Cycling events on public roads will be prohibited between July 24 and August 8, due to the World Youth Day (WYD) being held in Portugal, the Portuguese federation of this sport announced on Thursday.
“The Portuguese Cycling Federation (FPC) was informed by the National Republican Guard Traffic and Road Safety Division that it will not be possible to hold cycling events on public roads between July 24 and August 8, due to the , in Portugal, of WYD”, reads the website of the velocipede organization.
Portugal will host the 16th edition of WYD, considered the largest event of the Catholic Church, between August 1 and 6, after being postponed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with a forecast of around 1, 5 million. people at the celebrations
“This event, due to its nature and international dimension, will bring thousands of pilgrims from all over the world to Portugal, which will mean a significant increase in traffic on all road axes, foreseeing strong limitations on road traffic. The event in question It will force an exceptional commitment from the GNR device, so that, during its course, it will not be possible to guarantee police monitoring of the cycling events scheduled for this period,” the authorities reported, quoted by the FPC.
For this reason, the third women’s Tour of Portugal, which was scheduled for these days, was rescheduled for between September 13 and 17.
“The FPC will articulate with the organizers of the other affected events, in order to reformulate the calendars, seeking that the new dates that can be found guarantee consistency and sporting relevance for all races,” concluded the sports organization.
The 2023 edition of WYD will be attended by Pope Francis, who will be in Portugal between August 2 and 6.
The first edition of WYD dates from 1986, in Rome, having already passed through Buenos Aires (1987), Santiago de Compostela (1989), Czestochowa (1991), Denver (1993), Manila (1995), Paris (1997), Rome (2000), Toronto (2002), Cologne (2005), Sydney (2008), Madrid (2011), Rio de Janeiro (2013), Krakow (2016) and Panama (2019).
Source: TSF
