Adapt Low. Finish High. · May 2027

Altitude Training Campin Sierra Nevada, Spain.

A two-week altitude block for riders with a big goal ahead. You live at 2,300 m and train low first, then ride higher step by step – key sessions at altitude in the final days, lactate testing and a day-by-day plan written for you.

Location Sierra Nevada, Spain
Dates May 17–31, 2027
Format 15 days · 14 nights
Group 16 riders · coach + guide
View the Block

Camp runs in English · Portuguese, Spanish & Ukrainian also spoken by the team

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The Altitude Block

Altitude works.
If you program it.

Two weeks is the minimum for the body to start adapting to altitude – and the dose has to be right. That's why you sleep high – at 2,300 m – every night of the camp, while the training starts low and climbs higher step by step. The body adapts around the clock; the hardest sessions at altitude come only in the last days of the block.

01
Adapt · Days 1–5
Sleep at 2,300 m, ride low around 800 m. Easy aerobic volume; the baseline lactate test on day 2 sets your zones.
02
Build · Days 6–10
Each ride finishes a little higher. More volume, the first big climbs, a guided hike to 3,000 m and a full rest day.
03
Altitude · Days 11–14
Key sessions high in the Sierra Nevada, a second lactate test and the queen stage.
04
Take it home
After the camp you get a training plan for the next 3 months, so the adaptation lands on race day.
"Altitude isn't magic.
It's a dose – and doses
need a plan."
Read this first

This camp is
not for everyone.

Training at altitude puts real stress on the heart, lungs and blood. Even fit, healthy athletes can get altitude sickness.

Talk to your doctor before booking if you have, or have had:

  • Heart or circulatory conditions
  • High blood pressure
  • Lung or breathing conditions, incl. asthma
  • Anaemia or other blood disorders
  • Sickle-cell trait
  • Altitude sickness in the past
  • A recent illness, injury or surgery
  • Pregnancy

We adapt gradually and check in with every rider daily; coaches can stop or change any session. A medical check-up is strongly recommended – we may ask for a doctor's clearance.

General information, not medical advice.
Why Sierra Nevada · Why This Camp

Where the pros
go before big goals.

1
⛰️

Roads above 2,000 m

The climb from Granada to the Hoya de la Mora tops out around 2,500 m – the same mountain WorldTour teams use for their altitude blocks before the big races.

2
🫁

Live high, train low – then go high

You sleep at 2,300 m every night. The first days are ridden low, around 800 m, and each block climbs higher. Intensity at altitude comes only once your body has adjusted.

3
📊

Measured, not guessed

Lactate tests at the start and near the end of the block, and a plan for every day – so you know what the two weeks actually did.

Performance Protocol

Built for
your race.

🧪

Lactate Testing

At the start and near the end of the block. Your zones, your response to altitude – explained the same day.

📅

Before, During, After

A preparation guide 2 weeks before, an individual day-by-day plan on camp, and a 3-month plan to take home.

🥗

Chef-Cooked Full Board

Three balanced meals a day from our chef, with vegetarian options at every meal.

🥾

Hike to 3,000 m

One day off the bike and on foot, high in the Sierra Nevada – a different kind of altitude stimulus.

Lactate test by the roadside after a climb in the Sierra Nevada
Lactate testRoadside, straight after the effort
800 m
Adaptation rides
(days 1–5)
2,300 m
Where you sleep
(every night)
3,000 m
Guided hike
(day 8)
16
Riders max
(coach + guide)
The Block

Fifteen days.
Three phases.

An example of what the format will look like – the exact sessions and intensity come from your individual plan. Every training session starts at 10:00.

Two riders on a canyon road at low altitude near Granada
Days 1–5 · AdaptSleep at 2,300 m, ride at 800 m
Watch showing 2,539 m elevation on the hike towards 3,000 m
Day 8 · Hike2,539 m and still climbing
Hairpin road high in the Sierra Nevada with patches of snow
Days 11–14 · AltitudeKey sessions up high
Cycling
Testing
Hiking
Social
Queen Stage
Day 1
Monday
May 17
Arrival
Settle in. Bike check.
PM
Arrival · bike assembly · safety check
Bike check
20:00
Welcome dinner + block briefing
Team dinner
Day 2
Tuesday
May 18
Baseline
Lactate test. Easy legs.
10:00
Lactate test, then an easy ride low · ~800 m
Lactate testZ1–Z2
Day 3
Wednesday
May 19
Adapt
Ride low, sleep at 2,300 m.
10:00
Aerobic ride · ~800 m
Z2 · 2–3 h
Day 4
Thursday
May 20
Adapt
Volume, no intensity.
10:00
Aerobic ride · cadence work
Z2 · 3 h
Day 5
Friday
May 21
Adapt
Longest low day.
10:00
Long aerobic ride
Z2 · 3–4 h
Day 6
Saturday
May 22
Build
Finishing a little higher.
10:00
Climbing ride · mid altitude
Z2–Z3 · 3–4 h
Day 7
Sunday
May 23
Build
Long day in the mountains.
10:00
Long mountain ride
Z2–Z3 · 4 h
Day 8
Monday
May 24
Hike to 3,000 m
Off the bike, up high.
10:00
Guided hike to ~3,000 m
Hiking day
Day 9
Tuesday
May 25
Rest
Full stop.
All day
Full rest · massage available
Rest day
Day 10
Wednesday
May 26
Build
Tempo on the climbs.
10:00
Tempo climbing ride
Z3 · 3 h
Day 11
Thursday
May 27
Altitude
First key session high.
10:00
Climb towards Hoya de la Mora · ~2,500 m
Z2–Z3 · 3–4 h
Day 12
Friday
May 28
Altitude
Intervals at altitude.
10:00
Key intervals at altitude
Z3–Z4 · 3 h
Day 13
Saturday
May 29
Re-test
Measure the block.
10:00
Second lactate test, then an easy ride
Lactate testZ1–Z2
Day 14
Sunday
May 30
Queen Stage
The big one.
10:00
Queen stage at altitude
Z2–Z4 · 4–5 h
20:00
Closing dinner
Celebration dinner
Day 15
Monday
May 31
Departure
Take the plan home.
Morning
Bike packing · check-out
Wash & pack

* Example schedule – the final plan may change for weather, snow on the high roads and group needs.

What's Included

One price.
Everything for the block.

✓
Apartment at 2,300 m · 14 nights1–4 people, women with women, men with men
✓
Chef-cooked full board3 meals a day, vegetarian options
✓
Coach + local guide on every ride2 coaches, one per week
✓
Support car with driverOn every session
✓
Two lactate testsStart and end of the block
✓
Guided hike to 3,000 mDay 8
✓
Training plansGuide 2 weeks before · daily plan on camp · 3 months after
✓
Bike wash + welcome packGifts from our partner brands

Why Sierra Nevada

Mulhacén, 3,479 m – the highest peak of mainland Spain, in the same range.
Hoya de la Mora, ~2,500 m – one of the highest road climbs in Europe.
Sleep at 2,300 m, ride from 800 m – the classic live-high, train-low set-up.
Nearest airport: Granada (GRX)
Apartments in the Sierra Nevada ski village at sunset
Your base · 2,300 mApartments high in the Sierra Nevada
Resting on an apartment balcony with a view of snowy mountains
RecoveryFeet up, mountains outside

On request

Paid separately
Massage€50per session
Mechanic€30per hour + parts
Airport transfer GRX€100per person, one way
Preparation plan€15090 or 60 days before
Bike rentalAsk uson request
The Package

One block.
Built for one goal.

16 places available
ALTITUDE ROAD CAMP 2027
May 17–31 · Sierra Nevada, Spain · 16 riders max
€5,290
per person · 4-person apartment · full board
4 per apartmentincluded
3 per apartment+€150
2 per apartment+€450
Solo apartment+€1,350

Per person, for the whole stay. Women share with women, men with men. Extras such as massage and transfers are listed under On request.

  • 14 nights in an apartment at 2,300 m
  • Chef-cooked full board, vegetarian options
  • Preparation guide 2 weeks before the camp
  • Adaptation plan + individual daily programme
  • 3-month training plan after the camp
  • Coach + local guide on every ride (2 coaches, one per week)
  • Support car with driver on every session
  • Two lactate tests
  • Guided hike to 3,000 m
  • Free bike wash · welcome pack
Discounts
Bring a friend−€100 / each
Returning rider−€150

Only 16 riders.
A coach every day.
One goal: your race.

Built for riders preparing for an important start – triathletes, amateur road racers and gran fondo riders who want their altitude block done properly, not improvised.

Book online – €1,587 deposit (30%) by card right after the form. The remaining €3,703 plus any room supplement is due by March 18, 2027.
Not ready to pay yet? Your place is held free for 24 hours.
Cancel 90+ days before – 100% refund. Full policy →
Questions? Message us on WhatsApp →

The Camp Team

Pro knowledge.
Personal touch.

Two coaches across the block – one per week, with the more experienced coach leading the final altitude week – plus a local guide on every ride. Camp runs in English – with Portuguese, Spanish, and Ukrainian spoken across the team.

Darina Balabai
Logistics & Management
Darina Balabai
Founder of Portcycling – built the community and the systems behind 50+ Coffee and Social Rides across Portugal. Went from zero to semi-pro in four years through smart coaching and discipline – proof that starting cycling at 36 can still get you to a World Championship start line two years later.
Carlos Cobos Márquez
High Performance Coach
Carlos Cobos Márquez
Part of the professional Movistar Gravel Squad. Coaches professional and semi-pro racers – among them Calum Johnston, Pablo Lospitao, and Mauricio Moreira, winner of the 2022 Volta a Portugal. Prefers to know the person before the athlete – the same principle behind every training block he builds.
Artem Shcherbyna
Cycling Guide
Artem Shcherbyna
Lives on the Costa Blanca and rides it daily. Knows every climb, gradient, and wind direction – local knowledge that turns a good route into the right one for your group's pace.
Questions

Everything you
need to know.

How much does an altitude training camp cost?
The Altitude Road Camp costs from €5,290 per person for 14 nights (May 17–31, 2027) in a 4-person apartment at 2,300 m with chef-cooked full board. Fewer people per apartment costs more per person for the whole stay: 3 per apartment +€150, 2 per apartment +€450, a solo apartment +€1,350. It includes an individual daily programme, two lactate tests, a coach and local guide on every ride, a support car, a guided hike to 3,000 m and a 3-month training plan after the camp. Extras such as massage and transfers are on request.
What is a lactate test?
A lactate test measures the concentration of lactate in a small blood sample taken at stepped, increasing workloads. It shows where your body starts to produce lactate faster than it clears it. On this camp there are two lactate tests, so your coach can see how altitude changes your zones and adjust your plan.
Who is this camp for?
Riders preparing for an important event: triathletes, amateur road racers and gran fondo riders who want a structured altitude block – ideally finished 10–15 days before their goal, so peak form arrives on race day – or a strong training block during the season. Timing is individual: your coach plans it with you. It is a training block, not a holiday.
Is altitude training safe for me?
Altitude puts real stress on the body and this camp is not suitable for everyone. If you have, or have had, a heart or circulatory condition, high blood pressure, a lung or breathing condition (including asthma), anaemia or another blood disorder, sickle-cell trait, altitude sickness, a recent illness, injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant, talk to your doctor before booking. We strongly recommend a medical check-up before the camp and may ask for a doctor's clearance.
What fitness level do I need?
You should already train regularly – at least 8 hours a week – and be comfortable riding 3–4 hours at an easy aerobic pace on consecutive days. Your individual plan sets the intensity for your level.
How does the apartment sharing work?
You stay in apartments for 1–4 people. Women share with women and men with men. The base price is for a place in a 4-person apartment; a 3-person apartment is +€150, a 2-person apartment +€450 and a solo apartment +€1,350 per person.
What if there aren't enough riders of my gender to fill an apartment?
You are never moved into a mixed apartment. If we can't find enough riders of your gender to fill the apartment you chose, we'll tell you before your balance is due: you can keep your place and pay the supplement for a smaller apartment, or cancel with a 100% refund.
How do I prepare, and what happens after the camp?
Two weeks before the camp every rider receives our preparation recommendations. If you want more, we can build an individual preparation plan starting 90 or 60 days before the camp for €150 – ask us in the booking form. After the camp, your coach sends you a training plan for the next 3 months.
What do lactate testing and the individual plan include?
A lactate test at the start and near the end of the block shows how your body responds and sets your training zones. Before the camp, each rider receives an individual day-by-day plan, adjusted on site by the coaches.
What about meals?
Three balanced meals a day, cooked by our chef, with vegetarian options at every meal. Tell us about allergies or dietary needs in the booking form.
Are massage and mechanic support included?
Massage is available for €50 per session, paid on site. A mechanic is available on request for €30 per hour of work; spare parts are charged separately. The bike wash station is free.
What language is the camp run in?
The camp runs in English. Portuguese, Spanish and Ukrainian are also spoken across the team.
How do I get to the camp?
Fly into Granada (GRX), the nearest airport. We can pick you up and bring you to the apartments: the transfer costs €100 per person each way. Mention your flight times in the booking form.
What if I need to cancel?
Cancel 90 or more days before the camp and you get 100% back. From 89 days the 30% deposit is non-refundable; cancel 30–59 days before and we refund 50% of the balance; under 30 days, no refund – but you can hand your place for free to another rider of a similar level. If our coach decides the camp isn't the right fit for you, or if we cancel the camp, you always get 100% back.
May 17–31, 2027 · Sierra Nevada, Spain

Your big race
starts up here.

Only 16 places

Two weeks, done properly: adapt low, finish high, and arrive at your start line with a plan.

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Organized by Portcycling – Associação (Portugal) · Non-profit cycling organization · NIPC 518757366