Jose Manuel Francopresident of the Higher Sports Council, considered this Tuesday a “reason for pride” that Benidorm has been chosen by the UCI as the venue for one of the cyclocross World Cup events.
“It is a pleasure to share such an important day for our cycling. It is a source of pride that the UCI has chosen Benidorm as a venue for the Cyclocross World Cup. One of the most important sports on the continent is going to visit one of the tourist destinations most important in Europe and the world”, indicated Frank at the CSD headquarters, which hosted the presentation of the Benidorm Costa Blanca 2023, which will take place on January 22 in the Alicante town.
“I am pleased that this test grants men and women the same importance, that the economic endowment is identical and that equal visibility is allowed. It is what the CSD defends and what we collect in the sports law that will be approved in the coming months “, he stressed.
Frank He also highlighted the work that the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) carries out with schools and the importance of public-private collaboration to promote sport: “I have no doubt that this event will achieve the prestige that we will have and that athletes they deserve. Prestige that will also reach tourism”.
“Sport is the best investment that any entrepreneur can make, it has an incredible return. I continue to bet decisively on public-private collaboration in sport. I hope that the race stays on the calendar and that the cyclists shine next 22 January in Benidorm”, he completed.
For its part, Jose Luis Lopez Cerronpresident of the RFEC, pointed out: “Cyclocross is not an Olympic sport but it has been deeply rooted in our country in recent years. We have the full calendar, we have problems to be able to host more cyclocross competitions or to be able to choose between all the races that opt for the Spanish Cup because we don’t have the capacity for all of them”.
“Since 2011 there has not been a World Cup in Spain and it is very important”, he also pointed out, while thanking the mayor of Benidorm for his collaboration, Anthony Perezalready Pascal Momparler, CEO of Momparler Racing.
The latter stated: “It will be a very Mediterranean event, with sand, with technical obstacles… We want to set up an event with tents for parties, with a VIP environment. That people enjoy the event as they live in the United States, in Belgium. … The females, in many of these events, have more followers than the male runners. It’s going to be a real show.”
As to Anthony Perezstated: “I told Paschal yes after studying it a lot, from certainty and responsibility. It is not accidental. Benidorm had to recover the umbilical cord that unites us to a sport that we love in Benidorm”.
“Benidorm is a very well-connected destination with a large hotel base, with a great offer throughout the year. It is one of the few destinations in the world that is seasonally adjusted. Seven years ago we set a strategic plan in which the bicycle is fundamental”, he explained.
The event was also attended by the Spanish Cyclocross Champions, Philip Ortiz and Lucia Gonzalez. The first stressed: “Having a World Cup less than five kilometers from home is incredible. We are going to prepare it with all the care possible.”
“It is very exciting because it is the first in Spain in the women’s category and it has been many years without returning in the men’s category. We usually run very far from home. This time it is the rest of the participants who come here to Spain has to give us a plus to get the best out of us. It’s a marked date on the calendar”, assured Gonzalez.