La Cantabrona

La Cantabrona is a road cyclosportive in Cantabria, northern Spain. The next edition is scheduled for Sunday 8 May 2027, based in Polanco, with two route options for riders of different levels.

Routes and distances

• Gran Fondo: 170 km with 3,060 m of elevation gain, according to the figures on the organiser’s website.
• Medio Fondo: 107 km with 1,500 m of elevation gain.

The organiser’s website highlights the Puerto del Caracol, the Portillo de Lunada and the Puerto de la Braguía among the climbs of the Cantabrian interior. Its route figures and profiles are labelled 2026, so the 2027 course may differ in detail.

Explore the route on Cycling Friendly: La Cantabrona – Gran Fondo

Explore the route on Cycling Friendly: La Cantabrona – Medio Fondo

Registration

Entry for the 2027 edition is handled through the registration buttons on the official website, which link to the organiser’s online registration platform. Prices, opening dates and place limits were not published on the page at the time of writing. See the official website for details.

Why ride it

La Cantabrona is a non-competitive cyclosportive, so the focus is on the personal challenge rather than on racing. The route heads inland from the Cantabrian coast into the mountains of the Valles Pasiegos area, where long climbs and constant changes of gradient make the Gran Fondo a demanding day. The Medio Fondo keeps the same character over a shorter distance.

Where to stay

With a long day in the mountains ahead on Sunday 8 May, it pays to arrive in Cantabria on the Friday or Saturday, sort your bike and registration without rushing, and sleep close enough to reach Polanco comfortably in the morning. The area between Torrelavega and the coast has plenty of quiet roads for a leg-loosening spin the day before, and a bike-friendly base makes recovery afterwards far easier.

Fortbike San Mateo – Los Corrales de Buelna, about 13 km from the start. A holiday home set inside an 18th-century manor house and holding Cycling Friendly Bronze certification, it is built around the needs of riders. There is a dedicated space to store your bike securely, tools for any last-minute fix and a washing area, so your machine can be race-ready before you pin on the number. A full gym and indoor trainers are also listed, handy for a warm-up or a spin-out after the finish.

Tinas de Pechón – Pechón, about 37 km from the start. This Cycling Friendly Silver hotel-apartment complex on the western Cantabrian coast, close to San Vicente de la Barquera and Santillana del Mar, offers a certified cycling centre with safe bike storage and a professional tool cabinet. Bike rental, a bike wash and laundry for your kit are also listed. It is a longer transfer on event morning, so it suits riders who want to turn the weekend into a coastal cycling break and book apartments with a kitchenette.

Rooms fill quickly around event weekend, so book early, and browse more cycling-friendly accommodation to plan the rest of your trip.