Iberica Traversa Road

The Iberica Traversa Road is the tarmac variant of the Iberian Peninsula crossing, covering 1,812 kilometres from Irun in the Basque Country to Tarifa on the Strait of Gibraltar on predominantly paved roads. Sharing the same start and finish as the Gravel/Trail edition, the Road variant finds a line through Spain on quiet provincial and national roads rather than tracks and pistes, but still crosses the same succession of mountain ranges: the Cantabrian Mountains, the Sistema Central, the Sierra Morena, and the mountains of Andalusia. The 1,812-kilometre distance is greater than the gravel route despite being the road variant, reflecting the need to route around non-rideable surfaces and find paved alternatives through complex terrain. Conceived and organised by Andy Buchs of Transbike Adventures, the event shares its self-supported format with the gravel edition: no outside assistance, no crew, riders responsible for all logistics from accommodation to mechanical support. The September start coincides with the hottest period of the Spanish calendar, and the crossing of the Andalusian interior in the final days of the route can mean sustained temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. A serious road ultra for riders who have graduated from standard long-distance events and want a transcontinental challenge without leaving the European mainland.