Benidorm will bring together more than 15,000 fans at the Cyclocross World Cup taking place this weekend

El Moralet and Foietes parks will host this weekend, for the second consecutive year, the Benidorm-Costa Blanca UCI Cyclocross World Cup, which will bring together around 15,000 fans of this cycling speciality along the entire route to see the first world figures, whose presence has been confirmed days ago.

The city hopes to repeat and even improve the success achieved last year in which fans crowded into both parks to cheer on athletes of all categories. An edition that was a success in participation and organization and that achieved an incalculable economic and promotional impact.

This year, the test will once again have an enviable participation. Thus, in the Men's Elite category, the three greats of the speciality will start, the Dutchman Mathieu van del Poel (winner last year), the Belgian Wout van Aert and the British Tom Pidcock. The same happens in the Women's Elite category with the presence of Fem van Empel (winner in 2023), Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado and Puck Pieterse. Fans will also have the opportunity to see the performance of cyclists such as Eli Iserbyt, the current leader of the World Cup, or the Spanish and local idol Felipe Orts, who has recently been proclaimed Spanish champion of the speciality for the sixth consecutive year.

Benidorm will be the penultimate race of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup and, therefore, almost definitive for the resolution of the final general classification that is currently headed by Eli Iserbyt. Felipe Orts from La Vila, for his part, will try to fight for the positions of honour, like the other Spaniard in contention, Kevin Suárez. In the Women's Elite, the overall ranking is led by the Dutch Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, with 52 points ahead of her compatriot Puck Pieterse.

The test program will begin tomorrow, Saturday, at 10 in the morning with an inspection of the course. Then, from 2 to 4 p.m., official training sessions will take place.

Official training will begin on Sunday at 8:30 am. An hour later the youth men's race will take place and at 10:30 the youth women's race will take place. Official training will return at 11:20 before giving way to the men's under-23 race at noon. Again at 1:00 p.m., there will be half an hour for official training and at 1:40 p.m. the Women's Elite category race will start. After the event, the medal ceremony will take place and at 3:10 p.m. the Men's Elite event will begin. The end of the day will be the presentation of medals to the first three finishers in this race before 5 p.m.

Traffic Cuts

As regards road traffic, the holding of this test will also force some roads and services around the circuit to be closed to traffic. This is the case, for example, of Mercasa, which has been cleared of vehicles since Wednesday, January 17, after the market was held. It will be like this until 8 in the morning on Monday, the 22nd.

Concerning road traffic, Avenida de la Libertad or 9 de Octubre Avenue will remain closed from 8 a.m. this Friday until 8 a.m. on Monday, the 22nd. From the Mobility area they have indicated that this cut It will also affect the northern roundabout due to the assembly of part of the circuit, so it will also collaterally affect the accesses from Nicaragua and Venezuela avenues.

Also from early today, Ciudad Deportiva Street with the intersection of Guadalest Street has been closed to traffic. This road will remain without road traffic until the part of the circuit that runs through it is dismantled, which is expected to be done on Sunday afternoon.
On the other hand, the Guillermo Amor Sports City parking lot has also been cleared of vehicles from 8 a.m. today until the same time on Tuesday, the 23rd.

Another of the roads that will be affected is Foietes Avenue, where parking will be eliminated to clear it of vehicles. This restriction will affect the parking area closest to the circuit; that is, the one located from the main access to the park and the Goya Street roundabout. The parking ban has been in effect since Friday due to the accumulation of people who are expected to attend to follow the race and, also, to be able to enable an area for the parking of security and emergency vehicles, such as police, health workers, etc. Foietes Avenue will not be closed to traffic, although on both Saturday and Sunday, there could be occasional cuts during the competition.

For this reason, the recommendation to the residents of this neighbourhood of Foietes-Colonia Madrid is that they access it from Avenida de Beniardá and Calle Alcalá and that they avoid passing through Avenida de Foietes to avoid these restrictions.
Likewise, the City Council has three park-and-ride car parks in this area, such as the one next to the TRAM Station, the one at the Fairgrounds and the one on Cuba Street, where vehicles can be parked for free both in the case of residents as well as those who come to watch the championship.