The best Fred.Olsen Express Transgrancanaria Bike To date it will take place on the southern slope of the island from this Thursday until next Sunday. In its ninth edition, The test will be scored for the second consecutive year in the S2 category of the International Cycling Union (UCI) and will feature a wide cast of favorites, including several of the best cyclists on the international circuit. Total, about 450 participants will run this yearmore than double those who participated in 2023.
The ninth edition of the main event of the Cross Country Marathon (XCM) of the Canary Islands will be made up of four stages totaling nearly 170 kilometers. Cyclists will be able to participate in all stages, weekend stages or individual stages. On the first day, Thursday the 16th, the Fred.Olsen Express Transgrancanaria Bike will debut with a circular route in Cercados de Araña of 31 kilometers and 774 meters of positive gradient, where the hill of La Yerbahuerto will be ascended. On Friday the time trial stage will take place with 23.5 kilometers and 608 meters of positive slope between Parque Sur and Ayagaures. During the weekend, the third stage will also be circular in Cañón del Águila and will add 45.6 kilometers and 740 meters of positive slope, with a route that will enter the Tirajana ravine and pass through the southern and eastern slopes of the massif of Amurga. The last day will be the longest stage, with 69.7 kilometers, in which the Ayagaures ravine will be climbed and the Fataga ravine will be descended, as well as a tour of the El Salobre area to conclude in Parque Sur de Maspalomas. That same day, a test of the Gran Canaria Championship of Cycling Schools will also be held for junior, promising, beginner, juvenile and children cyclists, in a commitment of the organization to the promotion of sports practice and competition in the youth categories. .
The Dutch woman living in Lanzarote, Tessa Kortekaas, is the last cyclist to join the cast of stars who will fight during these four days for the overall victory. The Cannondale ISB Sport cyclist, 21st in this year’s UCI classification, has just completed her second Titan Desert in Morocco, where she won all six stages and was among the top twenty in the general classification of the race. To win her victory in Gran Canaria, she will have to surpass two other Top 30 cyclists in the UCI ranking: her compatriot from Buff-Megamo, Rosa van Doorn —17th in the UCI—, who also debuts in Gran Canaria and this year has victories in the Mediterranean Epic, the Andalusia Bike Race and the 4 Islands MTB Croatia; Scott’s Spanish Cala Bandida Natalia Fischer —25th in the UCI—, current Spanish champion in XCM, who returns to the Gran Canaria race after winning her debut in 2021; or the Portuguese from the Cycling Team – Municipality of Albufeira, Celina Carpenter —58th in the UCI—, fourth last year overall in the event and four-time Portuguese champion in XCM (2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017).
Natalia Fischer, winner of the Fred.Olsen Express Transgrancanaria Bike in 2021. / Carlos Díaz Recio
In the men’s category, the current champion of the event returns, the Dutchman from Buff-Megamo Hans Becking —15th in the UCI—, who will seek his second crown in Gran Canaria in a year that began with a prestigious podium in the general classification of the Cape Epic in South Africa. He will not be the only candidate for the final podium, since his teammate, Enrique Morcillo, winner of the Titan Desert in Saudi Arabia in 2023, sets the goal of finishing in the top three overall. Another cycling team to take into account will be the Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty, which lands in Gran Canaria with three of the best cyclists on the international scene: the Spanish Roberto Bou y Miguel Muñozand the Chilean Sebastián Gesch. Bou—25th in the UCI—has renowned triumphs such as the Titan Desert in Morocco in 2023 and is two-time Spanish champion in the XC Ultramarathon modality, while Miguel Muñoz—40th in the UCI—has been runner-up in Spain in XCM on three occasions. and has added prestigious triumphs such as the fourth stage of the Titan Desert in Morocco in 2021 or the two stage victories in the Titan Desert in Almería in 2023. For his part, Sebastián Gesche —28th in the UCI— He was crowned Chilean champion in XCM in 2023 and won bronze in this category at the Pan American Games held in Colombia.
Nor should we rule out the leader of Scott Cala Bandida for the general classification, Sergio Mantecón —26th in the UCI—, current Spanish champion in XCM, who has started 2024 with overall victory in the Far West Race; in addition to obtaining eleventh place in the Cape Epic, his best result in his four participations in the African event. Other cyclists who will fight for stage wins are the man from Malaga Luis Ángel Matéfrom Euskaltel Euskadi, who last year in the Fred.Olsen Transgrancanaria Bike was third overall and winner of the fourth stage, and the Olympic medalist José Antonio HermidaMTB legend with 14 medals between world and European championships.
The Canarian elite does not miss the event
Among the nearly 450 participants, elite Canarian cyclists stand out, such as the Romanian woman living in Gran Canaria, Manuela Muresanfrom Dinamo BikeXpert, champion of the 2020 and 2022 editions and third in 2023; Elizabeth Brevalfrom GE7 Bike Arucas, XCO Canary Islands champion in 2018 and 2022 and XCM in 2021; Lourdes Bethencourt, champion of Spain in the master 40 category in 2023; or the cyclists of Bike Point Tenerife Isabel Castro, Cathaysa Sanchez y Vanessa Lessa.
In the men’s category, the majorero will be present Antonio Padronfrom CD Velosa, which won the FudeNaS last year and has won in events such as the Lanzarote Ultrabike or the Fuertebike; Blas Riverofrom Z2 Bike, which in the last edition finished fifth in the elite category and eighth in the general classification, in addition to being the 2023 Canary Islands road champion in the elite category; Nestor Rodriguezfrom the Riu Pro Team, who in 2023 was third in the master 40 category; Aristides Gonzalezwho repeats the race after failing to finish in the last edition; Guzman Naughty, from GE7 Bike Arucas, who has been champion of the Canary Islands and Gran Canaria in XCO; either Juan Carlos Delgadofrom Loro Parque Los Silos Natural.
The Fred.Olsen Express Transgrancanaria Bike, organized by Arista Events, is sponsored by Fred. Olsen Express. In addition, it receives the support of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria through the Gran Canaria Tourism institutions and the Insular Sports Institute, as well as the Government of the Canary Islands with the Canary Islands Latitud de Vida. The City Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Maspalomas Costa Canaria also provide their support. Likewise, the race has the support of the companies 226ERS, Vivac Aventura, Gobik, Emicela, Pepsi, Aguas de Teror, Lorenzo González Automoción, Gofio La Piña, Sonocom, Provital and Inetel.
2024-05-15 13:44:07
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