Alto de Velefique

Unless you have a horse with no name, you’ll be driving through the Tabernas Desert to reach the start of this climb. This arid southeastern knuckle of Spain is so quintessential in its desertness it became the home of cowboy movies in the 1960s and as such there is pretty much nothing and no one for miles. It would take many gruelling hours to cycle here from anywhere you would wish to base yourself in the vicinity. But there are roads, and what roads.

The sun beats down the door to the Tabernas year-round. The nights are cold whatever the time of year – candy-striped snow poles line the highest roads – but even in late October it’s still in the 30s during the day. This consistent dry warmth coupled with the