Have you heard of Desertus Bikus? Me neither but they’re an interesting lot and the finishing line for this year’s event was Almuñécar, next to Chiringuito Playamar on Velilla Beach, to be precise.

It’s the second time that Almuñécar was chosen as the final destination of the competitors in this international event.

The 2026 event had started on the 18th of last month and concluded on the 24th after traversing the Iberian Peninsula from north to south in a self-sufficient, unsupported challenge. It’s 400 participants from 20 different countries covered 1,350km with a cumulative altitude difference of 13,500m, after starting out from the French town of Hasparren.

The Desertus Bikus is defined by its unique format: a race with no stages or external assistance, where each participant manages their own pace, rest, and nutrition. Along the route, cyclists had to pass through five mandatory checkpoints in Soria, Cazorla, Jódar (Jaén), Comares (Málaga), and El Acebuchal (Frigiliana) before reaching Almuñécar.

Amongst those 400 competitors was the local cyclist Óscar Aragón, who described the experience as “brutal,” noting that “it is a very demanding race, not just physically, but also in managing food and rest, which you do almost entirely on the bike.”

He explained that participant decided when and where to stop, when to eat, and how to tackle each section. He pointed out that from the very beginning, cyclist are navigating under very tough conditions presenting an enormous challenge.

The organisers limited how many competitors can take part in order to maintain the essence of the event, which is one of the great ultra-distance cycling challenges in Europe.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)