Hundred plus cyclists expected for Friday’s mountain-biking Volta Cicloturista

btt-volta-cicloturista1This morning the Formentera Council’s sports office unveiled plans for the third edition of the island’s Volta Cicloturista, a mountain-biking challenge. CiF sports secretary Jordi Vidal was on hand at the gathering, along with spokespeople from the organising entities, Grup Esportiu Espalmador and Unisport Consulting, as well as a representative from Trasmapi, which is cosponsoring the event.

Secretary Vidal said organisers are counting on seeing over a hundred cyclists take part in the event, part of Discover Formentera in October, which he called “a push to put Formentera and its natural surroundings on the map with a range of sporting activities”.

Third BTT Volta Cicloturista
Once again, organisers tried to organize an event where mountain bikers of all backgrounds would find in Formentera a meeting point. The toughness of the trails and the breathtaking natural beauty on the island make it a star event on the calendar of mountain biking events in the Balearics.

Set to unfold between Friday and Sunday, the three-stage, 97.5-km route has a combined elevation gain of one thousand metres and each stage is estimated to take approximately three and a half hours.

Distances in the Volta Cicloturista are what make the trial ideal for cyclists of all stripes, whether or not they have a competitive bent. Timed segments include the first and third stages.

On Sunday more experienced cyclists can participate in a classic. Back for its 24th year, the demanding BTT La Mola offers up a demanding 37.6km and 850 metres of elevation gain. Times count towards another mountain-biking event, the Challenge del Campionat Pitiús.

Participants interested in a ride that’s slightly less technically-demanding can choose a route that borrows from segments of the established course. Completion times for this trial will not be recorded.

Traffic closures
For five minutes on Saturday at approximately 11.00am, crews will block the segment of highway from Sant Ferran to Sant Francesc near the windmills. Intermittent road closures are also anticipated on Sunday from 11.30am to 12.30pm at the Club Maryland turnoff near the restaurant Acapulco. Organisers thank motorists in advance for their cooperation and apologise for any inconveniences.