This year, most of the gravel events we’ve registered focus on long distances, and we were really looking forward to participating in La Garba for the first time, which in its fifth edition offered an additional distance of nearly 500 kilometers. We were familiar with the organizer’s expertise and the great atmosphere, so we joined the more than 1,000 participants who would take over the Terres del Ebre region in Catalunya during the last weekend of March.
The event’s naming partner is SB Hotels, so we opted to stay at their hotel in Tortosa to ensure both bike and body were ready for what was to come. Bike parking, a workshop, and a washing area are some of the cycling services they offer, complemented by the rest of the luxuries expected in a four-star hotel.
Just two train stops separated us from the start in the L’Ampolla sports center, so we could enjoy our breakfast without hurrying, especially considering that the start time was 11:30 a.m. This was undoubtedly an unusual time for ultra-distance events, but everything was planned so that the bulk of the participants would pass through a specific area with daylight. Furthermore, the fifth stage of the Volta a Catalunya was passing through the area, and potential road closures had to be avoided.
Before the start, there was an exhaustive briefing in which Ramón, the organizer, explained the route in detail. Seeing the track of Lo Voltor on a huge screen, with its 500 km and 9,000 meters of elevation gain, was a bit daunting. This route had been kept secret until a couple of weeks before the event, and at the last minute, we were sent an updated version as the constant rains of the previous weeks had made it impossible to cross the Matarraña River.
Ramón insisted that Lo Voltor was a non-competitive bike journey and suggested an itinerary that split the total distance into three, sleeping for two nights and returning to L’Ampolla on Sunday. Most of the 100 people who registered for this distance had other intentions, but the support and advice received despite this being a self-support event were appreciated.
We were aware of the impact the weather would have throughout the weekend. The wind is not an unknown factor in the area near the mouth of the Ebro, but specifically on Friday and Saturday, when the longest distances of La Garba took place, there were warnings for constant strong winds and gusts over 100 km/h.
For this reason, and since riding in a group was allowed, we wanted to remain as sheltered as possible, but as soon as we set off, the leading group set a pace that we decided not to follow. There weren’t many people keeping up with us either, so we soon found ourselves alone with everything ahead.
We wanted to create content on the road, but we also had to make sure we had everything we needed to take on a challenge of this kind. Our bikepacking bags contained tools, food, and a minimalist set of a thermal blanket and inflatable sleeping mat. Our full-frame camera was hanging on our back, and wore our hydration vest over it. A real logistical puzzle.
The first quarter of the route took us along all kinds of trails in the Sierra de Cardó. We soon caught up with several of the initial members of the lead group, who had realized that their initial pace was incompatible with the remaining distance. We refilled our bottles for the first time at kilometer 78, in Rasquera, before beginning the beautiful climb of Port de Cardó, mainly paved. After passing the Monastery of Sant Hilari de Cardó, the surface returned to gravel shortly before reaching the top. Once on the other side, the views were still impressive, but we had to focus on what lay two meters ahead, as there were many loose rocks on the descent.
Crossing the 100th-kilometer mark coincided with our first encounter with the Ebro River, which seemed more abundant than usual. We then tackled several climbs that brought the accumulated elevation to 3,500 meters before reaching Bot. From there, we entered the Via Verde itinerary and its many tunnels, where we realized we had already cycled through it during a previous episode of The Raw Stories, albeit in the opposite direction.
Our first long stop was in Lledó. The owners of the municipal bar were aware that Lo Voltor was passing by, so they offered dinner until 1 a.m. and set up a big room where anyone could spend the night. In our case, we arrived around 9 p.m. and ordered a tortilla sandwich for lunch and another to take away, while we took the opportunity to charge our electronic devices.
We thought that, due to its location on the route, every participant would stop to refuel, but when we asked the owners, they told us we were the first to enter. This made us think there were fewer riders ahead than we thought, but we decided to ignore the classification and continue doing our thing.
We then started the most remote and monotonous section of the route, skirting the border between Aragon and Catalonia and then fully into the Matarraña region. We weren’t sure if or where to stop for the night. A hostel we had marked on the map wasn’t open, and as we passed one of the many abandoned buildings, we saw a covered shed with a bed frame inside, so we covered ourselves with our thermal blankets to try to take a power nap.
Whether it was due to our lack of experience sleeping outdoors, the wind that kept us from warming up, or the caffeine we’d consumed, we weren’t able to sleep. We were back on the bike before 3:00 a.m., and the tortilla sandwich we’d planned to eat once there was daylight was eaten prematurely.
For the next 75 kilometers, the route took us south, so the wind was supposed to give us a welcome extra push. While we can’t deny that it mostly felt like a tailwind, there were multiple times we almost fell off the bike due to a sudden gust.
We arrived in Valderrobres at 6:00 a.m., just before the bakeries opened, so we had to rely on a vending machine. Several bags of cookies gave us a brief morale boost, but the dehydration caused by spending the whole night without water due to losing a full bidon at the worst possible moment began to take its toll.
We had already covered many kilometers on a slight upward trend, and at one point we were so short on energy that we would shift into the lowest gear at the slightest incline. We began to consider abandoning, but seeing that the fastest route to the finish was following the track, we continued moving forward.
It was only when we reached the start of the paved ascent to Fredes that we decided against continuing toward Mont Caro. It was kilometer 380 out of 500, and just 25 kilometers separated us from the highest point of the route, from where a long descent to l’Ampolla began. However, neither body nor mind were up for further suffering, and the wind in that exposed area was stronger than we were willing to tolerate. At that point, we were in sixth place.
Even so, we had to ride an additional 50 kilometers along an alternative way to reach l’Ampolla and at least enjoy the atmosphere and the paella with which every participant was rewarded. Upon arrival, the first finisher of Lo Voltor was already there. Sergio Molinero completed the course in 25 hours and 27 minutes. His stop time was less than 40 minutes. While we were recovering, the first woman, Bianca Datola, also arrived, just over 30 hours of elapsed time.
At the finish line, the first finishers from Lo Voltor and Lo Flamenc joined the main group of participants from La Cabra and Lo Cabrit, plus all their relatives. The atmosphere was fantastic, which lifted our spirits, even though we were feeling quite down.
We’ll definitely come back, but it remains to be seen whether it’s to address some unfinished business, or to enjoy the smooth gravel paths of the Ebro Delta via another of the routes offered. One way or another, La Garba now has a permanent place on our calendar.
