On the southern edge of Asturias in northern Spain sits a small town surrounded by big climbs…
Words WILL STRICKSON Photography PATRIK LUNDIN
Heliocentrism, the idea that the Sun is at the centre of the Universe, only became the accepted scientific belief after Nicolaus Copernicus’s mathematical model was published in 1543. Arguably, it kicked off the Scientific Revolution, which saw major breakthroughs and the development of most fields of science we use today, including medicine and mechanics.
As I peer up at the road sign beside an unassuming roundabout in northern Spain, I’m beginning to understand how Copernicus must have felt, or at least would have felt if he hadn’t died shortly after his book’s publication. I’m in Pola de Lena, a small town in the Asturias region and the centre of its own cycling-specific universe. The sign I’m looking at offers directions for cyclists to ten big climbs, each within riding distance (see p58). Some of the climbs I’ve heard of, some I haven’t. Some I’ll be riding today.
I skim over the sign, find La Cubilla and get rolling through the town. Riding with me today is Diego Méntrida, a triathlete from Madrid who works for local guide and coaching company Ezz Baily. Diego had a taste of fame a couple of years ago when he gave up his place on a podium to a rival who was ahead of him near the finish of the race but accidentally went the wrong way. This act of sportsmanship was enough to compel a pre-slap Will Smith to post about him on social media, taking it viral. That then caused a flood of international media requests as well as an interview with Smith, who surprised Diego with a load of cycling kit, including a new Specialized Shiv, which he can no longer ride because of team sponsor commitments.
I’m hoping Diego will be equally kind to me today, though I can’t promise virality in return.
Astur luego
The road to our first climb of the day, La Cubilla, takes us southbound out of town. According to the sign, the climb begins 7.1km from Pola de Lena – call that 7km once we’ve ridden through it – and we take the road that runs parallel to the A66 motorway, which means it’s light on traffic. As the industrial part of town fades away, to our right begins a vast expanse of green that covers most of the region. The area that stretches from the northwest coast to the western edge of the Pyrenees is actually known as ‘Green Spain’ thanks to its oceanic microclimate that gives Asturias, Galicia, Cantabria and the Basque Country far more rainfall than the rest of the country. Here, right in the heart of
