Joaquim Gomes “blamed” the “divine providence” of the arrival of the final time trial of the 84th Tour of Portugal by bike in the Sanctuary of Santa Luzia, a surprise revealed by the director in the presentation of the race, this Thursday.
Noting that the Sanctuary of Santa Luzia is “perhaps one of the most beautiful stages of the last stages of the Tour of Portugal,” the director of the main national velocipedic race said he attributes “entirely almost to divine providence.” unexpected scenario of the end of the edition taking place between August 9 and August 20.
“We’ve had tremendous difficulties in the last three months [para fechar o percurso do contrarrelógio] and we understand the criteria used and which motivated the successive unfavorable opinion of the order of the PSP of Viana do Castelo, given that they had a major event at the same time, with an estimated 300,000 people on that day after the procession to the Sea, one of the most important events, if not the most important, of the Festas da Senhora d’Agonia,” he said.
Postponing the dates of the Tour of Portugal, prompted by World Youth Day, meant that the end of the race coincided with the main day of the Festas d’Agonia, the highlight of Viana do Castelo’s festivities.
After a meeting this Wednesday, on the eve of the presentation of the route of the 84th edition, Joaquim Gomes finally got the ‘green light’ for the time trial that will see the successor of the Uruguayan Mauricio Moreira (Glassdrive-Q8-Anicolor) in the list of winners finished at the highest point of that Minho city.
“At a meeting in Lisbon, within the framework of the internal security system, attended by representatives of the National Directorate of the PSP and numerous entities that essentially collaborate with the organization of the Tour of Portugal, we then, practically until 10:00 last night, a final evaluation and they finally accepted my proposal to make the departure where it was planned, so in Alameda 5 de Outubro, next to the marina of Viana do Castelo, on the outskirts”, and finish in Santa Luzia, he detailed.
The Tour’s director clarified that “the route of the time trial will be slightly enlarged, it will be approximately 18.2 kilometers” – as opposed to the 16.3 kilometers announced today – and “it will include some of the most representative parishes outside the urban fabric of the city, such as Santa Marta de Portuzelo, Perre and Meadela”.
“And the main point of this whole matter is that we can then finish the Tour in the sanctuary of Santa Luzia. It will be something very brutal,” he defended, anticipating “thousands of people watching the exit of the corridors”. at the beginning of the ‘chrono’, concluding “completely close the edition of this Tour in a golden key”.
While there are still “technical difficulties” to be overcome for the success of this final time trial, Joaquim Gomes believes the ascent to Santa Luzia will give the final stage “a chrono-climbing character”.
“I can only look at it positively. That’s why it will increase the difficulty of the time trial. After a succession of demanding stages and the stage the day before, perhaps one of the most difficult of the Tour of Portugal, with the Paredes connection at Senhora da Graça, this last time trial, after the headache I’ve had all these months, I think it’s a nice reward,” he assumed.
The former cyclist acknowledged that the Tour course depends “on economic problems and on the 300 million euros to put an event of this magnitude on the road”, but defended that, while retaining the “most charismatic places”, like the Tower or Senhora da Graça, “good competitiveness” is assured.
“We had to come up with many solutions to continue to create a significant stain on the national territory. One of them was to no longer take as a starting point the place of arrival of the previous day. […] And another solution is precisely these neutralizations between the steps. […] And it is through these neutralizations that, when you look at the map of Portugal, with all the stages drawn, you can still remember the golden times of the three-week Tour of Portugal. I have no other solution,” he argued, referring to the excessive travel kilometers between stages of this edition.
However, Gomes admitted that “it’s hard”.
“It’s tough for everyone. But cycling has always been tough,” he concluded.
Source: DN
