How to Tackle Rocacorba
“If there is one thing we know, it’s Rocacorba”
Rocacorba is more than our name. The Rocacorba mountain is one of Girona’s best-known and toughest cycling climbs. It was made famous by its popularity among the local pros. Close enough to Girona (but only 1.5km from our doorstep) with challenging slopes, it became the perfect climb for the pro riders to test their form. Even leading up to the grand tours, riders including Tour winner Bradley Wiggins and Giro winner Ryder Hesjedal were known to train on the climb. With years of pro riders trying to break the magical 30 minute mark (~40 for the women), the Strava segment was and still is hotly contested and not just between the pro riders. It’s the perfect climb for any rider to test themselves and see how they stack up against some of the best in the world and a must-do climb for every cyclist in the Girona area.
Years before we ever started Rocacorba Cycling, we were all riding on the slopes of the locally famous climb week after week, year after year. Given our combined history with the climb and location of Can Campolier, it was only natural when we started the business that we would name it “Rocacorba Cycling”. So, if there is one thing we know, it’s Rocacorba.
We know every detail of our namesake climb: every corner, every gradient change, where to save and where to spend energy, and every horse and donkey along the way. Of course, Ashleigh is also the presiding QOM so we also have all her tips and secrets to help you get a personal best or tackle the climb for the first time.
The Start
The Rocacorba climb might be 1.5km from our doorstep but the first thing we suggest is a good warm up! A quick roll around the lake will wake the legs up by the time you arrive to the start of the climb which is officially just after the bridge. Make sure you have fluids as there is no place to get water on the climb.
The 9.7km climb has an average gradient of 7%. On paper, that’s pretty straightforward but in reality the climb isn’t that simple. The start is the easiest part with shallower gradients and fools way too many riders into going out too hard. Pacing is most the most critical at this point so hold back! As Ash warns, “if you want your best time, don’t get excited too soon or you will pay for it at the top”.
When you reach the more open fields (hello mini horses!), you’re just arriving to the first of two flat/downhill sections. Use the 500m to spin out your legs because the second half of the climb is much harder.
The Hardest Part
The next two kilometres are the toughest part of the climb with the average gradient at 10%. There is no shade and no respite, even on the outside lines of the corners, only hard and harder.
The key here is to be steady. Find a powerful rhythm and stay there. Keep an eye out to the left because you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the summit for the first time, demarcated by the cellular towers at the top.
The road will feel like it’s levelling out and then you’ll be granted the welcome gift of the second 500m of downhill. Again, use it to spin out your legs and prepare for the final section up to the summit.
The Final Push
The final 1.5km is still steep with an average gradient of 8%. With 8.5km in the legs, it bites but with views on the right of the Pyrenees and the summit so-close, you can start burning the end of your matches. Don’t be fooled by the green and white “Rocacorba” sign on the right, the summit is still 500m to go!
Make it to the hairpin past the sign and there is only 300m left. There is a white line across the road to mark the official finish so put your head down and empty the tank. It’s literally downhill home so don’t save anything now!
The Glory
Once at the top, take the mandatory photo with the big green Rocacorba sign. Have a seat on the paragliding launch and enjoy the well-deserved beautiful views of Girona and the Costa Brava. After you carefully cycle back down, finish your pilgrimage with a celebratory coffee and cake at the official Rocacorba Food Truck right at Can Campolier—you’ve earned it. And maybe have a quick check on Strava too…
Really want to get a PB? Ride it with one of our guides for a one-on-one coached climbing experience.
If you are on a gravel bike, or on foot, head down the dirt road to the Rocacorba Sanctuary
Keep Fighting. Period.
Everything was falling apart.
I got off my bike and it was dead quiet. I had just finished the individual time trial at the Giro Rosa and, I knew it wasn’t my best day, but was it really that bad? Being met with silence from my team affirmed my worst fears. I had finished three minutes off the pace, out of the top ten, and it was a really hard pill to swallow. At the biggest stage race of the season, as my teammates sacrificed themselves for me, I just couldn’t deliver. I rode back to the team bus, taking that silence with me.
Image: Jojo Harper
I started to spiral. I’ve had tons of bad races but this felt like more. My period had arrived early, leaving me feeling completely flat and in pain. I had strange and severe stomach pain that was keeping me up at night. Even my skin was sensitive to touch. I couldn’t eat and I didn’t want to. I knew it wasn’t true but it felt like everyone else was having a perfect race while mine was a disaster. Nothing was going right this season, it was just obstacle after set back after bad luck, and now, as I slid down the GC from 3rd to 9th, I felt completely disheartened.
Of course, all of this was also happening in front of an audience. My teammates, the peloton, friends, family, and fans were all seeing me struggle and so the messages started. What was happening and why, I still wasn’t sure, but the support messages were clear: I had to find a way to keep fighting.
I made it through the next two stages, getting dropped, clawing back, and fighting for every single pedal stroke. Every time an attack went or the pace surged, I couldn’t draw on my physical abilities like I was used to. I had to really dig deep into my experience to keep it together. My mum called to remind me how I had overcome an eating disorder, a serious head injury and a hip fracture. My husband, who was thankfully there by my side, kept reminding me what I was normally capable of and what we had accomplished, although, really, just his presence was a source of strength. My team was incredibly supportive, fully understanding how much impact your period can have on performance, let alone stomach issues. My phone was also constantly beeping with encouragement from fans through messages on social media. I didn’t have the physical power but I was constantly reminded that I did have the strength.
Image: Sean Hardy
By Stage 9, the Queen Stage, the team doctor had helped get my stomach under control and I was over the worst of my period. I started to feel like myself again and Montasio, the big mountain top finish, was my chance to prove it. It was against the odds and the top riders in the world but, finally, my guts were saying let’s go for it.
The stage played out exactly as predicted. We hit Montasio and Annemiek van Vleuten attacked. All the favourites respond and—hallelujah—so did my legs. Anna van der Breggen, Lucinda Brand, Amanda Spratt and I chased hard. As we caught Annemiek, the pace was…you can’t even believe! I knew it was impossible to keep that power going without blowing up and, after Lucinda dropped off, so did I. Moments later, Amanda did too. While Annemiek and Anna powered on, I set my sights on chasing down Amanda.
I bridged to her strong and steady and as we hit the steep part together, I tried my best to get rid of her. I couldn’t shake her so when we hit the flat section, I slammed my gears into the big blade and punched the speed. I escaped from Amanda, crossed the line for 3rd on the stage, 4th in the GC, and I had never felt so relieved.
I received lots of messages after Stage 9. The messages that recognized my low along with my stage podium were the ones that stayed with me. The people who noticed me struggle, saw me fight, and how I turned it around from such a low place, had seen something that felt vulnerable to me. The exposure of my difficulties had demonstrated, even to myself, a strength that went beyond watts and bikes.
Image: Anton Vos
We all go into big races as prepared as possible but reality constantly shows us that races, seasons, and life never go to plan. The lesson, however, isn’t that life is unpredictable but that we can be resilient and rise above whatever challenges come our way. I’ve learned that lesson over and over again but, still, I keep learning it because as we rise, the difficulty of our challenges rise with us. It never gets easier but our capacity to handle what we once thought impossible is unfailing if we have faith in our fighting spirit.
Join Ashleigh at the Harvest Tour
Setmana Ciclista Valenciana
Off the back of a fantastic 10 day training camp at Rocacorba Cycling, it was finally time to get on a start line again. Our European opener was the four stage Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, just down the coast from Girona and it really did feel like an early season race.
The bunch was basically a bundle of nerves. A winter’s worth of race anticipation unleashed a series of crashes that claimed many riders. Fortunately, the whole team managed to stay upright and out of trouble and, by the third stage, we we well positioned to put our attack plan into motion.
Stage Three was the queen stage and the obvious crux that would decide the general classification was Xorret de Catí. I had looked at the parcours but it wasn’t until we reconned the climb a few days before the race that I realised how completely savage it was. A part of the Vuelta Espana many times in the past, the 4km climb has an average gradient of 11% with much steeper sections, especially during the second half the climb. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw; the last 2km were savage! I like steep climbs more than most but this early in the season, I felt a little underprepared!
The stage was completely predictable but it wasn’t lacking in fireworks. A break had gone after the longer climb leading up the Xorret de Catí, with one of the riders, Soraya Paladin, having some valuable GC time. It wasn’t ideal but, as a team, we decided to stick to the plan, let the break go, and save it for the big beast of a climb that lay ahead. We hit the bottom and Movistar took control and set a demanding pace. Attacks started, including one from us, and chasers ramped up the pace again. I sat in and eventually we were down to a few riders and the fight was on.
The road was decorated with names and there were sections lined with encouraging spectators but not for one second did I forget about me legs when the road tilted up and over 15%, 20%, and more. We caught what was left of the break but Clara Koppenburg stayed out of the saddle and mashed her way past the break and to the front of the race. It took me a bit longer to work my way past the break and by the time I had, Clara had a spacious gap. By the summit, Clara was clearly on her way to victory and I was coming in for second.
Although I finished ahead of Paladin, her time advantage from the previous stage wasn’t to be overcome on the next day and neither was the 49 seconds that Koppenburg had claimed on the Catí. As the fourth and final stage ended with a bunch sprint, the GC unchanged, third was a great way to both finish our training camp and start our European season. Onwards and orange ;)
Season Opener: Tour Down Under
It’s been 9 days since I’m officially a CCC-Liv rider!
The excitement of signing with a brand new team has only built over the last few weeks. For the first time in my career I had a pre-season training camp so, in December, I had an early taste of what was to come: new equipment, new teammates, new management, new race schedule. Contracts only officially roll over on January 1 so after camp I had to wait. I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas and when 2019 finally arrived, the build up did not let me down.
A week after the New Year we all jetted down to Australia for the Tour Down Under. After the million-hour long flight, we all crashed at the hotel while the time change crashed into us. Thank goodness there is a strong coffee culture in Australia because the next day it felt like I needed a constant supply of caffeine just to keep one eye open. The other eye, thankfully, was being kept open by spending time with teammates, exploring Adelaide by bike, and snuggling baby kangaroos. (Hey, when in Australia, right?!).
I couldn’t think of a better way to start with a new team then with a new race. It will be my first time competing at the Tour Down Under. Since it’s also our first race as a team, the goal is just to start learning how to race together over the four-stage event. We’re all professionals with a very professional set up so everyone knows what they are doing but there is sense of unspoken communication in racing, a rapport, that just needs to be built on the road in a race. It’s learning how your teammates react to race situations, what each riders facial expressions mean, and even who likes what in their bottles. In other words, it’s all about bonding this week but, if an opportunity arises, whether that’s snuggling a kangaroo or grabbing a podium, you can bet we’re going to take it!
