Trading the windy shores for a solid challenge, the route climbs straight into the hills. Leaving Tarifa, the tires tackle the sharp ascent up to the Mirador del Estrecho viewpoint. Up here, flanked by spinning wind turbines, a panoramic view opens across the narrow strait to the Rif Mountains of Morocco.
A fast descent drops riders straight into the port city of Algeciras, where the terrain levels out entirely. From here, the track skirts the bay of Gibraltar, crossing the coastal flats of San Roque.
By afternoon, the monolithic Rock of Gibraltar dominates the view. Rolling through La Línea, the track crosses the border and the active airport runway to finish inside the unique British territory.