DIFFICULTY: Red+

DISTANCE: 137 km

CLIMB: +2200 m

TIME: 5h-7h h

WITH MUD: Feasible

MARKINGS: No

AREA: Centro, Río Ara

EXIT: Fiscal

ARRIVAL: Fiscal

VARIATIONS:

 

DESCRIPTION

 

Another classic route for cyclists in the area, we will move between the Ara and Gállego valleys, joined by two regular passes in the Tour of Spain.

The Serrablo pass is pure Sierra de Guara, a lonely road and a feeling of isolation for many kilometres. If the climb is long but bearable, the descent is interminable, as you almost never have the sensation of descending comfortably without pedalling, either because of its technical curvy sections or because of its long straight stretches of false flats where if you don’t pedal you are left at a standstill.

We will pass through Sabiñánigo, capital of the neighbouring region of Alto Gállego and starting point of the Quebrantahuesos, to head towards Biescas and begin to climb the Cotefablo pass, along the old N260, which after the construction of the Petralba tunnel between Fiscal and Sabiñánigo has become a quiet road with little traffic.
Cotefablo is a very different landscape, as the high mountains are already visible, greener and the surrounding mountains are more vertical, despite being just over 1400m above sea level. The uphill slope is pleasant and the downhill slope allows us to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the upper Ara valley, with villages such as Linás de Broto, Fragen or Broto itself, while we can glimpse the walls of Ordesa from the Torla turnoff.

There are hardly any fountains/bars in the mountain passes, but there are in the valley areas.

From Sabiñánigo to Biescas you can go through the Lárrede-Orós area to avoid the traffic on the national road, but at the cost of increasing the difficulty and duration of the route.

If we want to soften it a little, the variant combines Cotefablo with the new Alto de Petralba. The road is busier, although there are two lanes almost all the way up, but be careful of the tunnel, even if it is downhill, it is long, so be careful!

 

TERRAIN

 

The road between Boltaña and Broto is very busy during long weekends and in the middle of summer, be careful!

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Avoid winter