Once again — and now for the fifth time — O Gran Camiño will continue to unveil new and spectacular corners of Galicia to the world by bike. A Jacobean cycling route that will place the international spotlight on an endlessly breathtaking territory and bring the very best of this sport to this corner of Atlantic Europe, under the premise that this “is not just another sporting event,” but rather “the history of Galicia,” as defined by its director, Ezequiel Mosquera.

The Cortizo Technological Campus, in Padrón (A Coruña), hosted on Friday afternoon the presentation of the fifth edition of O Gran Camiño, which this year will once again fill the four Galician provinces with excitement, sport and territory, although with the novelty of a change of dates, as it will be held for the first time in spring.

It will take place between April 14 and 18, starting at the Tower of Hercules and finishing with what promises to be a spectacular finale at the top of Monte Trega. An edition that, in the words of OGC ambassador and former cyclist Óscar Pereiro, will serve to “cement a race that belongs to everyone” and that pays tribute to “those who have worked for cycling in Galicia for so many years.”

The race will get underway with an individual time trial in A Coruña, repeating the route that two years ago was affected by the wind, in order to do justice to one of the region’s most symbolic heritage landmarks.

It will then move on to the province of Lugo, from the inland town of Vilalba to the coast of A Mariña. “It was a debt we had and one that will be more than repaid,” said the vice-president of the Lugo Provincial Council, Efrén Castro, during the event, praising the spectacular landscapes of this stage, which will finish by the sea at Praia de Coto, in Barreiros.

The third stage will link two towns that “have cycling in their DNA,” as noted by the head of Sports of the A Coruña Provincial Council, Antonio Leira, who promised a decisive start from Carballo and a finish in Padrón “with very interesting final kilometres” that “could offer plenty of action.”

From there, the peloton will head to Ourense for the queen stage, an intense mountain day between Xinzo de Limia and Xunqueira de Espadanedo, which the vice-president of the Ourense Provincial Council, César Fernández, described as “epic” to “showcase the beauty of the province’s landscapes.”

To conclude, this year’s finish will be in the province of Pontevedra, the “province of sport,” as described by the provincial head of Sports, Xisela Aranda, who acknowledged that the entire province is “a natural stadium.” The fifth stage, starting from As Neves, will keep the excitement alive until the very last minute at the summit of Monte Trega.

While the final list of teams and top riders yet to be confirmed, the organization has already announced that the two best teams in the world — Visma Lease a Bike and UAE Team — will be competing in Galicia.

HISTORY OF GALICIA

“This is not just another sporting event,” began his address to a packed auditorium the director of O Gran Camiño and CEO of EME Sports, Ezequiel Mosquera, who emphasized the historical, cultural and ethnographic narrative of a race in which “every last detail is taken care of.”

With this approach, Mosquera added, OGC seeks to promote sport and offer a cycling spectacle, while also “highlighting the territory and heritage,” an “impressive asset” of Galicia worldwide.

“Going to other countries — that’s what the Camino allows us to do,” stressed the head of the race, whose narrative is based on the Jacobean route. “This is a story; this is the history of Galicia. It is about telling our story from the oldest Camino in the world,” he concluded.

GALICIA’S GREAT INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE

The presentation event was also attended by the Regional Minister of the Presidency, Diego Calvo, who predicted that OGC will once again be Galicia’s “great international showcase” and will help “project the Galicia Calidade brand to the world through cycling.”

Calvo highlighted the “media impact” of the race’s television broadcasts in different countries, describing it as “a key tool for the promotion of tourism in Galicia.” He also underlined that this event “demonstrates how the combination of sport and tourism helps generate significant economic benefits in the municipalities it passes through, acting as a driving force for both economic and tourism development across the region.”

In addition, Diego Calvo stressed that following the stages allows spectators not only to enjoy the sport, but also to “introduce Galicia’s landscapes, heritage and cultural identity to thousands of viewers around the world.” Furthermore, O Gran Camiño “also proves each year that Galicia is a privileged territory for sports practice and an ideal destination for cycling, as it is a high-level professional race firmly established on the European cycling calendar and featuring major international teams.”

DETAILED ROUTE

The fifth edition of O Gran Camiño will begin on April 14 with an individual time trial in the city of A Coruña. The flat 14.8-kilometre route will start and finish at the iconic Tower of Hercules.

The following day it will be the turn of the province of Lugo, where the Galician professional tour will explore two new territories: A Terra Chá and A Mariña.

Specifically, the stage will cover just over 158 kilometres, starting in Vilalba and finishing in Barreiros, with the peloton facing 2,130 metres of elevation gain and climbing two third-category passes: A Gañidoira and Noceda, passing through the municipalities of Muras, Ourol, Viveiro, Xove, Burela, Foz and Ribadeo.

On Thursday, April 16, the race will move to the province of A Coruña, with a 173-kilometre route and 2,453 metres of accumulated elevation gain between Carballo and Padrón.

In addition to these two towns, riders will pass through Santa Comba and Outes before approaching the Atlantic coast via Noia, Porto do Son, Ribeira, A Pobra do Caramiñal, Boiro and Rianxo, then heading to Rois to finish in Padrón. Along the way, they will climb the Campelo (3rd category), A Muralla (2nd category) and Formarís (3rd category) climbs.

The queen stage this time will take place in the province of Ourense, with a demanding mountain day between Xinzo de Limia and Xunqueira de Espadanedo, including an ascent of Alto do Rodicio (3rd category) and two climbs of Alto de Meda, a first-category climb that will also host the finish.

Along its 155.5 kilometres — with 3,103 metres of accumulated elevation gain — the peloton will also pass through Allariz, Celanova, Ourense and Maceda.

The final flourish of the fifth edition of OGC will be provided by the province of Pontevedra, with a 170-kilometre stage between As Neves and A Guarda, featuring a summit finish that promises excitement until the very last minute.

In this case, the peloton will pass, in addition to the start and finish towns, through the municipalities of Arbo, Ponteareas, Salvaterra de Miño, Tui and Tomiño, and will complete a double ascent of Alto da Portela (2nd category) before finishing at Monte de Santa Trega (2nd category).

O Gran Camiño stands as a country-wide project, as it would not be possible without the involvement of the Xunta de Galicia and the four provincial councils, as well as our collaborators and private sponsors, especially Cortizo, Zara Athleticz, Cabo de Peñas and Fe Seguros, the main co-sponsors of the race.