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When can I visit?We run a calendar of scheduled events throughout the year, and also welcome guests to join us outside of these times. Please contact us to discuss your specific requirements and preferred dates so we can plan your trip.
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Can non-riding guests come?Non-riding guests are welcome. We like to speak to these guests before arrival to create an itinerary to match their interests. Activities include guided tours, walking, mountain hikes, wine tasting, hot air ballooning, sight-seeing and many more.
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Is the trip suitable for Solo guests/riders joining a group?An Escapar trip is ideal for individual guests. There are always like-minded people, and cycling is a socialable activity on-and-off the bike. Meals are taken as group, either at the Finca or local restaurants. There is an optional single supplement to guarantee a room to yourself.
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Can under 18's visit?It depends on the scheduled week agenda. Some of the more challenging weeks are not suitable for under 18's, whilst family cycling and hiking may be appropriate. Bookings must be made by a lead party member over the age of 18. Unaccompanied under 18's unfortunately cannot be accepted. Please contact us for more information or to discuss your requirements.
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Should I tip your staff?We do not expect tips for any of our staff. It is customary to tip a small amount in bars and cafes. We would recommend discretionary restaurant tips of 10% for evening meals. For a 'menu del dia' this is not expected, but diners may round up bills.
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Can I make a group booking?Yes. Please contact us to discuss your requirements and dates.
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Do I need travel insurance?We strongly recommend you have appropriate travel insurance, that covers your transport arrangements, personal property, and personal medical insurance covering cycling in Spain. If you are an EU citizen you are also advised to bring your EHIC card. For a general annual policy we recommend: https://www.yellowjersey.co.uk You can use guest code ESCAPAR10 for a 10% discount
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Do you offer single room supplement?Yes, subject to availability. Please either select the supplement as an extra during the booking process or contact us directly if it not available.
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How far in advance should I book?To reserve a place we recommend booking early to ensure you get the best prices on flights. Trips booked less than 60 days before departure must be paid in full
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What deposit is required?We require a £200 deposit to secure your holiday. The final balance payment for all trips is required 60 days before the trip starts.
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What if I have to cancel my trip?Please see our Terms and Conditions Unfortunately, things happen and circumstances change. In most cases we will do our best to help you find a solution. Please contact us if you need to discuss cancellation.
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How do I contact you to discuss my booking?Please see our Contact us page. If required, we can discuss your booking and requirements personally.
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Do you offer add-on packages, before or after the trip?"Yes. Guests can extend trips to 10, 11 or 14 days. We offer pre- and post-trip packages that includes additional nights accommodation in Valencia or Alicante. Please contact us for more information.
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Do you do private or bespoke trips?Yes. We can accommodate bespoke trips with a unique agenda to suit your requirements. We require a minimum number of 4 guests. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
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I want to stay longer?You can usually extend your stay with us for up to 14 nights.
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What is included in the specific trip I've booked?Please see the indivial details for each 'escape' we offer and the booking information for that specifc event. Bespoke trips can be tailored to your exact requirements.
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When is the final balance payment due?60 days before the trip departure date.
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What should I bring to ride?If you are hiring one of our bikes, we ask you to bring your own pedals, cleats, shoes, helmet and multi-tool and pump. Pedals and pumps may be available upon request on a first-come-first-served basis. For each trip, we will also provide a recommended clothing kit list, appropriate to the itinerary and time of year. If you are bringing your own bike, we recommend bring a tool bag, spare innertubes, and a spare tyre. We also recommend guests bring a GPS capabale device or phone.
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What should I pack?Aside from cycling and casual clothes and equipment, you may wish to pack the following. 1) Passport 2) Credit card 3) Mobile phone and charger 4) Sunglasses 5) First Aid Kit 6) Suncream 7) Prescription medicine 8) Contact lenses 9) Comfortable waking shoes or trainers
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What clothes should I bring?On the bike: We offer a laundy service that guests typically utilise on a rest day. If you are riding for 6 day we recommend 3 changes of kit. We send a recommended clothing list by email to all our guests prior to their departure. Off the bike: Swimming attire for the summer months if you wish to use the pool or swim at Pou Clar. Evening meals are taken at restaurants and casual clothing is fine in the vast majority circumstances. You may wish to pack something more glamourous if attending a Michellin starred establishment. In the winter months, the evening's can be cool and we recommend a warm coat or fleece.
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Do I need to train for the trip?It depends on the trip that you book. For most trips we expect guests to have the appropriate level of cycling experience and therefore no specific additional training is required. For our harder trips e.g Vuelta Classic Escape the same applies but we would recommend training if the proposed itinerary is challenging and beyond what you've managed before.
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I want to get fitter before I come, can you help?"We can supply a 10 week programme or recommend programmes from Trainer Road, Training Peaks or British Cycling if required.
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Can I bring my own bike?Yes. However, our guests love riding the Cannondale Supersix EVO and mostly don't like unpacking and repacking their own bikes!
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How do you ensure my hire bike fits?We have a good range of sizes and parts to fine tune your fit as required. We will set up your hire bike with you when you arrive to ensure everything is in order. If you have specific requirements please let us know in advance.
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Do you provide pedals? And what type?We can provide basic Shimano SPD-SL and Look compatible road pedals with our hire bikes, from Exustar. However, pedal and shoe fit is important and we strongly recommend bringing your own pedals and shoes and cleats. We also recommend that you've tested the fit and comfort these.
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Do you provide shoes?No. Please bring your own shoes, pedals and cleats with you. There is a Decathlon and 3 fantastic bike local shops should there be a shoe emergency! We recommend checking that your cleats are in good working order before you arrive. If not, fit new ones to get the most from your riding.
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Can I bring my own saddle?Yes. We can fit your saddle to our hire bikes. We use high quality Prologo saddles but can also provide alternatives if available.
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Do you carry bikes spares and components?We have a small stock of standard components and spares, including tyres and tubes. We work with the local bike shops, that include three fantastic (Scott, Giant, Mondraker) concept stores that carry everything else you may need. If you have a spare frame/derailleur hanger bring it.
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Can you service my bike?We can make minor adjustments and setup changes to your bike in our workshop. We do not service bikes. We recommended having your bike serviced before you arrive. We also recommended cleaning your bike before packing it. If the chain and cassette are old, fit new ones to get the most from your trip. If you wish to have your bike serviced whilst here, most of the shops can do this overnight if requested.
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Will you assemble and re-build my bike after arrival.No. We can provide all of the tools you will are likely to need and you are free to use our workshop. We can of course help and point you in the right direction. It is your responsibility to ensure your bike has not been damaged in transit and to register any complaints with your airline, travel company or insurance company.
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How do I insure my hire bike?Many hire bike operators do not provide adequate insurance and most travel insurance policies do not actually include cover for hire bikes leaving customers vulnerable. We recommend reading your own policy. To ensure you are covered appropriately, we recommend: https://www.yellowjersey.co.uk You can use guest code ESCAPAR10 for a 10% discount They can cover hire bikes including short term policies (less than 10 days) that will ensure you are protected.
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Where and when will you pick me up when I arrive?Normal picks up are from Alicante airport. We will meet you at Arrivals at the specified time to take you and your luggage to our retreat near Ontinyent. Transfer takes approximatey 1:00 hour. We can also arrange for transfers from Valencia airport upon request. Again the transfer is 1:00 hour.
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Can you help with travel arrangements?For our scheduled trips we provide an arrival window and recommended flights. We do not book flights for customers. Alicante and Valencia airports are connected to many international and regional airports throughout Europe. We can arrange alternative travel arrangements to suit individual requirements. Please contact us for more details.
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Can I hire a car?Yes. We recommended collecting a hire car from the airport upon arrival and returning it upon departure. There is ample free parking at Finca Casa Sanz.
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Do you have specified or recommended flights?Yes. When the status of your trip is confirmed, we will provide you with our recommended scheduled flight details so you can book as early as possible. It is also possible to make individual arrangements on flights of your choosing. Please contact us so that we can make the appropriate airport transfers.
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How should I pack my bike?We have spent many years travelling to races and events internationally and know what works and what does not work! We recommended Evoc bike bags. They fit road and mountain bikes and do an excellent job of protecting the bike. In our view they're better than hard cases and are much easier to pack and reassemble.
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What ride support is provided?For our guided trips there will always be an experienced guide and on-demand vehicle support, appropriate to the day's riding. The support car follows us or meets us at specific points on days when this is required.
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How fit do I need to be?We describe the appropriate level of fitness recommended for each scheduled trip we run. We also understand guests want to challenge themselves or occasionally take an easier day. Most trips and daily rides can be shortened, extended or adapted to the ability and wishes of group memebers. Climbs will always be taken at your own pace. There will always be time to recover at the top of a climb. We also have a support vehicle to ensure guests can be collected when required, should there be health or safety issues.
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How do you manage guests of difference fitness?We have a high ratio of staff to guests and our weeks are graded and structured around specific distance and amounts of climbing suitable for that group. Faster guests in a slower groups are welcome too and can take advantage of the optional climbs or extended routes.
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Can I treat the week as training camp?If a week is not advertised as a training camp, there is still usually a sufficient volume of distance and climbing on offer for them to be treated as such. Please contact us with your specific requirements and we can add some training-specific structure to your personal ride or align with a specific training plan that you may be following. If it is your perogative not to over-indulge off the bike there will always be healthy options and soft drinks available at the retreat. If you want a TTS figure and data for Training Peaks, please let us know!
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How do you manage my specific dietary requirements?Please tell us in advance if you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies and we will ensure the Finca is appropriately stocked with suitable provisions. We may also contact you to discuss dietary requirements and even ask for some of your favourite recipes! The restaurants we use cater for a wide range of diets and menus are well labelled. Food purchased in shops adheres to EU regulataions and is labelled accordingly.
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Is breakfast included?Yes. A full continental breakfast is included, with locally sourced produce, gourmet coffee and the finest English tea. For big days or cooler mornings, a hot option may availalble, including porridge, eggs, sausages etc.
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What is the Post Ride Recovery?We provide a post ride recovery meal when we return to the Finca, usually consisting of locally sourced and seasonal products. We'll make sure you get the right nutrition to recover from your ride and prepare for tomorrow. We don't serve Energy or Recovery Products or powders. We serve real food, accompanied with a craft beer, wine, and coffee. There's usually an optional pastry or cake too! Soft drinks and water are provided free of charge at the Finca.
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Is lunch included?Lunch at a fabulous restaurant is included on our Gourmet bike weeks. For standard weeks, the cost of lunches is not covered.
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How do evening meals work?We take you to eat as a group to one of the selection of hand-picked restaurants near to the Finca and bring you back after the meal. All of the reservations are made by us and we've worked hard to ensure the menus cater for all dietary requirements. If you are unsure about something, please ask. Special requests are required in order to book a Michellin starred restaurant. These typically required 24-48 hours notice.
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How much spending money should I bring?You will only need spending money for the occasinal roadside lunch, coffee or ice cream. Typically less than 5-10€. Depending on the schedule, some days we do not stop for lunch and ride straight through and return to the Finca for Post Ride Recovery. Evening meals can cost from 15€-25€ upwards. Taster menus at Michellin starred restaurants are from 45€. Alcohol is extra. At the Finca, we run an honesty bar in the evenings. You may also want to purchase some of our fabulous kit!
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