A total of 170 participants set off from the Benasque Sports Centre, heading towards Llanos del Hospital. The course was over 15 kilometers of continuous climbing with a cumulative elevation gain of more than 800 meters. It was a resounding success in terms of participation, marking the fourth race of the IX Ribagorza Region Mountain Bike Circuit. The bikers came from a wide variety of locations, as the main group competing in each of the established categories was always joined by a large contingent from the Benasque Valley and other parts of Aragon, Catalonia, and other regions of Spain, taking advantage of the summer season in this area.
Furthermore, the weather was perfect throughout, with cool temperatures at the start and during the route, which winds through the beautiful landscapes of the Benasque Valley. Upon arrival, the sun shone brightly, and everyone enjoyed a wonderful day of camaraderie in an enviable setting, where the runners could take advantage of all the available amenities.
From the start, Luis Grasa, the under-23 rider from Serrablo, demonstrated his excellent form and gradually increased his lead over his pursuers, securing a comfortable victory for the second time in a row. Behind him, Eloy Suils from Ribagorza and Óscar Puyuelo from Huesca completed the men's podium. In the women's race, Lilian Soriano took the win, followed by Arantxa Mejías and Blanca Vallés (Mejías's daughter).
Of particular note in the overall standings are the nearly 20 runners who finished in under an hour, which represents an improvement in the level of the competition and in the special preparation of those who, year after year, attend this sporting event.
Roger Espinet (children), Adrián Grasa (cadet), Daniel Aguilera (Junior), Miguel Bergua (Elite), Eloy Suils (master 30), Eduardo Blasco (master 40), Armando Vidal (master 50) and Ramón Mora (master 60), completed the rest of the podiums by categories.
In the regional category, Eloy Suils and Adriana Badel climbed to the top in the male and female categories, respectively.
In the incidents section, it should be noted that a runner fell during the descent of the race, and was transferred by the Red Cross to the Barbastro Hospital.
The Jorge Rami Memorial special prize (for the best local) went to Rodrigo Olmos, marking the 20th anniversary of this sporting event.
The prize draw and trophy presentation were attended by Félix Jordan de Urríes (sports councilor of the Ribagorza region), Mario García (manager of Llanos del Hospital) and Fernando Rami (brother of Jorge Rami).
After this race in Alta Ribagorza, the Benabarre – El Coll Time Trial will be held on October 7th, in which most of the categories to be contested in this Ribagorza circuit will be decided.
Organized by the sports service of the Ribagorza Region, Llanos del Hospital and the Benasque City Council, this event had the collaboration of the Red Cross, Civil Guard, GREIM, Civil Protection of the Ribagorza Region, Local Police, Ciclos Salamero (technical service), Carpintería Samir, Club Ciclista Valle de Benasque, Embutidos Villa de Graus, Solución Sport and Aramon Bike.
RACE CLASSIFICATIONS
General Classification of Clubs in Ribagorza