Tenerife, La Palma, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura... as perennially popular holiday destinations, the names of the Canary Islands roll easily off the tongue.
And for cyclists, too, the Canaries' warm climate and smooth roads make them a top draw for both amateurs and pro teams alike.
But if Matteo Minelli has anything to do with it, the Canary Islands will soon have an entirely new reputation among cyclists.
Minelli is founder of the GranGuanche, a new series of ultra cycling challenges with routes that traverse the volcanic archipelago from island to island in a frenetic, ferry-hopping race to the finish.
The series is named after the Guanches - the people who inhabited the Canary Islands before European colonisation - and the format follows that of bikepacking races like the Silk Road Mountain Race, GBDuro and Transcontinental.
In other words, riders are unsupported and must navigate their own way along the set course using provided GPX files. There is however one exception to usual race rules: group riding and drafting is permitted on the GranGuanche, in a nod to the spirit of the original audax cycling challenges.
Launched in 2021, there are three events in the GranGuanche series: road, gravel and trail (MTB).
Ranging from 600km to 800km in length, each of the rides sees racers hustling across each island, solo or in pairs, to catch a ferry to the next.
Along the way, they'll encounter a variety of landscape and scenery unique to the Canary Islands...
From sandy beaches to snowy peaks,
through empty deserts,
enchanted rainforests,
moon-like volcanic landscapes,
lush tropical canyons,
sand dunes,
black lava fields
and ancient pine forests.
This archipelago seems to host every corner of the planet
...and some sights from another world.
The GranGuanche Audax Road event begins this weekend, Saturday 22 January.
In classic ultra-cycling style, all riders will carry a GPS tracker enabling dot watchers to follow racers' progress through the 600km event.
GranGuanche Audax Gravel
In two months it's the turn of the gravel posse, with GranGuanche Audax Gravel starting in Lanzarote on 19 March.
At 700km with over 16,000m of climbing along the way, it's right up there with the toughest of multi-day cycling challenges.
Matteo has set out three pace scenarios - complete with ferry crossings - setting out expected schedules based on average speed.
For the very fastest, the two-day "Audax Pace" is the target. There is some debate on social media whether this is even possible, but with the organisers offering a full refund of the entry fee to each rider who achieves it, no doubt the elite will push hard.
For riders in less of a hurry, four and six-day schedules are also provided. Marginally more realistic for mortals, it goes without saying this is still a punchy challenge.
The race starts at 10pm with an overnight ride across Lanzarote. Over the next few days participants face tough climbs and remote trails as they cross Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife and El Hierro, grabbing sleep where they can between the four ferry crossings.
As tough as it sounds, GranGuanche looks set to be one of the must-rides of the ultra cycling calendar. With options for road, MTB and gravel it's open to cyclists of all persuasions, and all but guaranteed to recalibrate your preconceptions of the Canary Islands as a holiday destination.
Although, after 4-5 days non-stop racing, you might be more than happy to kick back for a few days' recovery on the beach. You'll be in the right place...
Entries for GranGuanche Audax Gravel are open now priced €240 solo / €350 pairs.
For full details and to register, visit granguanche.com.
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