The Forbidden Challenge
Sitting in the middle of the Macaronesia, about 520km off the African coast, lies the island of Madeira. Rising from the bottom of the Atlantic, the island reaches more than 1800metres at its highest point and within a small area of 740km2, you can find different climates, contrasts and breathtaking views. From deep rainforests and jungles to rocky beaches and super steep roads. The cliffs and hills are all around the coast, so they had to build the airport on a foreland, considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world. And this is where we were headed for our adventure.
At a Glance – 297km +8530m
They wanted something challenging and different, something none of them had ever experienced before.
They also wanted to break the perception that Madeira is not suited to road bikers, as the long steep slopes usually put them off, which is no surprise. Few people are willing to ride 280km and 9000m of elevation. It takes too much effort, still, this was their mission: To venture out and ride arount the island of Madeira in 4 days.
Day 1 (80km +2.390m) – from FUNCHAL to SANTANA
Day 2 (70km +2.930m) – from SANTANA to PONTA DO SOL
Day 3 (95km +1.840m) – from ENCUMEADA to CALHETA
Day 4 (51km +1.350m) – from CALHETA to FUNCHAL
