General Information

Date: Sunday 3 to Thursday 7 June 2018

Distance: 730km

Helmets: It is compulsory to wear a cycling helmet at all times whilst riding in the event. Any rider without a helmet will be banned from participating.

Jersey: Each rider will be provided with a good quality cycling jersey produced specially for the event. They dry quickly and can easily be washed overnight so do bring your own travel wash. Please make sure you wear your jersey at all times to be identifiable by our support team.

Welcome pack: You will be given a welcome pack containing a jersey, luggage label, socks, and cycle wallet. Water bottles will not be supplied this year so please bring your own!

Luggage: Riders may only bring one small suitcase each. This must be of airline carry-on size, and no larger. We will not have capacity to carry anything larger than this in our vans. If your suitcase is over the size limit, it will not be taken on the van and you will have to make your own arrangements to transport luggage each day.

Routes: The routes have been carefully planned however they are subject to change, including on the day of the event, due to road closures, accidents, weather and other unforeseen circumstances. Any changes to the route will be communicated in advance of each day, where possible.

Pit stops: Complimentary refreshments will be available at pit stops each day, however please be advised that you should carry your own energy bars, gels etc Participants are advised to bring a water bottle to refill at the stops. Please note that the pit stops will have designated times and if you miss that time slot you will have to meet the support crew at the next stop for the day.

Highway Code: We advise that all participants familarise themselves with the Spanish Highway Code and comply with it at all times.

Terms and Conditions: View the Terms and Conditions for taking part in the event here.

FAQs

How do I transport my bike?
A supplement is available for riders from the UK carrying bikes (approx. cost of £120). A further supplement of £25 will be available to transport bike boxes from Bilbao to Santiago.

What health and safety measures are in place?
There is dedicated medical cover for each day of the ride provided by Sanitas (BUPA equivalent) A doctor and nurse assistant will be covering the route in a fast response vehicle should an emergency situation arise. There are also a number of first aid trained crew members who can provide assistance with any minor incidents.

How much training do I need to do?
The ride is designed to be challenging and rewarding in equal measure, and with some training and preparation will be achievable for anyone of good fitness. Whilst nobody gets left behind, you will find the whole experience far more enjoyable if you undertake some dedicated training and commit to putting the miles in over the winter and spring.

By June, as a minimum you should be confident in your ability to cycle 100 miles/160 km in a single day and be comfortable in cycling significant distances on repeat days. You should consider commuting by bike if you can, and aiming to include at least one longer ride at the weekend building up your distances slowly and steadily until you are increasingly comfortable covering longer distances.

It is not possible to recreate the experience of cycling up a 2,700m mountain pass in many areas so focus your training on long steady or repeat efforts, rather than attacking short, sharp hills. You are invited to join the CBRE Cycle Club on Strava – see how much training your co-riders are doing!

Is food and drink included?
Please note that this is for half board accommodation. You may will need to bring money to cover lunches, snacks and drinks.

Room pairings
Room pairing will be allocated prior to the bike ride. If you have any queries or requests please email emeacharitybikeride@cbre.com

Kit List

Our route will cover a wide variety of geographies and we will need to be prepared for changeable weather. We’d hope that June will bring warm sunny days, but with some high altitude passes, this cannot be guaranteed.

We would recommend the following as a minimum:

Helmet – a good quality cycling helmet that fits you properly must be worn throughout the ride.

Jersey – each rider will be provided with a good quality cycling jersey produced specially for the event. They dry quickly and can easily be washed overnight. Please do bring your own travel wash.

Shorts – at least two pairs of good quality padded cycling shorts so that you can wash them over night. See also Chamois Cream.

Base layers – light base layers are great for regulating your body temperature, keeping you cool on hot days and warm on cooler days.

Lightweight gilet and/or jacket – a lightweight windproof vest or jacket that you can stash in your back pocket will be very useful for cooler mornings, long descents or light rain showers.

Arm warmers/Knee warmers are surprisingly effective at keeping off the chill, but can be easily removed and stashed in a pocket if it warms up

Waterproof jacket – a more substantial waterproof jacket might be useful if the forecast is set to rain

Gloves – padded fingerless gloves will help cushion your hands, protecting them from blisters, fatigue and in the event of a fall – more painful injuries. It would also be sensible to bring some warm gloves in case of bad weather.

Sunglasses – sunglasses will protect your eyes from the glare of the sun, but also from insects and other debris.

Sunblock – we will inevitably be out in the heat of the sun for extensive periods of time. Be aware and apply appropriate sunblock, reapplying throughout the day. Cycling tan-lines are best avoided!

Nutrition – We would recommend that each rider brings a good supply of energy bars/cereal bars/sweets/energy gels etc. Snacks, water and electrolyte drinks will be available at the pit stops but it is important that riders aim to be as self-sufficient as possible - using the vans, as well as cafes and shops, to top-up supplies when out on the road.

Electrolyte tablets are strongly recommended to add to your water bottles and they will help avoid cramps – especially if it is hot.

Medication – Each rider must make sure they have adequate supplies of any prescription medication. In addition, you may wish to bring ibuprofen or similar muscle relaxants to help sooth aching muscles in the evening. Chamois cream, Sudocrem or similar may be helpful to ease saddle sores.

The Bike:
A road bike or light touring bike would be most suitable for the route – or possibly a fast hybrid type bike. The route has been planned to follow paved roads and cycle paths and there shouldn’t be any off-road or gravel to contend with.
Make sure your bike is in good working order – a professional service prior to departure is strongly recommended to ensure that your brakes and gears are all working properly.

Tyres – new tyres are far less likely to puncture, so you are strongly advised to invest in a new set of tyres before we set off. The route is entirely on roads and cycle-paths, so a typical slick type road tyre of 23mm, 25m or possibly 28mm width would be recommended.

Spares and Tools – there will be a couple of track pumps in the support vans and a small selection of tools, but each rider should aim to be self-sufficient out on the road.

As a minimum, please make sure you bring spare inner tubes, puncture repair kit (i.e. patches, glue and tyre levers) and a pump, as well as a basic multi-tool. Most likely, there will be another rider around to help you, but it would be beneficial to familiarise yourself with how to change an inner tube/fixing a puncture.

It would be a good idea to try and bring a spare derailleur hanger with you – these are specific parts for each frame and can be very difficult to get hold of when you need one. They are designed to break in the event of an accident, so that the frame itself is not damaged. You should be able to find one fairly easily online, or by speaking to your local bike shop.

A small saddle-bag or similar would be useful to carry essentials – please avoid bringing back-packs as they will be uncomfortable during long days in the saddle.

Water bottles – make sure you bring your own water bottle as these will not be provided for you this year.

Bike Computer – GPS enabled bike computers such as those from Garmin are excellent to assist with navigation, but they are very expensive. 

Lights – We do not intend to cycle in the dark, but you never know what might happen so please be sure to bring a front and back light set with you