“The desire to return to the practice of cycling that we are so passionate about, without limitations, is great, but for now it is impossible to materialise. In this scenario of continuing limitations in the practice of sports, which brings us another month of stoppage of competitions, the ACBI and the Historical Villages of Portugal invite all who are fans of ‘indoor’ cycling to participate in the Challenge of Virtual Cycling by the Historical Villages of Portugal,” says the ACBI, in a statement sent to the Lusa agency.

These virtual events take place on the RGT Cycling platform (www.rgtcycling.com), and also serve as a motto for the promotion to the participants of the new cycle path network of the Portuguese Historical Villages.

This is a project carried out with the consultancy of the Portuguese Cycling Federation (FPC), and which includes more than 3,000 kilometres of courses, “divided into 12 poles - 12 AHP, where in each one are marked four courses of different levels of difficulty that can be explored by the whole family.”

“This is a virtual cycling trophy that will have five stages with increasing distances, held on Sunday mornings until 5 April. There will be a classification per stage and an unofficial general classification, with data that will create an interesting dynamic among the participants,” reads the note.

On 14 March there will be a 61-km stage between Monsanto and Belmonte and on 21 March, a 71-km route between the villages of Sortelha and Almeida, passing through Castelo Mendo.

On 28 March there will be an 80 kilometre stage between Castelo Rodrigo and Trancoso, passing through the village of Marialva, and the last stage with 99 kilometres will take place on 5 April, on the slopes of Serra da Estrela and Serra do Açor, between Linhares da Beira and Piódão.

According to the ACBI, the Historical Villages of Portugal will send to all participants, at the end of the event, a Guide of the Cycle Paths Network of the Historical Villages of Portugal with all the information of the network and the respective map.

“The detailed information about these challenges will be published very soon in the channels of disclosure of the ACBI and the Historic Villages of Portugal,” concludes the note.