Today we are going to talk about the section between Cártama and Monda, which has areas of considerable interest, both in terms of climbs and tourism.
On September 1 we had the opportunity to see a stage of La Vuelta again, which passed through an area well known to our customers and us.
The stage began in Salobreña, province of Granada, which, bordering the coast, passed through Nerja, El Rincón, Málaga, Cártama, Coín, Monda, Ojén, until reaching Marbella and the climb to Peñas Blancas.
We start our route leaving as always from Fast Monkey Bike Rental, towards Torremolinos where we will ride on smooth terrain, ideal for warming up and we will take a small climb that is well known locally, which is the Camino del Pilar, which will avoid us riding along the main avenue and traffic.
We will arrive at Churriana, and we will go looking for the road to Cártama. It is a road with some traffic, but wide and with a good shoulder, which will allow us to ride comfortably, also in this section we will find some ups and downs, a bit of a leg breaker that will make us spend more watts than expected if we are not careful.
Once in Cártama, we will be riding along the route of the La Vuelta stage. It’s a good place to stop for a coffee break and something to eat. It is a small typical town on the Guadalhorce plain, the cultivation of citrus fruits and avocados is very typical of the area, as well as an important meat industry. Here things start to get fun, and the first important climbs arrive.
Once we leave Cártama, we go to Coín. The road is in excellent condition, very wide and with very little traffic. We find some small descent, but in general, the terrain is ascending.
Once in Coín, we are before one of the most important towns in the region. Founded in the 10th century by the Mozarabs, although there are remains from prehistoric, Iberian and Roman times.
We take the opportunity to ride through part of the old town, and we will be heading to our next destination, Monda.
We continue the climb along a good road, with a good surface and a good hard shoulder. Traffic on this stretch is low, but not nonexistent. Arriving at Monda we will face a good ascent, of approximately 6 and 7% of the ramp.
Here we can take the opportunity to eat something again and contemplate what is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful villages in the area, which has a medieval castle from the Arab era. It is undoubtedly a town worth visiting.
At this point, we return towards Coín, but this time looking for the ascent of Mijas through the Puerto de Pescadores, a climb that leaves no one indifferent and takes us directly to Mijas, a typical white Andalusian town at the gates of the sea. The views here are spectacular. We continue to have a good road and hardly any traffic. Also from Mijas, a short but technical descent.
We will arrive in Benalmádena and from here, back to Fast Monkey Bike Rental.