Around 25,000 bikers made their way to Faro’s Vale das Almas from all over Portugal and beyond for the four day event which is now firmly established as one of the biggest biking Meccas on the European calendar.
Speaking to newspaper Correio da Manhã José Amaro, president of the Faro Bike Club, which organises the event, praised the way authorities patrolled the event, saying in that aspect is was “much better” than last year and had had a “very positive outcome.”
While The Stranglers headlined this year’s event, having shared the stage with a number of other national and foreign bands and tribute acts as well as erotic shows, it culminated with the traditional and hugely popular bike parade through the streets of Faro on Sunday morning.
A spokesperson for the GNR police force told The Portugal News that “in terms of safety” there were no situations of note that occurred within the parameters of the gathering.
However, an accident that happened in the vicinity of Vale das Almas lead Faro Town Hall to issue a statement in which it “laments” the tragic occurrence but said it “reiterates its confidence in the safety forces.”
The incident occurred during the early hours of Saturday morning, at around 1.30am, when a bike collided with a pedestrian who had crossed the EN125/10 near Faro airport.
One person was killed in the crash and two others were seriously injured.
The pedestrian, who according to Faro town hall was a young woman who lived in that city, died in the accident while the two occupants of the bike were left seriously injured and taken to Faro Hospital.
Faro Council said: “As the circumstances of the accident are yet to be established, the local authority is convinced that the sad event was random and lateral to the activities in Vales das Almas, which hosts the International Bike Meet.”
The town hall extended its condolences to the family of the young woman who died in the collision, and wished the injured parties a speedy and full recovery.