Torrox sits on the Axarquía coast east of Málaga, a short ride along the shore from Nerja. Behind the town the land rises fast into steep hills of olive groves, avocado terraces and white farmhouses. This 31.6 km loop takes you up into them and back down to the sea.
The climbing comes early. The first 2.4 km rise at close to 6%, a short ramp just after kicks up past 7%, and then a longer drag runs from about 5 km to nearly 9 km. By the top of that drag you have done most of the loop's 666 m of climbing, and the high point sits at 476 m.
What follows is the reward: a long run back towards the coast, with short rises to keep your legs honest and a gentle drag in the last few kilometres to the finish. It suits a mid-week session when you want real climbing without giving up a whole morning.
In Atlas Indoor the road is built from a real ride, so the gradient you feel through your trainer is the gradient on the hill. Ride it as a steady endurance loop, or attack the opening climbs and see how long you can hold on to the ghost of your best effort.
How to ride Torrox hills loop indoors
Don't spend everything on the first ramp. Ride the opening 2.4 km at a firm tempo, ease off on the short dip, then settle into the longer drag from 5 km. Once you crest the high point, use the descent to recover and push the last rise to the finish.
New to indoor riding? See the Atlas Indoor guide or how to connect your trainer.
Torrox hills loop: questions
How long does Torrox hills loop take to ride indoors?
About 1 h 30 min at 150 W, 1 h 15 min at 200 W, 1 h 05 min at 250 W. Estimates assume steady power and a 75 kg rider on an 8 kg bike, using the same physics as the ride itself.
How hard is Torrox hills loop?
Atlas rates it hard: 31.6 km with 666 m of climbing, an average climbing gradient of 4.3% and a steepest kilometre of about 7.8%.
Do I need a smart trainer?
A controllable smart trainer changes resistance with the road's gradient. A power meter or basic Bluetooth trainer also works for a recorded ride. Without either, you can explore the route with demo watts, but demo rides don't count towards results.