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Era Roda Non Stop, the Val d'Aran from the biker perspective

On Saturday July 23 takes place the second edition of this test, that passes entirely by the Val d’Aran.

Era Roda Non Stop offers an excellent opportunity to meet an environment of spectacular landscapes, lush forests, rivers and waterfalls, from the biker perspective. Era Roda Non Stop is 140 km of pure mountain bike and a positive vertical slope of 5200m, one of the hardest Btt races of the Pyrenees.

Several new features have been added this year to the circular itinerary which starts in Salardú and passes through the picturesque villages of Bagergue, Vilamós, Bossòst, Es Bordes, Vielha Arties, with stunning views from the Pla de Beret or the Coth de Varradòs, very fast sections and many of trials.

Participants can choose one of two categories, individual open, with 100% of the route covered by a single corridor, and the race for teams of two riders, where each one must cover 70 of the 140 km.

Torisme de la Val d’Aran welcome all participants and wish you good luck!

21 July, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present, BTT 0

The Val d'Aran shows the world the beauty of its natural environment

The 9th stage of the Tour de France has become a big festival that has gathered 25,000 people passing through the Valley and its route was broadcast live on television entirely in more than 60 channels.

Since the arrival of the first vans and coaches yesterday at noon, until the departure of the runners today at 11:55 they have been 24 hours of sport, tributes, swinging tourists and festive atmosphere in an unprecedented event that has vibrated the city of Vielha and all the Val d’Aran. People, volunteers and local businesses, hopeful to show the world its unique landscape and tourist attractions, have warmly welcomed the Tour de France.

To all of them, and sponsors and collaborators –councils of Naut Aran and Vielha, Lleida Provincial Council, Baqueira Beret, Agència Catalana de Turisme and the Secretaria de l’Esport of the Generalitat de Catalunya-, The Aranese government wants to thank the efforts made during the last previous months, without whose participation would not have been possible to take on this challenge.

Show to the public

From the parking of the military in the Aranese capital it has been able to follow the different events that were shown to the public from the podium and screens of the impressive village: welcome and parliaments of the authorities-Luis Carlos Medina, vicesíndic the Conselh d’Aran; Juan Antonio Serrano, Mayor of Vielha; Gerard Figueras, secretari General de l’Esport of the Generalitat de Catalunya; Jose Antonio Boya, conselhèr de Territori and Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour of France; start of the junior cadets and the advertising caravan; firm cyclists and finally the expected start of the 9th stage of the Tour.

Then, the followers of Betren, Escunhau, Garòs, Arties, Gessa, Salardú, Baqueira Tredòs have been able to greet the squad on its way through the Aranese town’s to the first ports of the day. From the Bonaigua, where they have faced a first class rise runners have left the Val d’Aran to enter the Pallars Sobirà and follow the Alt Urgell on the road to Andorra, the end of the stage.

Characterized by choosing emblematic places of scenic beauty, the Tour de France has chosen this beautiful stage for its spectacular natural setting, great attractions, and for being very mountainous, making it particularly attractive for cyclists. Not surprisingly, the ninth stage, with more than 100 km by the Catalan Pyrenees, has been broadcast live on television entirely.

“We are convinced that the challenge of organizing a stage of the third largest world sporting event, will serve to show the beauty of the Aran Valley and to make it known as a destination with an excellent tourist offer all year to our visitors”, said Anna Diaz, Conselhèra of Tourism of the Val d’Aran.

Best images selection in this link.

Tribute to Luis Ocaña in Vila

The Aranese village of Vila, a town where Luis Ocaña lived when he was young, has used the event to pay a warm tribute to the winner of the Tour in 1973. Its mayor, Juan José Grijalba Escalona, with the family of the athlete and the directors of the Tour Christian Prudhomme and Bernard Hinault, opened early in the morning, “Eth corneret of Luis Ocaña” a small memorial to the cyclist, especially revered by the French.

Culmination of an attractive program of events

The Val d’Aran has turned into the celebration of this event, in recent months organizing events of various kinds, from the popular “La Fête du Tour” to the tribute to seven Spanish winners of the race, with the placement of a commemorative monolith in the Port of Portilhon, which has already become a referent place for cycling fans. Across the valley are deployed posters and banners announcing the stage, which was presented in Toulouse, Vielha and Barcelona.

The Aranese citizens have actively participated in the event, placing reproductions of the monolith in establishments participating children in a school drawing contest and even with original initiatives as a cake shaped bicycle exposed in a pastry in Vielha. In addition, it has been activated the microsite Aran Total Bike where can be found all the information necessary for the practice of cycling in the valley.

10 July, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present, BTT 0

The Tour de France in Aranese land

The third most important sporting event in the world committed to the Val d’Aran at its 9th stage, with a very mountainous route of spectacular natural environment and great tourist attraction.

The Val d’Aran is about to offer a reception worthy of one of the most important sporting events in the world to the caravan of the Tour de France, which is already on his way to Aran lands. Host city of the event for the first time in its history, Vielha will be the starting point of the ninth stage of the cycling competition next July 10, an itinerary of 184.5 km that will cross five mountain passes to finish in Arcalis (Andorra).

From Vielha to Bonaigua

The parking of the former military barracks in the Aranese capital will host the kick-off of the stage at 10am on Sunday July 10. The route through the Aranese territory is about 20 kilometres from the county road C28 from Vielha to Port de la Bonaigua, stretch of about one hour.

In the Val d’Aran, the Tour will pass through the picturesque villages of Betren, Escunhau, and Casarilh, pedaling to the right of the Garonne and crossing it up to Garòs where it will leave Mijaran to follow, yet in Naut Aran, on the left bank of the river across Arties, Gessa, Salardu, Tredòs, and Baqueira.

From the ski resort will arrive at Port de la Bonaigua, where runners will face a first class climb, 13.7 km to 6.1%, leaving the Val d’Aran to enter the Pallars Sobirà and follow the Alt Urgell on the road to Andorra, the end of the stage.

Animation in the village

An animated village will be installed next to the starting line to receive and entertain fans, tourists and accredited media. There may be photographed next to the photocall of the Tour, enjoy animations with children dressed in costumes and browse in the exhibition of products and typical dishes of the Aranese cuisine. In addition, it will be a tourist information point of the Conselh Generau d’Aran.

It will also be used to publicize the unique environment of the Val d’Aran: the beauty of its landscape, the excellence of Baqueira Beret ski resort, the richness of its Romanesque heritage, the museum diversity, the delicacies of its cuisine, the fun adventure activities and the attractive proposals offered by the valley throughout the year.

The Tour de France, the third largest sporting event in the world – with 2000 accredited journalists from 600 different media and belonging to 190 countries- marks the international projection of the Val d’Aran and helps to make it becoming one of the best European tourist mountain destinations, both in winter and summer.

Culmination of an attractive program of events

Deploying of services

Given that attendance of 25,000 spectators along the stage is planned, the law enforcement will mobilize about 700 agents. In addition, the Conselh Generau has released a document with traffic cuts on Sunday in the C28 and the internal public transportation between Vielha and Baqueira will also suffer restrictions on Sunday morning.

On the other hand, there have been enabled four zones of temporary parking in Vielha for this weekend available from Saturday 9, the old football field, college Garonne, field Mijaran next to the church (N-230) and Gravera Barba (C-28, between Betren and Escunhau).

7 July, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present, BTT 0

The Val d’Aran, a cult place for the amateur bykers

The Conselh Generau d’Aran paid tribute yesterday to the seven Spanish winners of the Tour de France in a ceremony chaired by the síndic d’Aran, Carlos Barrera, which featured three of the seven cyclists: Miguel Indurain, Oscar Pereiro and Pedro Delgado as well as relatives of Luis Ocaña.They have excused their presence for work Carlos Sastre and Alberto Contador and Federico Bahamontes for a last minute unexpected event. This tribute is within the events organized by the 9th stage of the Tour.

The honourees had been received by the síndic at the headquarters of the Conselh Generau in a private ceremony at 11 am. Then, the procession has gone to the lookout of Portillon for the official inauguration of the commemorative monolith with their names, which had the presence of sportive director of the Tour de France, Thierry Gouvenou and members of the Aranese government.

Also each of the winners have a milestone in each of the seven major curves of the Aranese side of the Portillon, with their name and the date of the edition that they had been proclaimed Tour winners. The day has ended with a press conference and a visit to Aran Park. Today’s tribute will be followed by other popular cycling activities, within them the popular riding that will take place the 5^th of June.

With an unprecedented traced so far in the history of the race, the ninth stage of the Tour de France 2016 will start in Vielha next July 10 and will have a distance of 184.5 km through five mountain passes. Aranese stage is one of those chosen to be broadcasted live on television entirely.

28 May, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present, BTT 0

The Val d'Aran turns to the Tour de France passing through Vielha

This evening will be presented in Toulouse the aranese stage of the Tour and the new microsite dedicated to cycling.

The Conselh Generau d’Aran will pay tribute to seven Spanish winners on 27 May.

The Conselh Generau d’Aran is presenting this afternoon the ninth stage of the Tour de France 2016 to be held by Aranese lands. The event, to be held in the office of Tourism Val d’Aran and Baqueira Beret in Toulouse, has the presence of Luis Carlos Medina, vicesindic d’Aran and conselhèr of Sports and Youth; Anna Diaz, conselhèra of Tourism and Economic Development and Jose Antonio Boya, conselhèr of Territory of the Conselh Generau d’Aran.

During the presentation organizational details and operating devices provided for the event will be announced, as well as a new microsite, Aran Total Bike, linked to the website of Torisme de Val d’Aran. In this web site, with 84 sections in 4 languages, will be centralized all the information on mountain biking, cycling, DH and enduro, with routes of different levels, cycling events, news and specialized companies in the valley.

Tribute to the Spanish winners of the Tour

Also, within the events organized by the 9th stage of the Tour, the Conselh Generau d’Aran will pay tribute to seven Spanish winners of this competition in a ceremony that will take place on 27 May, chaired by the síndic d’Aran, Carlos Barrera.

The official inauguration of the commemorative monolith will take place on May 27th.

The event will feature four of the seven cyclists: Miguel Indurain, Federico Bahamontes, Oscar Pereiro and Pedro Delgado as well as relatives of Luis Ocaña, which will be officially received by the síndic at the headquarters of the Conselh Generau in a private ceremony at 11 am. They have excused their presence for work Carlos Sastre and Alberto Contador.

The official inauguration of the commemorative monolith with their names will take place at 12 o’clock noon on the lookout of Portillon where also each have a milestone in each of the seven major curves of the Aranese side of the Portillon, with their name and the date of the edition that they had been proclaimed Tour winners. The day will end with a press conference and a visit to Aran Park.

The tribute of May 27 will be followed by other popular cycling activities prior to the stage of the Tour and the same day July 10 in Vielha, actions will be implemented with the participation of schoolchildren in the Val d’Aran.

19 May, 2016 dpt21 News, Blog, Present, BTT 0