This is school half-term week and we all usually go skiing in La Plagne. However, this year, with son number 2 doing A-levels and son number 1 being a university we took the opportunity to spend a week in the sun visiting my parents who migrate to Sunset Beach Club in Benalmadena for four months each year. This gave me a great opportunity to get some cycling in the Sierra mountains just north of Malaga in fine weather for February and see whether I’d be able to make my targets of climbing for my training.

I did three big days:

Monday a nice 80km trip via Mijas to Coin and back over the mountain to Benalmadena again.1,500m climbing

Wednesday, a longer trip back to Coin and then on to Alozania and a round trip back via Alhaurin el Grande. 120km and 2,500m climbing

Friday, a trip via Coin, Alozania and El Burgo to Ronda, stop for some pasta lunch and back over the mountains same route to Benalmadena.

There were some really nice long climbs on this ride which prepare me for the Alps and Pyrenees in gradient but nowhere nearly as long in km.

Very pleased to have achieved this in February as it stands me in good stead to have the miles and height metres in the legs at this time.