El Torcal and Antequera
The climb to El Torcal is one of the most striking in the province — 10.6 km on the south side from Villanueva de la Concepción up to 1,224 m, the highest point in the whole route catalogue. At the top, a surreal landscape of weathered limestone towers. The route takes you through historic Antequera, past gorges and small fields. It's a mountain day with no sea, but with the cleanest tarmac and views over the whole basin. The reward is a coffee in Antequera and a long descent back down the valley.
Who it suits
A strong rider chasing the highest point of the catalogue. The best tarmac around, but no sea — a pure mountain day.
Traffic on the route
Water and refuelling
- 45 km · Villanueva de la Concepción — bars
- 70 km · Antequera — town, plenty of cafés
Cafés and stops
- Cafés in Antequera (Antequera) — historic town, food and coffee guaranteed
Climbs
When your legs give out (bail-out)
- 70 km Cercanías / regional (Antequera-Santa Ana) — train/bus from Antequera back towards Málaga
Wind, season and kit
Wind: Watch out for the terral — a föhn-type northerly wind from the sierra, extremely hot and dry. It hits Málaga and the Guadalhorce valley, but often doesn't reach Rincón (10 km east). Terral in the forecast = ride east, or go high and early.
When to set off: Early morning — the top of El Torcal (1,224 m) is the highest point in the catalogue and is often windy.
Season: Best in March–May and September–November. In September the share of muggy days drops from 43% (1 Sept) to 16% (30 Sept) — the end of the month is noticeably more pleasant. Summer is too hot for the inland climbs.
Gearing: At least 34×30; for El Torcal (max 13.4%) better 34×32.
Tyres: 28 mm.
Watch out for
- ⚠The top of El Torcal is exposed and windy — take an extra layer.
- ⚠The last water is in Villanueva de la Concepción — nothing at the top.
Your bike is waiting in Málaga
You ride this route on your own bike, straight from the door — we bring your bike over and store it, you fly in with just a backpack. We'll tell you where to ride for your form, and if something goes wrong, you call and we come and pick you up.
Metrics are calculated from the GPS track. The route has been planned with a routing engine so far — we'll ride it and check it on site (water, surface, traffic), then add the real GPX and photos here. Sources: climbfinder (El Torcal jih).