On 17 July, two more Aldeias do Xisto Epic Climbs will be inaugurated. In this one you can share the emotion of following the professional athletes of the EFAPEL team, who will then participate in the Tour de Portugal, accompanied by the Aldeias do Xisto.

The Epic Climbs ® are part of the BikeRoads project ® Aldeias do Xisto and, similarly to that which can be seen in some of the most charismatic mountain destinations in other countries, with this initiative some of the most challenging climbs to carry out on a bicycle in Portugal are being recognised and signposted.

PROGRAMME

Sunday 17 July

• 9.30am – Opening of the offices (Lousã – Jardim Carlos Reis; Castª de Pêra – Praia das Rocas)
• 10.30am – Departure for Lousã – Trevim Epic Climb (Lousã – near the Jardim Carlos Reis)
• 10.44am – Departure for the Castª de Pêra – Trevim Epic Climb (Castª de Pêra – near the Praia das Rocas)
• 11.05am – Expected arrival of the fastest athletes at the end of the climb
• 12pm – Expected arrival of the final athletes at the end of the climb
• 11.05am – 12.30pm – Refreshments (on arrival)

On 17 July, two Epic Climbs will be inaugurated, those of Lousã-Trevim and Castanheira de Pera-Trevim, in an event where participants are invited to undertake a different challenge. As both climbs share a common section at the end, two starts will happen at the beginning of each of the climbs, and at the end there will be an order of arrival at a common point which, due to the bad condition of the access road to the top of Trevim, will not be positioned at the summit but 5 km from that point.
Participants can choose to make the ascent from Castanheira de Pêra or from Lousã. To compensate for the difference in distance between the two starting points and the joint finishing point, a “handicap” will be attributed to the cyclists who will start from Castanheira de Pêra (shorter ascent – 15 km) 14 minutes later than the athletes who will start from Lousã (longer ascent – 21 km). At the end the order of arrival of the athletes to the top will be published.

These climbs are equipped with permanent signage that provides cyclists and other users with an indication of the distance to the summit, the altitude and the slope over the following kilometre, thus becoming permanent training tracks for those who make cycling their favourite sport, especially mountain lovers, who can therefore be independent and come alone or with their friends, overcome these challenges, and then come back to beat their records.

It will be above all a day of celebration on the green roads and slopes of the Serra da Lousã, where the participants will face this challenge together with their friends and strangers, which finishes at the top, at an altitude of 1,000 metres, where a replenishing snack will be served.

Registration is free but compulsory, and can be carried out at www.bike-roads.com from 4 July until 15 July.