Leave Figueres heading towards Roses. The ride is flat and streamline and you can pedal in circles. On windy days, it is an ideal opportunity to practice drafting. Once you have passed the Aiguamolls de l'Empordà Natural Park, just at the entrance to Roses, the mountain starts. The mountain passes are not very high but they will test out your leg power with their continuous ups and downs. Descend to Cadaqués from where you can get to the easternmost point of Catalonia, the Cap de Creus. Majestic and with a lunar landscape, the access road is dotted with slopes that mean you cannot attain a comfortable pace: it is the ideal place to work on sudden bursts of energy, while mastering the ratio between cogs and chainrings. The climb up to Sant Pere de Rodes from El Port de la Selva is quite the opposite: a sustained climb of 7 and 8%, ideal for a training session of strength and endurance, alternating seated and standing pedalling. The sea and the intricate configuration of the coast can be seen at every turn. From on high, the Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes observes each of your movements. The well-earned, comforting descent to Vilajuïga and Llançà is populated with olive trees in a cosmos of dry stone constructions.
