The EPIC Gran Canaria has brought together today, Friday, February 10, at the RIU Palace Maspalomas hotel, three cycling greats, who after years of seeing each other on bicycles have today reflected and shared their life experience on the day prior to the race that will take place. his shot tomorrow saturday
A round table discussion of stars of this sport, where Joseba Beloki, Iban Mayo and Haimar Zubeldia have met again within the framework of the EPIC Gran Canaria.
Joseba Beloki , a three-time podium finisher in both the Vuelta a España and the Tour de France, who ended his 2003 Tour de France campaign and nearly his entire cycling career with a crash on the descent of La Rochette, has stated that "cycling is risky" and declares himself "satisfied" with his sporting career despite everything. "That's cycling, and in the end, we don't know what will happen tomorrow" because "something can happen to you in any race." For this reason, he emphasized the importance of "leaving a legacy for the younger generation," who "have to learn from what happened to us," referring to other cyclists of his era.
In 2003 “cycling gave me a life lesson” and I learned that “in a curve we can lose everything.” That day, he recalled, “we agreed to go for it” and in that strategy several circumstances occurred with a dose of “bad luck.” He highlighted “the modernization that exists now and that is very important for young people,” because “at that time very few people took risks because of the danger it posed, but now we know more.” Even so, in relation to his fall, he has assured that “it was time, we couldn't let the opportunity pass,” and “we took a gamble, and it came out tails.”
Iban Mayo , one of cycling's stars of the 2000s, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the great potential of the sport today. "There's a pool of talent, there always has been, and there always will be," he said, because "Spain is the birthplace of great cyclists." However, he lamented that "despite having good Spanish riders, there aren't enough teams," as he believes that's the missing piece "for them to truly shine here."
He has pointed out the importance of these teams, because they are not only essential in competition but also for preparation for a life that is not easy.
Haimar Zubeldia, a prominent track and cyclocross rider with over a decade of professional experience, expressed his gratitude for what cycling meant to him, saying, "I had a long career thanks to knowing how to adapt my role." Despite being "the one who leads the charge" rather than the champion for years, Zubeldia valued that decision positively: "I didn't regret it; it was key to staying on the bike for another 11 years and experiencing a different side of cycling." As he explained, young riders, both now and in the past, "have the power, but after 30 there's another type of rider, with the experience of knowing your place and understanding every detail."
For Zubeldia, one of the biggest challenges faced by new cyclists who are already emerging is “knowing how to withstand pressure.” In his opinion, currently "there are very young people enduring this situation without being prepared" and that can lead "to the fact that in the future we can see people who stayed for the canine because they are not prepared for all this."
The EPIC Gran Canaria Riu Hotels & Resorts will once again be the first event on the cycling calendar in southern Gran Canaria with its sixth edition, taking place from February 11th to 12th , 2023, with over 420 participants from some twenty countries . The EPIC Gran Canaria Riu Hotels & Resorts returns with a new edition, now integrated into the UCI International Cycling Calendar and serving as a qualifying event for the Gran Fondo World Tour.
The event will feature live streaming on Instagram, on-site interviews with the athletes, live music, a batucada (percussion ensemble), massages, a sports physiotherapy recovery booth, entertainment, and other surprises along the route. Participants will enjoy Gran Canaria's unique climate, perfect for cycling, with safe roads and attractive routes, as well as the opportunity to discover local Canarian products. The EPIC Gran Canaria will offer special jerseys, gifts, and a dedicated team, including more than a dozen motorcyclists and up to fifty volunteers, a red carpet finish line, and the RIU Palace Maspalomas hotel and its staff fully committed to this international cycling event.
Tomorrow, first stage
Tomorrow, February 11th, the first stage of the EPIC Gran Canaria RIU Hotels&Resorts will take place, a 115-kilometer route with two timed sections. After registration, the race will start at 8:30 a.m. from the Mirador de las Dunas de Maspalomas at the RIU Palace Maspalomas, following one of the island's most popular cycling routes, which passes through Arteara, Fataga, Tirajana, and El Pajar before reaching Pasito Blanco.
The first timed section of this stage runs from Aqualand to Ayagaures, finishing at the summit of Pedro González in a 12,3-kilometer climb to an altitude of 470 meters . The cyclists will face a total elevation gain of 460 meters and an average gradient of 4,4%, with a cut-off time of 50 minutes. The second timed section begins at Pasito Blanco and climbs to Ayacata, a challenging 45-kilometer ascent to an altitude of 1.304 meters, with a total elevation gain of 1.038 meters. This climb has an average gradient of 4,7%. The route passes through El Pajar, Cercados de Espino, Soria, Barranquillo Andrés, the Las Niñas dam, and culminates at the summit of Ayacata. This second section has a cut-off time of 2.30 hours, with refreshments in the Plaza de Ayacata which will serve to bring together all the participants in a great sporting celebration with entertainment and live music.
Sunday will be the final stage with a 75-kilometer route , and a key 22-kilometer time trial to decide the podium.
