness and kickstart your season.
  • Benefit from experienced guides, coaches and vehicle support every day.
  • Stay, relax and enjoy our Puerto de Mogan based hotel perfect for a week of training.
November 2017
photo of Ian Bond

I have to say it was probably the best week I have spent on the bike in years. 

Ian Bond
 

Winter Cycling Holidays In Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria Winter Cycling Holidays Summary:

The Gran Canaria winter months boast consistent warm temperatures and the perfect conditions for your winter cycling holidays; get some winter sun and prepare for the summer season with our exciting Gran Canaria Winter Cycling trip. 

The island offers excellent riding conditions with long climbs of varying gradients, spectacular scenery and quiet roads. The centre of Gran Canaria, Pico las Nievas reaches 1949m meters in altitude. The diverse routes we will ride showcase just how fantastic Gran Canaria Winter cycling is.  

Our Gran Canaria winter cycling holidays have an exciting itinerary, carefully planned for you to make the most of your time on the bike whilst maximising your relaxation time from our single base in the South West of the island. A blend of rugged mountains, with impressive climbs, tight winding gorges and panoramic coastal roads, Gran Canaria can be an intense challenge or adventurous ride, depending on your goals for the week. 

The itinerary for the week is flexible and if you are training for the season ahead, our fully qualified support team will be with you every step of the way, lapping up the stunning views whilst enjoying the climbs and winter sun! 

Whatever your riding goals, our Gran Canaria winter cycling holidays will guide you over some of the most impressive peaks, including the high point of the island, Pico las Nievas and the ultimate ascent through the Valley Of The Tears (VOTT). 

Our base for the week is in Puerto de Mogan, a scenic port with a marina and beach. The village has evolved from a fishing village and has a tranquil feeling about it, away from the larger resorts. It’s fantastic to wander in the evening ahead of the following day’s ride. 

 

Gran Canaria Winter Cycling Holiday Itinerary:

Serenity & Pico Las Nievas

Jimmy Climbs Serenity
Stunning Serenity & Summer Kit!
  • The endless hairpins winding through the palms as you climb Serenity for the first time. Remarkable.
  • Arriving at the summit of Pico las Nievas at 1924 meters above sea level after a climb just over 45km in length.

We start our winter cycling holidays with a superb 47km initial climb to Pico Las Nievas, the island’s highest peak. The exciting twists and turns of the serenity climb kick off the week, as we guide your ascent up the mountain away from the coast to Ayacata. The climb above the village of Mogan is smooth and varied, with spectacular views. You’ll be catching glimpses of the unique coastline that gives way to the lush green interior of the island as you climb.

After a break for coffee, we will continue to climb through the pine forests with panoramic views across to Tenerife and Mont Teide as you approach the summit of Pico las Nievas and marvel at the views back to the south coast. Day one of one of our winter cycling holidays is a fantastic introduction for the rest of the week, showcasing the diversity that Gran Canaria winter cycling has to offer from coast to high mountains. 

Depending where you are in your winter training program or what you would like to achieve for the week, you can also choose an early lunch at Ayacata before enjoying a long descent down to the coast saving Pico las Nievas for later in the week.

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L’Aldea, Mirador del Molina & Artenera

Gran Canaria classic winter cycling scenery
Perfect training terrain.
  • Climbing from the Aldea through the tight gorge running beneath the Valley of the Tears to Artenara.
  • Descending the hairpins of Serenity at the tail end of the day.

We head west for the first climb of the day towards the lookout point of Mirador De Tasartico. It’s a gentle start to the day with pleasing gradients before the descent for coffee in the picturesque Aldea region. Back on the bike again after coffee, the level of challenge increases as we climb towards the Mirador Del Molina. 

With our full support you traverse the tight undulating gorge that features short, steep hairpins and a climb along the side of a damn. Above the lake, you will see your first enticing glimpse of the Valley Of The Tears.

After the main challenging climb of the day to Artenara and an authentic lunch, there’s one amazing final stretch of undulating road back towards Ayacata before enjoying the descent to the coast via the superb Serenity hairpins. Day 2 is certainly more demanding, but a fantastic day for winter cycling training.

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Maspalomas, Fataga & Ayacata

David climbing to Fataga in Jauuary
A classic cycling day on Gran Canaria
  • The striking views from the viewpoint at Degollada de La Yegua as you make your way deep into the centre of the island.
  • Perfect terrain to give your training a kickstart for the season.

Day 3 begins with a ride along the coast in the direction of Maspalomas where the main climb of the day commences. We will head towards the Degollada de La Yegua viewpoint which guarantees fantastic views of the diverse and dramatic landscape, as well as our exciting next climb. 

After a quick, swooping descent we will resume the climb towards Fataga for a much-deserved coffee break. As the road continues towards Risco Blanco, stunning tropical views whiz past on the descent. 

Enjoy it whilst it lasts because the climb back to Ayacata is challenging with some steeper gradients before the terrain levels off just above San Bartolome. 

We are all about flexibility and want you to be able to choose your itinerary depending on where you are in your winter cycling program. If you prefer, we can reduce the day’s climbing by about 450meters and head for San Bartolome after coffee making for an easier day during your winter cycling holidays.

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Recovery Day

The beautiful port of Mogan
Reap the rewards of your first three days riding.
  • Time to enjoy the spa & pools at the hotel and grab a massage ahead of the big day tomorrow.
  • Exploring Puerto de Mogan and lunch around the harbour.

The midweek point of our winter cycling holidays is the perfect time for a little TLC.  Our flexible itinerary means you can choose how to spend your day. Indulge in a massage, take a yoga class on the sea front or dip in the pool and relax ahead of the next great day of riding. 

We will also provide an option for a short recovery ride as well. It is a laid-back ride with minimal climbing. We can also recommend great cafes and restaurants along with places of interest to see on your day off, but as fully qualified cycling coaches, we can also help you with your winter training plan or resolve any bike fit problems.

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The Valley of the Tears (VOTT)

Laura cycles through the VOTT in Gran Canaria
Gran Canarias' signature climb.
  • The sense of achievement you’ll feel as you reach the summit of the Valley of the Tears (VOTT)
  • The chat at dinner about the Valley of the Tears!

Today is the perfect time to become a little more ambitious with your Gran Canaria Winter Cycling training. With fresh legs after the rest day challenge yourself to conquer one of the finest climbs winter cycling holidays can offer. The Valley of the tears (VOTT), is a climb of two halves. The first section winds through a tight, twisting gorge before turning onto the main VOTT climb. Overall the climb is 25km in length, but it’s the second 11km that will have you pushing hard up two steep ramps with gradients approaching 17%. The terrain does then relent to a more respectable 9% for the final 7km. We’ll support you all the way to ensure that this is one of the most memorable days of your Gran Canaria winter cycling holiday. There’s always a great sense of achievement in the cafe just after the summit and you’re sure to be motivated for the remainder of your Gran Canaria cycling trip.

This is a challenging day but will certainly be memorable; once you’ve entered the valley you can choose from two options of varying difficulty. If you would like to skip the final 11km there’s always the option to use the support vehicle and save your legs for another day.

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Pico las Nievas via Cruz Tejeda

Ali at the summit of Pico las Nievas in January
Views across the Ocean to Tenerife and Mont Teide.
  • A second chance to climb Serenity before heading west.
  • The final chance to view this beautiful island from the summit of Pico las Nievas.

We will revisit the superb serenity climb from day 2, it’s always great to climb a second time. On day 6, we will head west after the climb to Ayacata. The reverse route to Artenara feels like an entirely different road with new views to appreciate along the way. After lunch in Artenara We’ll head further north climbing gradually towards La Hoya. 

Our final ride will impress you with inspirational views of Tenereife and Mont Teide whilst maximising the benefits of your winter cycling holidays. The road is smooth, with varied gradients as we  climb to Cruz Tejeda, before the final 8km climb to Pico Las Nievas. Once at the summit it’s hard to miss the fantastic views back to the coast and dunes of Maspalomas.

We swoop back into Puerto De Mogan for dinner and celebratory drinks. You can congratulate yourselves with a beer or a cocktail or two and compare your personalachievements from the week.

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Gran Canaria Winter Cycling Holiday Accommodation:

Cordial Mogan Valle

Rating: 

Location: Puerto de Mogan

Why chosen: Perfectly located in Puerto de Mogan, large rooms, great staff and a relaxed atmosphere.

For our Gran Canaria winter road cycling trip, we provide a very comfortable hotel on a half board basis for your accommodation. The rooms are apartment styled and spacious with sitting room, bedroom and a large terrace to relax on after the ride and store your bike. Breakfast and evening meals are taken in the spacious dining hall with a wide variety of food to suit all tastes and dietary needs. Outside of meal times, the rooms have a small kitchen area allowing you to prepare additional food whenever you need.

The complex has extensive facilities and boasts 3 pools and a spa, featuring massage facilities, sauna, jacuzzi, steam room and has ice bucket cubicles if you really are riding hard!

One of 3 pools at the Cordial Mogan Valle
Dining room at the Cordial Mogan Valle
Rooms have a living area plus bedroom
A spacious terrace for relaxing and bike storage

Laura Gilmore

The quality of the whole week was exceptional. The energy in the cycle support was incredible. 

Paul Bulford

Support and attention to detail made for a thoroughly enjoyable, relaxing and unforgettable holiday on a beautiful island.

Richard Quickfall

What a fantastic week! The attention to detail and in-depth knowledge of the routes, accommodation and support which Rob and Karen provide make for a five star experience.

Richard Stone

Rob always allows the rider to achieve their potential and helps them to develop their fitness goals.

The Holiday Includes

  • 7 Nights Half Board accommodation
  • 5 days guided and vehicle supported cycling
  • 1 recovery day ride with coaching advice
  • Fresh fruit each day and top up sports nutrition
  • GPX files for bike computers
  • Client to staff ratio of 4-1 for a personal experience
  • Private airport transfers
  • Access to British Cycling Level 3 coaching to help improve any aspect of your cycling
  • Daily photos shared post trip

Not Included

  • Flights
  • Lunches
  • Travel or bike Insurance
  • Any drinks or incidentals at the hotel
  • Spa or Massage services (Available as extra)
  • Bike Hire
  • Single occupancy (on request & subject to room availability)

Trip Cost

Double Occupancy Single Supplement Deposit
19th November 2022 1550.00€ 450.00€ 450.00€

Bike Rental

Prices from : 35.00€ / per day

Bike hire is available for this trip from our established local partner in Puerto de Mogan. A wide variety of models are available depending on your needs and budget. Bikes always have a set up suitable to the terrain you'll experience in Gran Canaria.

On arrival we’ll accompany you to the shop in Puerto de Mogan to collect your bike and make sure it’s set up for you. If you have a recent bike fit document bring this along to allow us to make the fit even better.

If you would like to rent a bike for your trip to Gran Canaria please let us know and we’ll help ensure you get the right bike for this great island.

Bike hire in Puerto de Mogan

3 Month Pre Trip

Prices from : 180.00€ per month

Investing time and energy in a private cycling coach for 3 months is a great way to tune your fitness and gain all the one to one coaching benefits ahead of your holiday to the Gran Canaria. There’s still time for performance gains even if you’ve had to leave things late. You might me amazed at the difference.

The British Cycling Level 3 coaching qualification is the highest recognised coaching certification in UK cycling and working with a Level 3 coach will:

  • Optimise performance gains from the realistic time you have available to train ahead of your trip to Gran Canaria
  • Ensure you focus on areas that will really improve your cycling in the build up to the trip
  • Improve not only physical but also tactical and psychological awareness & strength all of which contribute to you having a fantastic winter cycling holiday

6 Month Pre Trip

Prices from : 180.00€ per month

If you are serious about making significant long term improvements to your on bike performance, investing time and energy in a private coach for 6 months is one of the most effective ways to increase your cycling performance, stay motivated, achieve your goals and maximise the benefits of your Gran Canaria winter cycling trip.

The British Cycling Level 3 coaching qualification is the highest recognised coaching certification in UK cycling and working with a Level 3 coach will:

  • Maximise performance benefits from the realistic time you have available to train.
  • Ensure you focus on areas that will really improve your cycling and be in great shape for the summer.

Before Trip

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Las Palmas has a mainland-Spain feel, spiced up with an eclectic mix of other cultures, including African, Chinese and Indian. 

Vegueta, the oldest quarter, is both atmospheric and fashionable, with a fine selection of boutiques, bars, museums and art galleries. At the other end of town, Playa de las Canteras provides you with the possibility of spending time on the beach in between sightseeing and shopping. Explore the confusing maze of streets behind the this area and you'll find excellent restaurants serving a range of Canaria cuisine.

Las palmas de gran canaria plenty to see
Elba Vecindario

Visit hotel
BULL REINA ISABEL

Visit hotel
Maresia Canteras

Visit hotel

After Trip

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Las Palmas has a mainland-Spain feel, spiced up with an eclectic mix of other cultures, including African, Chinese and Indian. 

Vegueta, the oldest quarter, is both atmospheric and fashionable, with a fine selection of boutiques, bars, museums and art galleries. At the other end of town, Playa de las Canteras provides you with the possibility of spending time on the beach in between sightseeing and shopping. Explore the confusing maze of streets behind the this area and you'll find excellent restaurants serving a range of Canaria cuisine.

Las palmas de gran canaria plenty to see
Elba Vecindario

Visit hotel
BULL REINA ISABEL

Visit hotel
Maseria Canteras

Visit hotel

Gran Canaria Winter Break FAQs

How will I be supported during a Gran Canaria Winter trip?

We take great pride in the support we provide and have years of experience supporting riders of varied abilities. There will always be vehicle support and guides with you on the road. We also provide you with GPX or TCX files for your bike computers, plus a comprehensive route pack for each day that you can easily access from your phone.

There’s a staff to guest ratio of 1:4 so you’ll never be short of someone to help out with anything that could be filling your bottles, providing nutritional and pacing advice or offering a little motivation to ensure you enjoy every day. Once the ride is over, we’ll always help with arranging massages and providing information about the local area and just about anything else you can think off.

How fit do I need to be for the Gran Canaria Winter trip?

It’s winter time for most of us and the whole idea of these centre based weeks in Gran Canaria is to allow you to determine where your fitness is, do some great riding and get a significant boost to your training ready for the season all under sunny skies. Most people are at different levels of fitness at these times of year and you should only be thinking about having fun in the sun and how this week will benefit your summer.

At Colconquerors there's always at least one British Cycling Level 3 qualified road and time trial coach out on the road with you which allows us to help with any aspect of your cycling. We also offer coaching packages that will help you get the most from your holiday and continue to build on your fitness afterwards.

Is there flexibility in the Itinerary?

The itinerary for our Gran Canaria winter cycling holidays is designed to allow lots of flexibility by either adding more or less challenge into a day. The support vehicle ensures that you can always ride with confidence. We’ll always take individual riders needs into account to ensure you have a great holiday; you’ll never have to do more or less than you want.

What’s the weather usually like in Gran Canaria?

The climate in Gran Canaria is unrivalled anywhere in Europe between November and March with temperatures usually between 18 & 25 degrees. As you head into the mountains as always the temperatures can drop, but from our experience it’s not unusual to have temperatures of 16 degrees at the summit of Pico las Nievas 1924 meters above sea level in February. Summer kit is the order of the day.

Should I worry about slowing the group down?

You should never worry about this. We are experienced in managing groups of riders of mixed ability so all you need to think about is riding your bike, enjoying the scenery and achieving your goals. Everyone is always encouraged to ride at their own pace.

I’m travelling alone is this okay?

Yes, it’s absolutely okay to come solo on our winter cycling holidays. It’s not always possible to travel with friends or partners due to work/life commitments. Many of our guests travel on their own. You can either share a room with another guest (of the same sex) in the same situation or where available pay an additional supplement for sole occupancy of a room.

Is this trip suitable for a non riding partner?

Yes it’s absolutely okay for a non riding partner for these centre based trips to Gran Canaria. There’s plenty to do in and around our base in Puerto de Mogan ranging from Yoga on the beach to relaxing around the pool, so there is something for everyone.

Is more information available to help me plan my trip?

It most certainly is. You can see more questions asked by guests in our main FAQ section and read further information about our support, coaching and team via these pages. We’re always around to help so don’t be afraid to contact us with any questions.

Travel Information

All you need to know about getting in and out.

Arrival

Airport: Las Palmas Gran Canaria
Meeting Point: Tropical Cafe (Arrivals)
Transfer Departure: 3.30PM

You will be met at the airport in person by ourselves ready for your private transfer to your accommodation in Puerto de Mogan.

We aim to leave the airport at Las Palmas Gran Canaria by 3.30PM. When planning your Gran Canaria cycling trip be sure to ensure flights land well in advance of this time plus always check with us before making your booking. Due to the short hotel transfer for this trip in Gran Canaria, we are able to make multiple transfers so please let us know if other flights works best for you.

If you are flying in from outside of Europe it’s best to arrive the day before to ensure any flight delays don’t impact the start of your holiday.

After the transfer to your hotel the welcome meeting outlines the plan for the week and there’s then plenty of time to put the bikes together, and take an easy spin to make sure everything is ready for the first day of riding.

Departure

Airport: Las Palmas Gran Canaria
Hotel Departure Time: 9am for flights after 11.30am
Airport Drop off: 10am

It’s sad your holiday is over but you’ve had a fantastic week of riding and we’re sure your memories of the trip will keep you motivated until the next time.

We will leave the hotel after breakfast at 9am for the transfer back to the airport in plenty of time for your flights.