Xavier Marti
The Kilómetro Cero project proposes a curious premise: four routes that cross the Iberian Peninsula, all of them starting at the famous KM0 in Madrid, and ending radially in Finisterre, Cap de Creus, Tarifa and Hondarribia.
These routes were created, with more than 3,000 kilometers of fully cyclable tracks, so that every biker could enjoy them at their leisure throughout the year, with totally different routes in landscape, culture, gastronomy and even language, highlighting the richness of the Iberian Peninsula, its tracks, roads and its people.
The four routes connect four cardinal points, four languages, four cultures (Spanish, Catalan, Galician and Basque). The objective of the project is to rediscover the peninsula and see with different eyes on the bike these paths that we hope will become a sports and cultural destination.
Photographer @patassat135.
In the Kilómetro Cero project they have a very clear philosophy, to leave a mark on everyone who passes by and not leave a footprint or trace in the nature we step on. As the organization explains: “We don't leave a mark, but we leave wealth and we take the best of the people and the place: conversations and places that we would never have reached otherwise.”
Photography of the Finestre route.
Once these routes have been created, and with the project established, once a year a test is organized on one of them. This 2024 has been the turn for Madrid-Hondarribia, which will be held between May 22 and 26. A route that will not leave indifferent any of the participants who have a maximum of 100 hours to complete and enjoy the just over 700 km and 8900 m of elevation gain through areas of incredible landscape beauty. They will pass through the Sierra Norte de Madrid, the Ribera de Duero, the Rioja Alta and the Sierra de Urbasa until they reach the Higuer lighthouse in Hondarribia. As of today (Friday, May 24) we already have the cyclists who have arrived first in Hondarribia. The former professional Catalan cyclist Oscar Pujol and his friend Cesar Mato have arrived with a time of just over 42 hours, following Fernando Rey with just 50 hours.
Capture of the elkilometrocero.com website where the tracking of the runners appears.
We leave you the three other routes, two of them illustrated with the brutal maps of Alex Hotchin, who we will soon talk to you about in POLVU. We do not tell you here all the details of each route, but we leave you a link to the Web so that you get lost in it.
MADRID – FINISTERRE (798 km and 12130 m)
It links five of the most important Caminos de Santiago in the Iberian Peninsula, reaching KM0 of the Camino de Santiago which is located in Finisterre.
MADRID – CAP DE CREUS (922 km and 9220 m)
Cross the peninsula to its easternmost tip in the northwest of the Gulf of Roses until you reach Cap de Creus passing through Port Lligat and Cadaqués.
MADRID – RATE (753 km and 8590 m)
Curve the peninsula to reach the southernmost point of the peninsula which is located in Tarifa.
