Tour of Valencia to proceed despite natural disaster: "Thank you to everyone, sincerely. We will never forget this"

Cycling
Saturday, 30 November 2024 at 16:07
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"Right now, we are just shoveling mud, and there is no end to it," said Angel Casero, the director of the Tour of Valencia, back in November. The region had just been hit by a devastating natural disaster — the worst in Spain’s history — which claimed hundreds of lives. With such widespread tragedy and massive damage to infrastructure, it’s no surprise that organizing the February race wasn’t their first priority. But now, there’s some good news.

The disaster meant the organization lost 95% of its equipment. Even so, they shared an optimistic update in a press release: "It’s been a huge blow for us, but we’re staying strong, and we will recover — that we are sure of," they stated.

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The organization remains determined despite the challenging circumstances

"On October 29, our country was struck by one of the largest natural disasters in Europe of the 21st century. Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected by this tragedy. We are among the victims. Our warehouses, located in Massanassa, were flooded." Additionally, a significant portion of the team lives in the affected area. "As a result, they were personally impacted by the tragedy, suffering considerable material and human losses."

Despite the immense damage and difficult conditions, the organization remains determined: the Tour of Valencia will happen. "We want to confirm that the 76th edition of our race is not in jeopardy. As we announced months ago, the VCV will take place from February 5 to 9, and we hope for your support for a very special edition."

The exact format of the race is still uncertain, as the unprecedented force of the water also caused extensive damage to roads and other infrastructure. "We are currently working with the authorities to study the feasibility of the planned routes and, if necessary, propose adjustments to the course to ensure the race can take place safely and successfully."

Finally, the organization expressed its gratitude. "We want to thank everyone — institutions, entities and different groups — who have worked tirelessly over the past weeks to help the Comunitat Valenciana. We thank our friends, collaborators, volunteers, sponsors and everyone who has personally helped us get the VCV back on track step by step. Thank you to everyone, sincerely. We will never forget this."

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