{"id":1258,"date":"2019-04-01T06:36:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-01T04:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.setupandorra.com\/\/?p=1258"},"modified":"2021-02-17T10:00:42","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T09:00:42","slug":"the-vuelta-the-tour-de-france-and-the-purito-cycling-and-bike-races-in-andorra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/setupandorra.com\/en\/the-vuelta-the-tour-de-france-and-the-purito-cycling-and-bike-races-in-andorra\/","title":{"rendered":"The Vuelta, the Tour de France and the Purito: cycling and bike races in Andorra"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mountainous country with exceptional passes and a beautifully maintained road network, the Principality is a fertile ground for the organization of bike races and cycling competitions. In Andorra, in the summertime, the Vuelta, the Tour de France and the Purito cyclotourist regularly criss-cross the territory\u2019s itineraries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tour de France and its history with the Principality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It was in 1964 that the Tour de France, the most famous bike race, crossed Andorra for the first time. On nine occasions, arrivals or departures of stage were given on this real land of cycling. Andorra, it must be admitted, offers sumptuous mountain courses that are very often the scene of Homeric jousts! The story was repeated in 1993, 1997, 2009 and 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mythical passes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The 4 cities that hosted the Tour de France are: Andorra la Vella, Andorra-Arcalis, Pal, and Escaldes-Engordany. The most frequently used passes helped to shape the beautiful hours of the event, first of all the Port of Envalira, the Pas de la Casa, the Col de Beixalis, the Comella, the Port of Ordino or the Pal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winners in the Principality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here is the list of winners cyclists in Andorra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1964 : Julio Jimenez
1993 : Oliveiro Rincon
1997 : Jan Ullrich
2009 : Brice Feillu
2016 : Tom Dumoulin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Vuelta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With the Tour de France and the Giro, the Vuelta, Tour of Spain, is one of the three most important bike races in the World. In Andorra, locals are accustomed to welcome this emblematic event of twenty stages. It borrows very often the roads of the Principality and attracts an impressive crowd of spectators every time for a beautiful cycling festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, the Vuelta has been welcomed in Andorra in 1998, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A must-see cycling and bike races event in Andorra<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The last time the Vuelta stormed into Andorra, the land of cycling, was in the summer of 2018. Located at 2000 meters altitude, the Nordic ski resort and adventure park Naturlandia welcomed the 19th stage, won by the French climber of the FDJ, Thibaut Pinot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Spaniard wins in Andorra!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The next day, the riders of the peloton left Escaldes-Engordany to cross 4,000 meters of elevation gain and cross the passes of Comella, Beixalis Ordino and Gallina, before reaching the finish line at the Sanctuary from Canolich. The Spanish rider Enric Mas won at the end of that fantastic day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Purito, for the promotion of bike race and cycling in Andorra<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Created a few years ago, the Purito is a cycling race that took place in August in Andorra. It has already built a solid reputation and brings together cyclists from all over Europe in a festive and joyful atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This major cycling event in Andorra was born at the initiative of former Spanish champion Joaquim Rodriguez, better known as Purito Rodriguez. Andorran resident, the latter is particularly involved in the development of cycling in Andorra. He mobilized his skills and his network to organize a big annual day around the bicicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 events on the program<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Andorran bike race Purito offers three options of courses to choose from so that all enthusiasts can participate according to their physical means:<\/p>\n\n\n\n