Sant Joan de les Abadesses returns to the Volta after 50 years
November 21 st 2023 - 12:00 [GMT + 1]
Sant Joan de les Abadesses will be the protagonist with a stage start in the 103rd edition of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. Fifty years after the last and only visit of the Catalan race to the town, in 1973, Sant Joan will once again be a protagonist in the route of the next 2024 edition thanks to an agreement between the town council and the organisers of the race.
Sant Joan de les Abadesses is located in the Ripollès region, in a pre-Pyrenean valley environment along the river Ter. The municipality, with around 3,270 inhabitants, has an important medieval heritage linked to the Monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses, from which the town later adopted the name.
In 2024, the municipality of Sant Joan de les Abadesses will return to the route of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 50 years after its last participation in the cycling race. Sant Joan de les Abadesses was a protagonist in the historic Catalan race twice in 1973, in the 53rd edition of the race. It hosted the finish of the second sector of the 4th stage, a day of 131.4 kilometres that started in Sant Antoni de Calonge and was won by the Italian Wladimiro Panizza, and also the start of the 5th stage, a day that finished in Andorra and was won by the Basque 'Txomin' Perurena, the final winner of that edition.
Half a century later, Sant Joan de les Abadesses will once again be one of the cities on the route of the Volta a Catalunya, which will be held between 18 and 24 March 2024. It will be the 103rd edition of the Catalan cycling race, a world reference thanks to its presence in the UCI World Tour calendar.
The territory will shine for its sporting and scenic potential thanks to a cycling event of great prestige. The mayor of Sant Joan de les Abadesses, Ramon Roqué, explained that "it will be an honour to once again host a start of the Volta", and pointed out "the town's commitment and capacity to host major events that promote the municipality and have an economic return for local businesses and services".
"It is a pleasure for the Volta a Catalunya to return to Sant Joan de les Abadesses after 50 years. As an organisation, it is an important objective to cover a large part of the Catalan territory, and I am sure that the magnificent mountain environment of Sant Joan de les Abadesses and Ripollès will be ideal to enjoy a great stage of the Volta", explained Rubèn Peris, president of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya.
The Catalan cycling race, which assures the presence of the 18 best cycling teams in the world, has an important international diffusion that reaches 190 countries and the five continents in its television coverage, thanks to 33 international broadcasters.
D'esquerra a dreta, el regidor d'esports, Albert Ramoneda, el president de la Volta, Rubèn Peris, i l'alcalde de Sant Joan de les Abadesses, Ramon Roqué, davant de l'Ajuntament (Crèdits: Ajuntament Sant Joan de les Abadesses).