# GFNY: Barcelona



## TheJDog (24 Mar 2015)

Did this with two friends on Sunday - 160km around Barcelona with 2200m of climbing according to Strava. Some very nice riding indeed. Out of the city with a police escort on closed roads, down to the coast via Garraf to Sitges with a short climb up cliffside roads, and some descending. Inland to a (40 minutes?) climb up Capcaleres del Foix, some stunning roads around Torrelavit (twisty smooth roads though the trees on a slight downhill, with the sun shining), then up to Begues, and a great fast descent to sea level again. Then a horrible 30km through nowhere in a headwind to the finish, followed by 10k through more nowhere and a climb back up to near the Stadio Olympico where the after party was (finished by the time we got there - I did a 6:15 for the ride, I thought that was fairly middling, so I was surprised it had wound down, but I guess most of the field did the 110km route).

I had been slightly worried about the ride, a) because of the weather, and b) my friend took us on a ride up to Montserrat on Friday, and I had a very bad day doing that, but I was fine for the Sunday.

I would do it again - it was pretty well organised - there were plenty of food stops (I should only have carried one bottle), and a very friendly field. My only issues were the gap between the finish line and the party, and the biggest shirt they did was an XL which is very small on me 

Barcelona is very nice, too. My first time.


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