One of the most beautiful and challenging places to ride a bike in Portugal is the Douro Valley, home of the Douro Gran Fondo. Starting in Peso da Régua, in the heart of valley alongside Douro River, the course covers 162km over 5 rated climbs (3 Cat2, 2 Cat1) totaling 3220m vertical ascent. 3000 riders tackled the course, winding through a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest continuous wine producing region in the world. When not sweating and staring at their front hub on a climb, riders were mesmerized by the landscape. At the pointy end of the race, Love Tiles Cycling Sports Team placed 4 riders in top 6 with Rui Sá crossing under the finish banner in 4:57:15 to win, nipping his team-mate by less than a second.
Photos ©DouroGranFondo
GRAN FONDO CALENDAR FOR USA CANADA MEXICO
GRAN FONDO DAILY NEWS 