Top Trump Climbs, Pico Del Teide
Although the main focus is the golf, we are having one rest day which seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to ride up Pico del Teide, one of the longest climbs about and one often used for training by the pros. It is also the longest climb in the pack.
According to the top trump card it’s a 30 mile climb from the sea (where are hotel is) to the top at 2356m, so I’ll get to enjoy climbing the fullest length possible.
With the rest day upon us I filled my pockets with stuff nicked from the breakfast buffet and set off with a target of completing the climb in under 5 hours elapsed. I would also be recording footage as I went along as I planned to make the ride into a YouTube video for my new Cake Crusader channel.
From the very start it was straight up. According to my climbometer the first 5 miles would be a very steep section up from the coast. And it certainly didn’t disappoint as it took nearly an hour of tough pedalling to complete, at an average gradient of 9%. I was already shattered but still had 25 more miles of climbing to go. It was also getting rather warm and I had forgotten my sunscreen.
I thought the road would then get to the advertised 5% section, as per my top trumps card, but discovered I still had a 4 mile section of even steeper stuff featuring several 20 % plus gradients bits through a number of little villages. I had clearly planned a bad route.
After two hours I finally made it to the nice section of road where the 6% average gradient now felt like I was riding on the flat. A 5 hour ascent looked a long way off. Well 20 miles actually.
By now the breakfast buffet was just a sweaty mess in my back pocket but I stopped anyway to salvage what I could as I had a midway picnic.
)The next ten miles were very pleasant, if relentless, as they took me through the tree lined section at a manageable 6% gradient.
With 10 miles of up left I finally got to see the summit. This gave me the motivation I needed to keep going as I was starting to get a bit weary.
The next target was to get over 2000m. Once achieved there was a dramatic change in the landscape. Not a tree in sight just a dry desert and lava rocks as far as the eye could see.
The air was also starting to get noticeable thinner as I found myself panting for the last few miles. But the view of the top of the volcano was spectacular. Fortunately there is no road right to the top and I wasn’t planning to carry or push my bike when the ride officially ended at the cable car station.
I was very pleased to have made it in 4.5 hours. The cable car station was packed but judging by the over full car park most people had decided not to cycle today.
The ride down was fairly straightforward and I was back at the hotel in just over 7 hours. 
It had been one of my less eventful rides but still pretty tough so hopefully it has made me fitter for the North Cape adventure. However more importantly I have another top trump card done. But with many cards left to do then next years golfing holiday may need to be in the alps.
I also managed to capture some good footage so hopefully the YouTube video will be available soon.
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