Helminen and Rebellin, duel of titans in the first stage of the EPIC Gran Canaria RIU Hotels & Resort

IMAGE GALLERY HERE

The EPIC Gran Canaria RIU Hotels & Resorts is now underway. At 8.30:XNUMX a.m. the horn sounded for the best cycle tour in Gran Canaria, where two greats have starred in a dizzying climb along the island's roads. Matti Helminen He tries to revalidate his title and make a triplet, but he has met the Italian Davide Rebellin, to make you sweat.

 

The Finn who competes with Belgium, Matti Helminen, is now in the lead in this first stage with a cumulative time of 23,39 minutes and 1 hour and 33 minutes, while in the women's category the Romanian cyclist Manuela Mureson He has accumulated 26,56 minutes and 1 hour 51 minutes, placing himself as the leader of the group. Great role for Haimar Zubeldia, who crossed the arc in the second time trial in fourth place hot on the heels of Constantin Bartels, and the Swedish Susan Maclean in women, as well as the Polish Marta Keller-Kurach and the Spanish Lourdes Bethencourth.

 

 

The first timed section, from Aqualand to Ayagaures, with the finish line at the top, Pedro González scored a time trial of 12,3 kilometers at 470 meters of altitude, a slope of 460 and average inclination of 4,4%, with a cut-off time of 50 minutes where the Finn once again led the pack, without a rival. He crossed the goal with 23,39 minutes, followed by the Spanish Constantin Bartels with 24 minutes and the German Karsten Meier (24,24 minutes) as leaders of the race.

 

However, the race is decided in the second of the times, a curved road to challenge two wheels to a vertigo-inducing climb up the Gran Canaria summit. From Pasito Blanco on its way up to Ayacata, 45 kilometers, 1.304 meters high, and a gradient of 1.038 meters, the most demanding section put the Finn on the ropes in a face to face with rebellin, which gave him no respite. Face to face between two greats, power and strength were played between youth and experience, to give a first-class cycling spectacle.

 

With an average slope of 4,7%, this time trial will pass through El Pajar, Cercados de Espino, Soria, Barranquillo Andrés, the Las Niñas dam and culminates at the top of Ayacata. 

 

 

The Finnish champion Matti Helminen winner of the last editions and seeks to consolidate his third victory in Gran Canaria, in his duel with the runner-up of the World Cup and Olympian Davide Rebellin and together with a peloton where dozens of stars shine. The two-time world champion and Giro d'Italia record holder, Mario Cipollinni, the champion of the world Abraham Olano, the track and cyclocross runner with 29 grand laps and top 10 tours Haimar Zubeldia, the climber el Diablo Podiums Tour and Giro Claudio Chiappucci 'The Diavolo' , the champion of Spain M30 Cyclocross, Martin Mata Cabello and the record holder for maximum speed 268 km/hour Fred Rompelberg, who at 76 years old has once again been an example of talent and perseverance.

 

Curve by curve, the sports festival has once again shown the south of Gran Canaria on the pedals, with animation, and a batucada that has set the rhythm to the sound of Samba Isleña. Summer in the middle of February with blue skies, stunning views, the Roque Nublo as a backdrop and the best cycling routes exclusively for the event have done the rest, a successful fifth edition and a qualitative leap, which has 400 athletes from 18 countries different.

 

Davide rebel He pointed out that the race “was very hard” but it helped him “to know the route well” because this island has always been “a destination to train and improve my physical performance.” He has declared himself “very happy to be here and be able to enjoy the sun”, and hopes to be able to continue with future competitions giving his best. Matti Helminen He stressed that he loves this test and feels very happy to have been able to return for another year. However, this time “it was more complicated” because Rebellin was hot on his heels. “He is a very tough rival", he assured, but that added to him "emotion and impact at this stage.”

 

The cyclists have enjoyed a Saturday of cycling and a “very explosive climb”, as they have defined it, which those who are faithful to the event and those competing for the first time have enjoyed. Nerves and excitement at the start, which kicked off the first stage that brings cycling lovers to tomorrow with their last day of competition.

 

 

Tomorrow, second stage

 

The second of the stages, which will take place tomorrow, February 13, will have a single timed section. Fast and dynamic, the second stage has 75 kilometers of route, with a time trial of 22 kilometers. Uphill and key to closing the podium, the fastest in this section will have the opportunity to give their best and thus take the title.

 

The competition section that goes from the Mirador, with a route that passes through Fataga to Tirajana, with 925 meters of altitude, a slope of 810 meters and average slopes of 4%. With the end of the timed section, the cyclists begin the descent on one of the most popular cycling routes on the island, for Santa Lucía, La Era, Vecindario, Doctoral and Bahía Feliz along the GC-65 and GC-500, to meet again at the hotel where the great sports festival will begin. 

  

Teamwork

 

For its V edition, the EPIC Gran Canaria Riu Hotels & Resorts is sponsored by RIU Hotel & Resorts, the City Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, the Cabildo of Gran Canaria and Turismo Gran Canaria, and within the framework of the European Island project. Sport, AVIS Canarias, Coca Cola, AquaBona, Maspalomas24h, La Estrella, Sonocom, Free Motion, Phisiorelax, Esenat, Fund Grube.