The programme of the Lloret Cycling Weekend, to be held in Lloret de Mar from 27 to 29 April, has been unveiled with the confirmed presence of sports stars such as Miguel Indurain and Nani Roma.
The two stars, along with other active and retired elite sportspeople such as the triathlete Marcel Zamora, the skier and mountain biker Clàudia Galícia, the long-distance rally co-pilot Alex Haro, the former professional cyclist Kiko Garcia, the long-distance rally driver Rosa Romero, and the former professional cyclist Juan Carlos Reina, will share experiences, rides and talks with the event participants over the course of the weekend.
The Lloret Cycling Weekend will get underway in the evening of Friday 27 April with a welcome dinner featuring a round table discussion in which the invited sportspeople will share their experiences and expertise with the event participants.
The “ride with friends” activity on Saturday morning is designed to offer participants the chance to check out the terrain in preparation for Sunday’s Gran Fondo Lloret Costa Brava race, accompanied by the sports professionals. A sports clinic will be held in the afternoon, comprising three expert talks: one on physiology, given by Dr Piero Galilea, physician of the Physiology and Functional Evaluation Department of the High Performance Centre of Sant Cugat; one on nutrition, given by Dr Saioa Segura, dietician and nutritionist of the Department of Nutrition and Physiology of the High Performance Centre of Sant Cugat; and one on specific physical preparation for cycling, given by the strength and conditioning coach and Instagramer Isabel del Barrio (@onmytrainingshoes). The pasta party organised for Saturday evening is a great way for participants to share their thoughts, rounding off a special cycling day for which only 150 places have been made available.
The Gran Fondo Lloret Costa Brava race will take place on Sunday morning. This cycle touring event consists of two circular routes and two distances, which means it’s suitable for all cyclists: a 91-km middle-distance race, that starts and ends in Lloret, passing through Llagostera, Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Tossa; and a 162-km long-distance race that passes through Caldes de Malavella, Girona, La Bisbal d’Empordà, Calonge, Sant Feliu de Guíxols and Tossa, before heading back to Lloret.
The full programme of the Lloret Cycling Weekend is available on the www.lloretcycling.com website. Those interested in taking part in the event can purchase special packages that include accommodation in three or four-star hotels, attendance at the sports clinic and participation in the Gran Fondo Lloret Costa Brava event.
As Elizabeth Keegan, Director of Lloret Turisme, explained, “The goal of this event is to position Lloret de Mar as one of the leading cycle touring destinations in the area. We believe that giving a small group of participants the chance to meet and spend a couple of days in the company of sports starts such as Miguel Indurain and Nani Roma is an added value that complements the event’s expert talks and the demanding Gran Fondo race, which takes riders through spectacular landscapes.”
Lloret de Mar currently boasts 14 accommodation establishments specialised in cycling, along with six recommended road cycling routes and six mountain biking routes, which have been uploaded to Wikiloc and Strava. Printed maps are also available at the town’s tourist offices and can be downloaded at www.lloretcycling.com
