THE ROUTE
El Piri IS A fixed route of mixed gravel and tarmac terrain through the most beautiful areas in the Catalan Pyrenees.
The route is designed to be as rideable as possible, with only a couple of brief rougher sections, thus pushing your bike will only be required if fitness or gearing forces it. While the route follows the best gravel available, it is not all perfectly smooth, and with 20,000 meters of climbing the route is demanding. The tarmac sections are quiet back roads with little vehicle traffic. The route has been designed to flow well, with hard climbs of off-road sections leading into flowing tarmac or seemingly endless descents.
THE STATS
Distance: 800km
Elevation: 20,000m
Route: Fixed
Surface: 50% gravel, 50% quiet tarmac roads
Start/finish location: Girona City Centre, Spain
Locations visited: The Pyrenees, Andorra, France
Checkpoint: Hotel Trainera, Esterri d’Aneu
Riders will be treated to sublime high mountain gravel and stunning vistas, rewarding any hard riding.
The route regularly passes through small Catalan villages and smaller towns at roughly 50 km intervals.
The route is available online for anyone to ride when they want.
The route is only fully ridable between May to September due to higher parts being covered with snow in winter. While Tristan Cardew completed the route in 56 hours, we recommend it is enjoyed best over a week.