During its six-year history the event has increased in popularity

Record number of entrants in this year´s Tourist Cycling Tour

Popular. The number of entrants could reach the 500 mark in a few years

The event has attracted 396 participants, 34 of them women, from mainland Spain, the Canaries and further afield; e.g. Britain, Germany, Italy and France

Christine M. Watterson.Maó

The VI Tourist Cycling Tour of Menorca has attracted a record number of entrants. This year 396 cyclists, 34 of them women, registered for the event, a fact which has delighted Arturo Sintes, President of the Menorcan Tourist Cycling Association, whose original aim was to reach the figure of 300 participants within five years. Proof of the event´s international appeal is the fact that the cyclists have come not only from the Spanish mainland and the Canaries, but also, in around 20 cases, from further afield - France, Italy, Germany and Great Britain.

The three-day event started with an "informal" excursion to the north of the island on Friday, with cyclists covering 45 kms., starting from the Maó Industrial Estate and cycling via Na Macaret to Port d´Addaia.

The first of the "serious" stages was held on Saturday with the cyclists travelling a total of 116 kilometres along a route which led them from Maó and along the Camí d´en Kane to Es Mercadal, Ferreries and Ciutadella, returning to Maó via Es Mercadal and the Cavalleria Lighthouse. A conference on tourist cycling was held in evening, in which this year´s guests of honour - cyclists Pello Ruiz Cabestany and Óscar Sevilla and sports journalist María del Carmen Izquierdo - participated.

Sunday´s stage saw the participants leaving Maó at 0845 hrs. to cycle to Alaior and Es Mercadal before tackling the Monte Toro Ascent, then passing through Son Bou, Sant Climent and the port of Maó on their return ride; a total of 67 kilometres which was completed by 1215 hrs. in time for a farewell meal and trophy presentation in the Exhibition Centre on the Maó Industrial Estate.

For the third year running, Dani Coll won the Óscar González Trophy for crossing the finishing line first, a prize he then passed on to Arturo Sintes for his work on behalf of cycling.

Awards were also presented to: Catiana Mascaró as the leading female rider; Adolfo Bello and Rosa María Correcher, the oldest participants in the race; and Xavier Mascaró and Arantxa Díez, the youngest cyclists. The trophy for the club with the most cyclists in the event went to Tect-Soft Myotragus from Mallorca and Ciclos Uno from England received the award for the team from farthest afield.

A cheque for 250 euros was presented to Jacinto Sanz from Mallorca who, together with four other riders, cycled 940 kms. across the Pyrenees in a sponsored ride to raise money for the Balearic branch of the Spanish Cancer Association; a valiant effort which raised 7,800 euros for the charity.