In this article we speak to Quim Vizcaíno, a keen cyclist who is passionate about making it easier for visitors to discover the cycling in and around Barcelona region. Quim has proposed this route in Osona as part of his guide to cycling in the Barcelona region. He says:
This lovely cycling route allows cyclists to enjoy one of Barcelona’s region’s most spectacular landscapes.
The route starts and finishes in the wonderful medieval capital of the county, Vic. It includes quiet riding over the plains of Osona as well as rolling terrain in the foothills of El Montseny Unesco Biosphere reserve and the Nature Park of Les Guilleries – Savassona.
All metrics in this article are approximate.
Route notes
The route departs from Vic, a charming city with a picturesque square that houses a well-known weekly market.
On leaving Vic, the route runs along a secondary road parallel to a speedway for 15 km, until reaching Hostalets de Balenyà. The terrain here is almost flat, and occasionally it can be exposed to winds.
Leaving Hostalets, the route runs on quiet paved paths to the tiny Romanesque church of Sant Jaume de Viladorver, which was built in the XII century. From there, it continues rolling up to Seva before descending 3.5 km to Mas Vidal.
The village of Viladrau is next, with a wonderful location tucked below the Matagalls summit, which is one of the most emblematic peaks of el Montseny massif. From here there is the first of the route’s four climb, the Coll de Gomara of 886 metres. The ascent takes 7 km and the average slope is about 3,5%, with the steepest section at 9.8%.
On the way, in the outskirts of Viladrau there’s one of the famous fountains of the village, the fountain of Les Delícies, right at the left of road, perfect for refilling our bottles and to taste the renowned waters from this region.
After the summit, the route descends for nearly 6 kilometres, to the charming village of Espinelves where the second climb starts: El Coll del Buc. It’s only 1 km but has slopes reaching up to 9%. In this section and on the way down watch out for some gravel on the tarmac.
The climb and descend lead to Sant Sadurní d’Osmort from where it continues to the bridge of Malafogassa. There awaits the toughest climb on the route, the Pass of Malafogassa. The climb is short, just 1.8 km, but the average slope is 8.8% and in some sections they get close to 14%.
From that point, the road leads to Vilanova de Sau, at the heart of the Nature Park of Les Guilleries-Savassona, by the dam of Sau, from where it gets down to the villages of Folgueroles, Tavèrnoles, Roda de Ter, Manlleu I Les Masies de Voltregà, to return to Vic, passing by Gurb.
Tips
Further info: https://www.osoning.com/osona-cycling/
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