Larrarte, Sanz, Ezenarro, Garmendia and Caballero, this Monday, at the race presentation. /
20 teams attend, 6 WorldTour, 9 ProTeams and 5 UCI continentals
In the absence of five badly counted days before the Villafranca Test, Ordiziako Klasika, popularly known as ‘La Carrera’, celebrates its centenary, Chapel Gorri has everything ready so that next Monday’s appointment, Santiago’s festivity, improves, so at the participation of teams and riders is concerned, the very high bar set last year. All this, always at the expense of the fact that the Covid does not play a trick on any team, nor that the least last-minute incident arises.
At noon this Monday, contrary to the usual; inside the ‘Prazuela’ entity because a blazing sun was beating outside, Chapel Gorri proceeded to present the Villafranca Test, detail and details of the txirrindulari appointment in which the host Patxi Garmendia ‘Mendigar’ attended president of the company, José Luis Sanz, head of the sporting event, the mayor of the town, Adur Ezenarro, the Councilor for Sports, Joseba Caballero, and Iosu Larrarte, director of marketing for EL DIARIO VASCO.
The highest municipal mayor, once again thanked the host society for the great effort made to offer a professional cycling test of the highest level. All this, he pointed out, in the context of the centenary of this sporting event, a commemoration that starts with this year’s race and culminates with next year’s.
Patxi Garmendia, ‘Mendigar’, once again thanked the City Council for its involvement “without whose help”, he said, “it would be impossible to face a sporting spectacle of this caliber”. The one-day classic, he recalled, «the longest on the national calendar and the second on the world agenda after the Tour of Flanders».
A race that was born in 1922, so this year we are witnessing its centenary and its 99th edition, given that it was not held in 1937 and 1938 as a result of the Civil War.
“A call that this year brings together a luxury squad, which complicates us and greatly improves it in the 2023 edition.”
Iosu Larrarte explained that «for EL DIARIO VASCO it continues to be a test in which you have to be, yes or yes, in view of the squad of runners. We are all excited and looking forward to the 25th, convinced that everything will roll perfectly. A success that we will culminate next year.
José Luis Sanz, in addition to the City Council, extended Chapel Gorri’s thanks to the Provincial Council, the Basque Government, DV, all the sponsors, the patrons and the fans who contribute with the purchase of the raffles, etc., « which has allowed us to gather a platoon with 20 teams, of which 6 are WorldTeams, 9 ProTeams and 5 UCI continentals. We had 22 squads, he reviewed, but this Monday, Global 6 Cycling, the UCI continental team, announced that it will not come as it has 5 runners with Covid, and neither will the W52/FC Porto, due to other circumstances. We had never achieved, he stressed, such a participation. Runners from the 5 continents and 37 countries. Among them winners in the race such as Julien Simon, year 2011, Angel Madrazo (2015), Simon Yates (2016) or Simon Carr (2020) and outstanding figures such as Juan Ayuso, second last year, Jhoan Esteban Chaves, Simon Yates, Miguel Angel López and Vincenzo Nibali, among others. And registered, Alejandro Valverde, who suffered a hit last day 2. Registration to be confirmed».
The Villafranca test will pay tribute to Francisco Sarasola, winner in 1922, to Txomin Perurena, in 1971, 72 and 76. And it will have as guests Abraham Olano, who won his first victory as a professional in Ordizia in 1992, and Raúl Acalá, who accredits an excellent track record. “One year, he emphasized, in which after many editions, fortunately, there is no reason to keep a minute of silence.”
The race will be broadcast live on the internet.
