Guantanamo riders received the La Farola award in their last fight. Photo: taken from ACN Author: Taken from AKC

It is especially sad that the VII Setmana Ciclista-Vuelta Femenina a la Comunitat Valenciana will start this Thursday in Valencia. The event, which features 23 teams and 153 cyclists, was marked with a minute of female cyclists as a heartfelt tribute to Spain’s Estela Dominguez, a young cyclist just 18 years old who was hit last week. on a truck during training in Salamanca.

The causes of the tragedy are still being investigated, as it is not known whether this happened due to the distraction of the driver or bright sunlight.

The fact is that the traditional race is also designed to draw attention to road safety and respect for cyclists on the road.

This year the fair will be divided into two parts. The first will be a two-day event with a final sprint in Sagunto (Thursday 16) and Vila Reale (Friday 17); and on Saturday 18 the test is reserved queen, between Agosta and Altea, 33 km from the finish line. Already on Sunday 19 there will be another hard and traditional arrival, very close to the Gandía region, with the winning line to Port de Sagun after 119 km of walking.

Four days of the best women’s cycling will be led by a significant number of quality cyclists, including Spanish champion Mavi Garcia, Tokyo Olympic champion Anna Kiesenhofer, as well as Cecily Uttruop Ludwig and Juliet Labus.

Dutch cyclist and Movistar star Annemiek Van Vleuten, four-time world champion, Tour winner and three gyros winner, will seek her third successive crown in what should be the last season for the telephone team at the Valencia stage.

Van Vleuten will be accompanied on the road by Flortier Mackay, Sarah Martin, Lourdes Oyarbide and Cuban Arlenis Sierra, according to the band’s official website.

Cycling in La Farola

Between February 16 and 19, the best Cuban riders will meet in Guantanamo to win the La Farola Cycling Award, a fight that will serve as a prelude to the second leg of the Tour of the Eastern Zone on February 22. by the 26th of this month.

The Cuban news agency notes that the organizing committee of the event announced that it will consist of four stages, one of which is in the individual time trial, two in the highlands and another in the circuit, and also confirmed the presence of teams from Holguin, Las Tunas, Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos along with a chosen host.

The opening ceremony was scheduled for this Thursday, leaving the north of the eastern city, along the national highway towards the neighboring province of Santiago de Cuba, the starting point for riders to challenge the first 20 kilometers against time, a total of 321 meet in the race.

On Friday the 17th, riders will drive in an organized circle through the main streets of Guantanamo, starting and ending in front of José Martí Central Park (60 km).

From here on Saturday morning, the 18th, a motley caravan of cyclists will leave, heading through the mountainous terrain to Alto de Limonar, and then return to Villa del Rio Guazo (93 km) on the same route.

The fourth and final stage (148 km), agreed for the coming Sunday 19, will start from the provincial capital and reach its destination on the boardwalk of Baracoa, Cuba’s first city, after a difficult climb up the La Farola Viaduct.

Recall that in 2021 the last version of this award was held, which was dominated by Hidalgo Vera, Amilcar Pineda and Amel de la Cruz from Guantanamo.

Source: Juventud Rebelde