Around noon we gather in front of a small church in the Northern tip of Lanzarote for the start of Gran Guanche Trail, a mountain bike route that covers 840 kilometres and 20.000 metres of climbing on 5 of the Canary Islands.
It's good to see familiar and new faces, everyone is excited to start, we share stories of past races, there's laughter all around, the weather is fantastic. When the countdown is done, the race starts, and I soon find myself in the back of the pack, settling into my own, sustainable pace. The goal is to mostly enjoy the ride and catch the last ferry on each island. The first two islands: Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are easy in terms of elevation gain, but climbs are often punchy, there are a number of sandy sections, and you have to be lucky with the wind. When you are not trying to ride the Audax pace, the ferries force you to take more rest than you usually would and this race actually feels like a holiday.
On the second day, in the evening, I arrive in Gran Canaria. This is where the real climbing starts. The island is a bit greener than the previous two and the canyons are spectacular. At the end of the day, it’s a sprint to the harbour in Agaete, and I make it just in time for the last ferry to Tenerife. Consistency has brought me in the overall top 10 and I am determined to cross Tenerife in time for the last ferry to the final island.
I leave Santa Cruz de Tenerife behind and get up the first climb before bivying on the porch of a church. Today we climb above 2300 meters with views on one of the most famous mountains among cyclists, El Teide. The cross and head winds are crazy and I have to hold on tight to remain on my bike. When I am going 8 km/h on the downhill I conclude that this must be the strongest wind I have ever ridden in. I realise that it’s going to be tight to catch the ferry and in that moment I get treated to a 30 kilometres long paved downhill. It’s so smooth and fast that it’s almost boring. Ferry number 4: check!
I decided to take a good rest before tackling La Palma. With 190 kilometres to go to the finish and 6000 metres of climbing, race director Matteo has saved the best for last. This island is once again very different from the others. It’s diversity is mind blowing, from tropical forest to pine tree woods, from vineyards to banana plantations and through ‘fresh’ volcanic ashes. I make it to the finish in 4 days and 14 hours as third woman and 7th overall. The combination of the ferries, perfect gravel roads, beach riding, black volcanic landscapes, spectacular views and amazing diversity make this a truly unique event. One to put in to next year’s race calendar.
Bike photography by @manucattrysse
Katrien tackled the Grangunache Trail on a pretty unique build. Her Kona Hei Hei is built around a set of HUNT Proven XC wheels with a Classified Powershift hub offering a huge range of gears. Coupled with Tailfin's excellent bikepacking bags, Katrien's bike offered the perfect build for bikepacking across the rugged and varied terrain of the Canary Islands.
