Samuel Sánchez will be the ambassador of the IV Desafío 10 Picos Sierra de Espadán
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The Asturian former cyclist will take part along with more than 700 cyclists in a ride that in its fourth edition has new routes of 134.7 and 65.3 respectively, with climbs to outstanding mountain passes in the nature reserve such as Eslida, Almedíjar and La Nevera.
Valencia. 14th March 2024. The Olympic road cycling champion in Beijing 2008, Samuel Sánchez, will be the official ambassador of the IV Desafío 10 Picos Sierra de Espadán, a cycling tour organised by Ángel Casero and the VCV – Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana team, which will be held on 20 April 2024, starting and finishing in the town of Onda in Castellón. The former professional cyclist from Asturias will thus join a peloton of more than 700 cyclists who will cover the almost 135 kilometres of a specially renovated route for this fourth edition of ‘La 10 Picos’, as it is popularly known in the cyclotourist world to this march born in 2021 and which is already consolidated as one of the most important on the national scene.
Samuel Sánchez will be the fourth ambassador of the Desafío 10 Picos Sierra de Espadán since its creation and will follow in the footsteps of other professional cyclists who have already acted as ambassadors of ‘La 10 Picos’, such as Iban Mayo (2023), Vicente Aparicio (2022) and Joseba Beloki (2021). The 46-year-old Asturian (Oviedo, 5 February 1978) gave up professional cycling in 2017, but has remained fit and active, as evidenced by the last two victories that adorn a more than extensive list of achievements.
In 2022, Sánchez became Spanish giant slalom champion in the over-40 category, proving that he was good at descents not only on a bike, but also on skis. More recently, in 2023, ‘Samu’ returned to compete on a bike. He did so at the World Gravel Championships, once again donning the Spanish national team jersey and, as in 2008, climbing to the top of the podium. The Asturian was proclaimed world champion in the Master 45 category, demonstrating that he is still in great shape despite having been retired from professional sport for more than seven years.
In the IV Desafío 10 Picos Sierra de Espadán, Samuel Sánchez will accompany the more than 700 participants of this non-competitive cycling tour along a spectacular route through one of the most spectacular and unknown natural landscapes of the Valencian and national geography, the Sierra de Espadán, in the province of Castellón. For 2024, ‘La 10 Picos’ has two completely renewed routes. A long one, of 134.7 kilometres and 3,125 metres of positive difference in altitude; and a short one, of 65.3 kilometres and 1,300 metres of positive difference in altitude.
As its name suggests, the route of the IV Desafío 10 Picos Sierra de Espadán has ten climbs to ten different mountain passes. In this order, the ’10 Piqueros’ will face the ascents to Alcudia de Veo, Eslida, Almedíjar, La Nevera, Matet, Collado de Cuatro Caminos, Alto de Villamalur, Alto del Pinar, Alto de Pavías and Collado de Ayódar. Ten climbs to some of the most spectacular peaks of a nature reserve that is a paradise for cycle touring, although still somewhat unknown to the general public. In fact, ‘La 10 Picos’ was a pioneer in choosing the Sierra de Espadán as a place to develop its route in 2021 and give it the popularity it deserves. Moreover, a few months later, at the beginning of 2022, the Sierra de Espadán was the great protagonist of the international cycling scene, when Remco Evenepoel won the first stage of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2022, with a finish line in Torralba del Pinar and a large part of its route through the spectacular landscapes of the Sierra de Espadán.
The IV Desafío 10 Picos Sierra de Espadán will be held on Saturday 20th April with start and finish line in the town of Onda, Castellón. The day before, on Friday 19th, the race organisers will set up a ‘Rider’s Fair’ where participants will be able to pick up their race bibs as well as the ‘Rider’s Bag’, filled with gifts from the different sponsors of the race. That same afternoon, the ambassador Samuel Sánchez together with the organiser and Valencian former cyclist Ángel Casero (and some other guests) will give a talk in which they will review their sporting careers, as well as offering recommendations and suggestions to the participants of ‘La 10 Picos’ who wish to attend the event.
Registration for the IV Desafío 10 Picos Sierra de Espadán can be made until the 14th of April through the website www.demarragevalencia.com and includes, in addition to registration for the walk, a large number of advantages and services for participants. Official jersey designed exclusively by Gobik, rider’s bag, mechanical assistance, solid and liquid supplies, medical and ambulance service, finisher’s medal, giant paella at the end of the race and much more.
