The best road cycling routes around Povedilla

There are passes that are remembered for their toughness and others for the landscape they offer. Las Crucetas belongs to the latter. When you stop your bike and look back, it's inevitable to think that every meter of ascent has been worth it. In that instant, the effort disappears and only the satisfaction of contemplating a mountain range that seems to stretch to infinity remains.

Did you know that...? The pass is located very close to the Calares del Río Mundo y de la Sima Natural Park, one of the most valuable protected areas in Castilla-La Mancha, famous for the source of the river Mundo and for its spectacular karst formations.

Look out for... The vegetation changes notably as you gain altitude. Aleppo pine predominates, accompanied by kermes oaks, Pyrenean oaks and a undergrowth of rosemary, thyme and lavender. If you do the route in spring, the aroma of Mediterranean plants permeates the entire pass.

A bit of history: Since ancient times, this pass has served as a communication route between the peoples of the Sierra de Alcaraz and Campo de Montiel. Long before the current roads were laid out, shepherds, merchants, and travelers crossed these mountains following traditional paths that connected Castilla with Andalusia. Today, the road maintains that same role, offering one of the most attractive routes for cyclists and motorcyclists in the province of Albacete.

El Puerto de las Crucetas, located at an altitude of approximately 1,300 meters, is one of the most important natural passes between the Salobre river valley and the Sierra de Alcaraz. From its summit, the road winds its way through extensive pine forests, offering magnificent panoramic views of a landscape shaped by erosion over millions of years. For the cyclist, reaching this pass means leaving the gentle hills of La Mancha behind to definitively enter the mountains, where the air is cooler, the silence deeper, and nature takes center stage.

Villanueva de la Fuente, in the Campo de Montiel region (Ciudad Real), is a destination with great historical, cultural, and natural wealth. Beneath the town center are remains of this ancient Hispano-Roman city, with a Roman road and visitable houses. It was an important Iberian and Roman center on the Via Augusta. Parish Church of San Juan Bautista: 16th-century church with a main altarpiece and bell tower that dominates the landscape.

Montiel Castle, also known as the Star Castle, is one of the most important historical sites in Castile-La Mancha. Built by the Arabs in the 9th century, under the name of Munt-Yil, it was part of the defense of the Islamic territory against the Christian advance. It was conquered by the Christians in 1227, after a long siege, and passed into the hands of the Order of Santiago, who made it the center of the Commandery of Campo de Montiel. The Tragedy of Montiel (1369) occurred here, where King Peter I of Castile was assassinated by his brother Henry of Trastámara, with Bertrand Duguesclin famously saying: "I neither remove nor appoint a king, but I help my lord." It is currently in a state of partial ruin, but excavations and guided tours are taking place.

Very good views on an entertaining road in very good condition.