VUELTA A ESPAÑA 2019
PHIL ANDERSON SIGNATURE TOUR

3rd – 10th September 2019 – 8 Days

  • LOCATION

    Spain

PAYMENTS

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$750.00 AUD – $4,950.00 AUD

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  • 8 DAY TOUR
    Tuesday 3rd – Tuesday 10th August 2019

    • $750 AUD – Deposit
    • $4,950.00 AUD – Per person twin share

Join us on our Phil Anderson Signature Tours.

Vuelta a España 2019 – 8 Day Tour

We’ve teamed up with our longtime friend, Australian and Tour de France cycling legend Phil Anderson on a new series of signature, collaboration tours. This tour takes in the Vuelta a España – The Tour of Spain.

The Vuelta a España is the unheralded Grand Tour of cycling. It offers an explosive three weeks of mountaintop finishes raced in the late afternoon Spanish light and immersed in a culture of relaxed eating and drinking.

The Vuelta a España is now on the bucket list of professional cyclists and weekend warriors alike.  No longer overlooked by those seeking cycling holiday experiences the Vuelta a España also features highly as a desired palmare for all the general classification contenders of the current era.

The 2019 Vuelta a España will be one of the hardest races you will see, we follow the race across from the French Pyrenees across northwestern Spain. After a couple of weeks training at our Phil Anderson French Pyrenees camp, we’ve selected the middle week of the Vuelta for its exciting race stages, and you’ll experience the best riding in Spain across the lush, cooler coastal regions of northern Spain.

First up though on our tour, it’s in the Pyrenees that we join la Vuelta a España for the Individual Time Trial in Pau. From Pau we head towards the cool northwest coast of Spain for a week that includes the best combination of riding, spectating, relaxing, cool drinks, pintxos and enjoying Spanish life. We stay near the coastal towns of San Sebastian, then follow the race as it heads west along the coast and stay close to all the action in the lush Asturias region.

We love everything about Spain, it’s a great climate for cycling, beautiful roads and a culture which encourages cycling and the outdoors, we love it so much – we have our European base here. We’re sure you’ll love it as much as we do.

8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS ITINERARY

Vuelta a España 2019

DAY 1 – TUESDAY 03 SEPT. 2019

ARRIVAL DAY – Spectating & getting settled

Stage 10: ITT 36.1km Jurancon – Pau

La Vuelta visits the Pyrenees briefly and for the first time in its history visits Pau for the ITT.

If you missed Le Tour now is your chance to catch a little bit of the action with a replication of the ITT in the same town, different month!

Preceded by a rest day the 36.1km time trial is very technical and is likely to upset the rhythm of many of the pro’s after a mountainous route in the first week of the Vuelta. The route will favour the specialists who may regain a strong footing on the general classification leader board after the day’s end.

Our tour starts in Pau and after spectating the tail end of the ITT we will transfer to San Sebastian and Spain for the start of our sojourn into La Vuelta. We will celebrate in style with a classic Spanish welcome meal.

Our Day: Spectating at the Pau Time Trial & getting settled  

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 Après Race: Transfer to our Hotel near San Sebastian

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DAY 2 – WEDNESDAY 04 SEPT. 2019

Stage 11: 169km Saint Palias to Urdax

We plan on a classic Spanish start to the day, relaxed enough to allow a little time to explore San Sebastian, before we head out for a mid-morning ride that will have us arrive in Urdax with time for a late lunch before the stage finish. The rides are short enough to allow for at least 60km | 1000m-1600m of climbing on our first incursion into the Spanish mountains.

Stage 11 is a middle-mountain stage running over 4 intermediate climbs before an exciting downhill finish in town. There are expectations of an attacker stealing the day but I would expect the stronger teams to control and dominate the stage, managing time bonuses before a strong finale in the streets of Urdax.

As the temperate cools we will drive back to San Sebastian for tapas, and a late dinner. Spanish already!

Our Rides: Distance 60km | Climbing: 1000m (Extra’s available)

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DAY 3 – THURSDAY 05 SEPT. 2019

Stage 12: 175km Circuito de Navarra – Bilboa

Stage 12 involves three short but tough consecutive climbs, very close together through stunning country. The penultimate climb, the steep Alto El Vivero will precede the 7km descent to what will be a dramatic stage finish in Bilbao.

As La Vuelta heads East we will consequently extend our ride to take in the ascent of the Alto El Vivero to watch the race in its closing stages. We are likely to be in the mix of the cycling-mad Basque. It will be unrivalled spectating after a reasonably long ride to secure our positions.

We will return to San Sebastian with our feet up and spirits high for our last night in town before we chase the peloton along the coast to our next hotel.

Our Rides: Distances: 60km-130km Climbing: 850m – 1500m

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DAY 4 – FRIDAY 06 SEPT. 2019

Stage 13: 168km Bilboa – Los Machucos

A tour is designed around the riding and of course La Vuelta, occasionally it involves not just the obligatory transfer, but a ride and a stage finish. We will have the luxury of a relaxed start to our day, typically Spanish followed by a race chase both by car and bike.

A mountain top finish is on our race card. This critical stage includes seven climbs before the final ascent to Los Machucos. This is the climb that Froome faltered on in 2017 and is one the Spanish refer to as ‘rampas inhumanas’. The Cantabrian mountain is a synonym for torture. The climb is only 7.3 kilometres at 8.7%, but this average hides the initial 17.5% ramp before it is followed by a steep descent. A km further and there is a 26% gradient, which continues onto a small plateau and yet another ramp of 25%.

Our ride may be difficult as well but will not be preceded by 6 climbs and we will tackle the mountain from behind.

Our Rides: Distance: 45km – 85km Climbing: 700m – 1400m

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DAY 5 – SATURDAY 07 SEPT. 2019

Stage 14: 189km San Vincente de la barquera – Oviedo

Stage 14 see’s a return of the sprinters on a flat stage which in finishes in Oviedo, reasonably close to home. Bearing that in mind, we have planned a beautiful ride towards the Asturian coast, away from the race with a return planned to catch the stage finish in town.

A late breakfast is planned followed by a ride start time that the pro’s would envy. We will head out easy and have a relaxed lunch en-route, we’ll clip back onto the bikes for the roll home and a race to catch.

Our Rides: Distance: 65km – 90km Climbing: 700m – 1000m (extra’s available)

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DAY 6 – SUNDAY 08 SEPT 2019

Stage 15: 159km Tineo > Santuario del Acebo

The Vuelta tackles the Alto de Acebo twice in the 15th stage and visit the two most famous mountain passes in western Asturias: Puerto del Conio and Puerto del Pozo de las Mujeres Muertas before what should be a dramatic finale.

We have planned an equally arduous day on the bike. There are mountains to climb as we too head for the Santuario del Acebo and with more than 3000m of climbing en-route it will be a day for the mountain goats.

Always there is the option to shorten the ride and for all of the passage home is in the comfort of our vehicle.

Our Rides: Distance: 70km – 105km Climbing: 600m – 1000m

DAY 7 – MONDAY 09 SEPT 2019

Stage 16: 155km Pravia – Alto de la Cubilla

A defining mountain stage presents today and it is one that could determine the outcome of the Vuelta. We do need to be at the finish to witness what could be the winner of the 2019 Vuelta take the stage at the end of a momentous 2nd week.

Our route to the stage finish on the Alto De la Cubilla is less circuitous and via small country lanes. There will be climbing, an inevitability but less so than yesterday and with time for a leisurely lunch en-route it should be a typically relaxing ride day in Spain.

Tonight we will celebrate the end of the middle segment of La Vuela 2019. The final week looks far less challenging and the winner could well be coasting home.

Our Rides: Distance 50km – 80km Climbing: 750m – 1200m

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 Après Bike:

DAY 8 – TUESDAY 10 SEPT 2019

Departure Day – Adios

9am: This morning after breakfast, we transfer you to Asturias Airport for your onward travel.

Thank you for joining us at the Vuelta a España, we hope you enjoyed the ride.

Looking forward to seeing you again soon Ciao Pat, Phil and Grace

TOUR INCLUSIONS

  • 7 nights accommodation in luxurious 4-star accommodation.
  • Daily breakfast and 2 Dinners
  • Access to Australia’s Tour de France legend Phil Anderson.
  • Local Professional staff and mechanical support
  • Luxury transportation
  • Support Vehicles on all rides
  • Rides designed by Phil and featuring Phil riding with you
  • Pick up/Tour start Pau Airport
  • Drop off to destination Asturias Airport

TOUR EXCLUSIONS

  • Travel Insurance
  • Visas
  • Meals other than those specified
  • Drinks other than those specified
  • Snacks
  • Airfares.

10

Years of Experience

63

Tours Completed

1,384

Trip Guests

32,926km

Cycled on Tour

238

Hotels Visited

Your experience is our passion

What Makes Us Première Classe

Experience, Since 2007

We’ve been on the ground running tours for over a decade and have long graduated from the School of Rookie Mistakes. We’ve accumulated thousands of kilometres in knowledge that goes into planning our itineraries and running our trips. When you’re with us, we’ve got your back. We want to see you achieve what you came here for. That’s why we build in contingencies for our contingencies so no matter what challenges the race, road or rain throws at us, we have a solution that will bring a satisfied smile to your face at the end of each day.

Trips Guaranteed To Run

We believe that our trip numbers should never be your problem. Whether our group size is 3 or 33, we run all of our trips to the same premium standard. We value your trust in us and understand how excited you must be. Once you’ve booked your spot on any of our trips, that’s it – you’re coming. So confirm your annual leave, book your flights and start packing!

More Ride Options

We understand that this is your cycling holiday and that you have your own goals and desires. We get to know you and give you a minimum of 3 ride options every day, so you can tailor your trip and manifest your dreams. Our goal is to have you achieve and experience everything you’ve set out to – and more. As corny as it sounds, there is nothing more rewarding for us than your smile at the end of each day. Oh, and hugs. We love hugs, especially after you’ve achieved something so meaningful to you.

Ride More, Transfer Less

We know you’d much rather be sitting on your bike than in a vehicle, so we design our itineraries to ride more and transfer less. There’s a great sense of satisfaction that comes with riding point to point so, whenever possible, we build this into our itineraries. Riding more and transferring less is also achieved by multiple nights stay in strategically located hotels, so there’ll be times throughout the trip where you can unpack your bags and call your room home for a few days.

Spectators Welcome

Whether you’re a fan of Pro Cycling, or your partner is a cyclist – you are welcome and encouraged to join our trips. Taking care of spectators is a specialty of ours. We give you plenty of options throughout the tour. Whether you want to experience the beauty of the ride routes by vehicle and join up with your cycling partner en route, cheer the pro-riders at race viewing points or spend time wondering the beautiful villages and cities we visit – the choice is yours. We ensure you have as much fun and adventure as the cyclists each day.

We Are "Details" Nerds

There really is no other way to put it. We. Love. Details. We consider every inch of your holiday from the pre-tour organising and planning to the on-tour running of it all. Every decision we make is about giving you the best possible experience. We want you to switch off and enjoy the ride. We know what it’s like to work hard for something, and we love to make you feel rewarded for your efforts. Let us handle the details, so all you have to focus on is having the best time and creating lasting memories.

Pro Bike Mechanic & Rider Support

Each trip has a professional bike mechanic and rider support vehicle. We carry a pro-team work stand, extensive toolbox, essential parts, hydration and nutrition aboard our dedicated support vehicle. Should anything occur en route, we’ll have you sorted and back on your bike in no time.

Bike Security

We take the security of your bike and belongings very seriously when you entrust them into our care. We go the extra mile by implementing a number of security measures and only choose hotels that supply us with secure storage options. We are proud to say that since our first tour in 2007, we have never experienced any problems with personal belongings or bike security on any of our trips.

Fabulous Accommodation

We believe accommodation is more than just a bed for the night. It’s a place to call home when you’re living out of a suitcase. We choose a variety of comfortable, characterful and quality accommodation styles to give you a complete experience. From city chic to family run chalets and everything in between.

Global & Local Experience

When you travel across the globe to be with us, we get excited. We love sharing everything we know and love about the people and places we visit. We ride the secret backroads, reveal the best hidden cafés, introduce you to incredible regional produce and have you feeling like one of the locals sooner than you can say bonjour, buongiorno and hola.

Local Lingo

Travelling to a country where the locals don’t speak your language, can be daunting. So that’s where our local lingo can help alleviate your apprehension. We’ll give you some basic tips on how to interact with the locals so you get the most out of your experience. You don’t have to be an expert, just have a go and remember to pack your sense of humour as there’ll be lots of laughing along the way.

Safety & Skills Coaching

We want you to go home to your family in better condition than when you left, so we place importance on your safety and skills. We’ll infuse you with tips, tricks and customs of riding in the countries we visit to give you the best cycling experience in the safest, most enjoyable way. As part of our service, we offer complimentary skills coaching en route for those wanting to hone any area of their biking. Expert skills coaching has been a unique area of our business for over 20-years, having fine-tuned the skills of pro-cyclists, Olympians, national and world champions.

Travel Tips

We’ve learnt a lot about travelling over the years. Once you’ve booked your trip with us, we can advise you on tips and tricks that will help make your travel experience more enjoyable, less stressful and have you well rested and ready to start your trip in optimum form.

Friendships

One thing you may not have considered when booking your future holiday is the opportunity for friendships. We pride ourselves on creating a group culture with great camaraderie that support and cheer for each other. It’s quite common for our trip participants to become lifelong friends (with us and with each other). Friendships that span the globe is one thing that really gives us a warm fuzzy feeling.

Your Goals Matter

Booking a cycling trip is a great motivator to set health, fitness, riding and travel goals. We are here to cheer you on and guide you through your preparation and link you up to other tour participants upon request. On tour, we do everything we can to see you achieve your goals and celebrate those milestones with you. Our flexible yet organised approach means that we’ve never cancelled a landmark ride in our 10+ year history. Your goals matter and we love seeing you reach them.

We Bring Out The Best

This is our philosophy – our heart and soul. At any given time, we bring out the best of that moment. We’ll show you where to stop and smell the roses, take in the most spectacular views, capture the best selfies and drink the best coffees. We are about savouring the moments and reminding you that you are in the best place at the best time.

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