The return of the three stages of the 2024 Tour of Spain held in Portugal will be better than expected, defended the municipalities involved at the start of the 79th edition of the Spanish race this Wednesday.
In a presentation of the Vuelta start that added nothing to the press conference held in Madrid on September 17 and which revealed that Portugal would host the first three rounds of the 2024 edition of the Spanish ‘big’, it was the return that will bring the race to the country to draw attention.
With an expected ‘caravan’ of 3,000 people, including teams and media, the estimate for direct returns, in overnight stays and consumption, is 500,000 euros per day, a figure that would allow a doubling of investments in the three Portuguese stages . budgeted at two million euros.
‘It’s a winning bet. This involvement of these three municipal authorities in the Vuelta means that there is absolute certainty that there will be a return. […] I think it’s good for tourism, it’s good for people. There is an extraordinary organization behind it all. There will be a major media performance. It gives visibility to cities, it gives visibility to the country and behind this visibility there is financial return,” defended the President of the Chamber of Oeiras, Isaltino Morais, during the press conference, which took place at the Pavilhão Carlos Lopes, in Lisbon.
The vice-president of the Chamber of Cascais, Miguel Pinto Luz, stated that it is with “tremendous joy” that his municipality is associated with the start of the Tour of Spain, as the figures indicated for the return are “in fact very conservative.” “I think the impact will be even greater,” he added.
“The fact that the Vuelta starts in Portugal is an enormous source of pride for everyone […]. Lisbon and our metropolitan area have been transformed [transformou-se] in a metropolitan area that attracts these events. […] The Vuelta really wants to be in Lisbon, and Lisbon also really wants the Vuelta. Today’s major events want to be with us, here at Oeiras and Cascais, and this is absolutely extraordinary for tourism,” defended Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas.arguing that the media impact the event will have is incalculable in financial terms.
The first stage starts next to the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon
But not only the financial return was discussed in this Portuguese presentation of the start of the Vuelta 2024, the first stage of which, a time trial of 11 kilometers, starts near the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, in Lisbon, and ends at Praia da Torre, in Oeiras, on August 17.
The second stage then links Cascais to Ourém on the 18th, before the cyclists turn inland, for a connection between Lousã and Castelo Branco in which Serra da Estrela will not be left out.
“This event brings together three ‘C’: the first ‘C’ has to do with communication, because in fact it makes a very big contribution to strengthening Portugal’s fame abroad, as it is broadcast live to 190 countries and because it mobilizes people 1,000 journalists,” began by listing the Secretary of State for Tourism, Trade and Services.
Nuno Fazenda indicated that the second ‘C’ relates to cohesion, as the Vuelta will “start from three beautiful locations” but will then travel inland and hit the Serra da Estrela. “We want tourism throughout the territory and all year round,” he added.
“And a third ‘C’, for collaboration. This event also symbolically emphasizes the good cooperation between different entities. It mobilizes six municipalities, […] two regional tourism organizations, in addition to the partnership with the Portuguese Cycling Federation and also the bilateral cooperation between two countries, Portugal and Spain,” concluded the Secretary of State for Tourism, Trade and Services.
As for the sporting part, it was up to the President of the Portuguese Cycling Federation (FPC) to emphasize the importance that the three Portuguese stages of the Vuelta will have for sport.
“It is with great satisfaction that we organize the Tour of Spain in Portugal. We already had this experience in 1997 and it was a success. […] For Portuguese cycling, the biggest advantage we have is the appreciation for the sport. It is a challenging event, in which our sport wants to perform more and better,” estimates Delmino Pereira.
The Vuelta director emphasized the magic of the race, “which is able to connect areas”. “In the year 2024 we will be able to connect countries. The Tour will not connect us with our neighbors, but with our friends, our Portuguese brothers. From an emotional point of view, this is one of the most important matches we will have,” he said.
Javier Guillén revealed that there have already been technical visits to the locations of the first filming of the next edition of the Spanish race, expressing his confidence that the organization, in collaboration with the Portuguese authorities, has prepared “an extraordinary menu”.
Source: DN
