The road test will be run on February 20 in Quito. The tournament also includes the individual time trial in categories under 23, elite men and women.
The National Road Cycling Championship It will be held in Quito between February 18 and 20, this edition will have Alexander Cepeda (Drone Hopper-Androni) as defending champion, and with the succumbian to the lot of national runners in European teams, led by the Olympic medalist Richard Carapaz.
The Ecuadorian Cycling Federation (FEC) advanced negotiations with the Municipality and control entities of the capital by the corresponding permissions for the definition of the circuits of road and time trial modalities, which will be played in sub-23 and elite categories, women and men.
“The participation of the WorldTour runners is scheduled for the national championship”, said Santiago Rosero, president of the FEC.
In 2021 the championship was played in Ibarra, in June, and for this year the Federation elected the capital, “A more central point so that delegations can arrive.”
Too the date was changed, “a request that we accepted from Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), because the intention is for all of our best riders to be in the competition for the tricolor jersey ”, said Rosero.
By suspension of the Vuelta a San Juan (Argentina), the cOlympic champion’s schedule was altered; However, his presence announced for February 13 at the Gran Fondo Andrey Amador, in Costa Rica, leaves his arrival in Quito open.
“Due to the suspension of the test in Argentina Ineos must restructure Richard’s calendar for what will be the Giro d’Italia (May), which is what he has announced. We have spoken with Richard, with Jonathan Narváez and the directors of Ineos, somehow it has been recommended that you start your calendar here with the national championship and then they can go to Europe ”, said Rosero.
Season debut for Richard Carapaz and Alexander Cepeda postponed due to suspension of the Vuelta a San Juan
Runners like Jonathan Caicedo (EF Education-Easypost), Jefferson Cepeda (Caja Rural) and Alexander Cepeda, “his presence is 100% assured”Said the leader, who pointed out as special cases those of Miryam Núñez and Martín López.
“Their situation is different because they have just joined their teams and it is essential that they can be in their first concentration, which will be in January”, with trips planned for the two riders next week. Núñez for the Massi-Tactic (Spain) and López to the Astana Qazaqstan development team.
Martín López closes the season and gets off the Vuelta al Ecuador: ‘My body has said enough’
In the championship, Núñez will defend the double crown that it has held since 2019 with the road and time trial titles, this year with the colors of his new squad.
“She travels to concentration and He will return with his team’s clothing and bicycle to run the championship; Martín travels with an open ticket for 90 days, that is, he has the permit, but not the resources to be able to return. It would be the only doubt among the elite ”, detailed the head of the FEC.
Organization
The planning of the championship “is a complicated issue, although we have the support of the Mayor’s Office and the councilors of Quito They are open to us bringing the Olympic champion to the central streets of the city, but there are institutions involved that technically analyze mobility in the city and the impact that the test can have, including on environmental issues, ”said Rosero.
Pending confirmation from the authorities, circuits for the route and individual time trial are defined, in the first case they will be 160 kilometers on a circuit in the mall from the city, between United Nations avenues, Eloy Alfaro, Republic. For the IRA, it will be 40 kilometers around the Ciudad Mitad del Mundo complex.
“The different capitals in countries of the world close their streets to see this type of event, it is the first time that we have an Olympic champion in this discipline and it generates interest, there will be conflict in mobility, but the commitment is to socialize the circuits and closing times so that public discomfort is not generated, “said Rosero.
The test is also endorsed by the Emergency Operations Committee, “Adhering to the security protocol, for a lot of 100 runners between men and women, is in a way a controlled event, in the open air. We hope to have no problems; but nevertheless, If there are new provisions due to the pandemic, it will be our obligation to change the dates, something that would complicate us because as our runners have their established calendars there will be no opportunity to have everyone ”.
The FEC also works on the Organizational budget for the test totaling $ 50,000, and what will the first competition of the National Cup, which will also have four classics in the country and which will close with the Cycling Tour of Ecuador, scheduled for the month of October, all valid for the formation of the ranking national. (D)
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