Almuñécar's Policía Local have said that this Thursday the mainroad between Almuñécar and La Herradura will be closed to traffic.
Yes, everything grinds to a halt for the Vuelta Ciclista a Andalucía, during the Torrox-Otura stage… Thankfully, however, not for very long.
The cyclists, bless their cotton socks, are scheduled to cut through the municipality of Almuñécar between 12.40h and 13.00h, which is only 20 minutes, so put away the butter knife and leave your wrists alone.
The Chief of Police said that the Guardia Civil motorbikes will be the first through on the N-340. These will be followed a car bearing a yellow flag meaning that the road is closed to all traffic heading in the opposite direction. Then a car with a red flag will appear to show that the road is completely closed off.
When we say closed off, it means to everybody: cars, motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians… nada de nada. If your mother told you that you were special, she was obviously misinformed and didn’t get it past the Guardia Civil, who will fine you if you show your face along that road during that time. The only people who are special, apparently, are these cyclists.
Finally, when they’ve all buggered off, a car with a green flag will appear and the world can be kickstarted back into rotation.
Now from the gasolinera on the main road, travelling east, the N-340 is not affected, because they will cycle along the La-Herradura stretch of the N-340, get to that roundabout (the main entrance into Almuñécar,) do a handbrake turn into town, ignoring the traffic lights and then sod off up the Otivar road on their way to Otura.
This means that the main-road roundabout will be closed to traffic, so if you’re coming in from Taramay, enter at the P-4 roundabout.
(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)
Keyword: Vuelta de Andalucia, N-340 Closed, Red Flag, Guardia Civil Traffic Bikes
news, andalucia, granada, costa tropical, almunecar, vuelta de andalucia, n-340 closed, red flag, guardia civil traffic bikes
Touche! 😉
Ten seconds on Google and I find the Andalucia Rally
Saturday, April 18, 2026: Features two loops of three stages with a 103.60-kilometer timed, closed-road distance.
Sunday, April 19, 2026: Features a,deciding leg covering 99.20 kilometers on closed roads against the clock.
The roads there are closed for a lot longer than 20 minutes
More locally when the hill climb goes up to Lanjaron you cannot access Lanjaron from the Autovia.
You might want to consider a holiday on September 4th the real circus is coming to town.
Sure thing, Aitor, but I don’t remember any Tour of Spain or Tour of Andalucia car or motorbike races, Shutting down road networks across the region, do you? Even the Paris-Dakar rally when they need public roads between staging points must obey all traffic regulations; travelling un-escorted (although tracked by GPS to make sure they don’t break speed limits). In other words, they do not interrupt normal traffic.
Look, I am perfectly happy with public funding for special venues for competition cycling events and god knows that sporting facilities already exist. BTM events are held in sports facilities or in open country, which is fine.
And as for towns being used for car rallies, yes they are and they are also used for marathons (Almuñécar and Motril for example) but they do not cut off communication, albeit temporarily, between towns. I used to live in Otívar and when the Cycle Tour competitions came up the A-4050, the village was cut off, both from coming down the Cabra Road, and coming up from the Almuñécar.
There are several motorsports events in Spain on public roads. Have you ever been to La bañeza moto race, the residents are literally locked in their houses, or Algueña in Alicante? Then there are numerous car hill climb events, and how many car rallies have special stages with road closures? All of which close the roads for a lot longer than the 20 minutes caused by the Ruta del Sol.
Ah, Aitor, I was surprised to not hear from you sooner! It’s not that they are ‘often’ needed at the scenes of road accidents; their presence is crucial, not only to provide assistance to those injured (First Aid) or in shock; obtain evidence that will be used legal evidence, take statements from those involved and witnesses, re-direct traffic as well as their normal duties of intercepting those that put other road users in danger and assist in break-downs situation. The simple fact is, thanks to governments of all political colours, the Guardia Civil is constantly been whittled down in cuts yet expected to carry out their tasks with an ever growing number of vehicles on the roads. Yeah, but hell, why not, tie up literally hundreds of officers and scores of vehicles escorting the participants of these races. Besides, Car and Motorbike races are held in special facilities, not on public roads. You want endurance competitions, do it in the campo.
Yes they are often needed at the scene of road traffic incidents with motorcycles. These incidents are a massive drain on DGT resources. Anyway go take advantage of the opportunity to go look at the multimillionaire sportsmen in their physical prime.
Yup, Cate, I am well known for my views on gaggles of cyclists on our roads and the drain on limited DGT resources (Guardia Civil) to shepherd these events where they are sorely needed elsewhere, like at the scene of road accidents, for example.
What a unpleasant commentary