La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano announces increased participation

The MTB stage race with Designation of origin celebrates its fifth edition

On Wednesday La Rioja hosted the official presentation of La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano, the mtb stage race with “Denominación de Origen,” which will be held in Logroño from May 11 to 13.

La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano has broken records for race entries for women and for nationalities represented. 1,233 mountain bikers from 22 different countries prop up this international competition that celebrates its fifth edition with an increase of 45 percent more women than last year (68 participants).

Conrado Escobar Lasheras, La Rioja’s Minister of Social Policies, Equality, Family and Justice, highlighted that "La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano has become the mountain bike stage race with the greatest participation in Spain, and has become one of the world’s most important races thanks to such high participation. This year shows a bump in participation by women, which shows that women are increasing their engagement in these races.

All the speakers who participated in the 2018 La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano presentation highlighted the importance of organizing a race that’s achieved both sporting maturity and the most participants in its history.

Javier Merino, Councilor for Sports for the City of Logroño, stressed that "Without a doubt it is a great sporting event, and we never imagined being here today with such impressive data: more than 1,200 participants from 22 nationalities with an economic return for Logroño of 6,500 overnight stays.” In addition, he added that "It is one of the best mountain bike events in Spain thanks to the presence of Carlos Coloma and José Antonio Hermida, who are accompanied by international racers."

In its four previous years, La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano has traveled 835 kilometers and climbed more than 22,860 meters with a total of 3,705 mountain bikers from 31 different nationalities, including race ambassador, La Rioja’s Carlos Coloma, three-time Olympian who scored the bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and earned an Olympic diploma in London in 2012.

Xavier Bartrolí, president of Octagon Esedos, the organizing company, wanted to highlight that "This year race entries sold out in just 3 weeks and left more than 300 athletes without race numbers, which shows an eagerness to be a part of this race."

Merino said that the provincial capital of La Rioja is the best setting for this type of event. "The race has a very Logroño flavor and serves to highlight the sporting attitude and outdoor pulse that we have here."

Three days of authentic MTB

The fifth edition of La Rioja Bike Race presented by Shimano will take place in the city of Logroño. The routes will be circular, with both the start and finish located at the La Rioja Palacio de Deportes sports facilities. The total racecourse boasts the record for being the shortest and least flat in the race’s history with 184 kilometers and 4,943 meters of accumulated elevation gain in three fascinating and intense stages. This year’s unprecedented edition reveals that no stage will exceed 70 kilometers, and that the three balanced stages are full of trails, fascinating landscapes and diabolical ascents that will thrill all participants.

The first stage, covering a total of 67.2 kilometers and 2,079 meters of elevation, will leave Logroño through the Iregua valley in the direction of Alberite ascending to Luezas, and descend along the Preciosa and Bonita trails.

The second stage will be the BUFF® stage, covering 65.4 kilometers and 2,178 meters of elevation. The stage will leave the city of Logroño in the direction of Daroca de Rioja, to begin the Moncalvillo ascent without summiting the climb.

The third unprecedented stage — the shortest of all, will count 51.2 kilometers and 686 meters of elevation gain. It begins on the singletrack in the direction of El Cortijo, where it will go around the structure along the Ebro River, pass through the river’s bend where the Mantible Roman bridge is, and return to Logroño on varied and amazing terrain.

The person who is both in charge of the race route and its race ambassador, Carlos Coloma, stressed that "Although the first two stages are hard, the third is planned so that the participants can reach the finish line without being exhausted and, at the same time, they can enjoy La Rioja, both its gastronomy as well as its trails.”

Three days of authentic MTB where 1,233 mountain bikers will fight to be finishers in La Rioja.