169 cyclists, 65 of them registered children, will set off this Sunday in the urban circuit of Los Realejos for the 68th edition of the El Carmen Cycling Belt, a race true to the Fiestas del Carmen.
The municipality of Los Realejos is preparing to buzz this Sunday, July 19, with the 68th edition of the El Carmen Cycling Belt, one of the most emblematic events on the Canarian cycling calendar. A total of 169 cyclists, including 65 registered minors, will take to the start in the urban circuit that runs between San Agustín and San Vicente. The event, presented this Friday by Mayor Adolfo González and Sports Councillor Samuel Farráis, consolidates its role as an unmissable event of the Fiestas del Carmen.
A circuit with history and talent
The race will kick off at 09:00 hours with the junior categories, providing an opportunity to see the young cycling talents of the Canary Islands in action. Sports Councillor Samuel Farráis highlighted that the high participation of registered children reflects the popularity of the event and the grassroots work being done on the island. The main race will begin at 10:00 hours, featuring 104 elite and master riders, who will tackle the well-known 'Circuito de La Papa'.
The course, just over a kilometre per lap, runs through streets such as La Alhóndiga, Siete Fuentes, El Mar, El Carmen, García Estrada, Puerto, Puerto Franco, El Patronato, Carretera de San Vicente, Princesa Dácil, San Vicente, and Cantillo de Abajo, returning to the San Agustín area. The start is located on Calle La Alhóndiga, near the Sociedad Casino Realejos, and traffic will be cut off on these roads during the competition.
Sport and devotion hand in hand
The El Carmen Cycling Belt is not just about sport; it also has a strong religious component. At the end of the races, around 13:00 hours, participants will make a floral offering to the image of Our Lady of Carmen of Los Realejos in her sanctuary, before the trophy presentation. This symbiosis between cycling and tradition is one of the defining features of the day.
The organisers invite locals and fans to come and enjoy the competition and support the participants.
“It is a day filled with excitement and camaraderie, which after nearly seven decades of history continues to be a symbol of Canarian cycling and the Fiestas del Carmen,” the organisers state.
For lovers of two-wheeled sports, the event in Los Realejos is one of the few opportunities to see high-level road cycling in an urban setting, with a festive atmosphere that combines the roar of bicycles with the smell of gunpowder from the festivities. Those who cannot attend will miss the spectacle of watching the riders navigate the curves of the historic centre at full speed.
