Multiple Tour de France stage winner, Clásica de San Sebastián champion and Mexico’s greatest cyclist of all time Raúl Alcalá launched his 2022 Raúl Alcalá Challenge gran fondo series in Oaxaca, Mexico on Sunday 20 February.

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Cyclists from 6 countries and 22 Mexican states participated in the first event in the series, with three addition events planned later this year.  At 07:00 on 70 and 100 kilometre routes designed for semi-professional and amateur cyclists, Alcalá led the peloton procession out of town.

27 year-old former semi-pro rider Fernando Arroyo Rosario from Tlaxcala won the 100 kilometre gran fondo with local Oaxaca riders Armando García and Manuel López claiming the second and third place positions.  Valeria Sáenz Miranda won the women’s category.

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In the 70-kilometre event Carlos García Quevedo was first to finish, followed by Alejandro González Sánchez and Víctor Tomás Ortiz.  Fernanda Díaz de la Vega García won the women’s category with Lizeth Canseco Mucino in second and Lizet Pérez Durán in third.

Afterwards, the 57-year old Alcalá signed autographs and took selfies with riders and fans.

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2022 Raúl Alcalá Challenge racing resumes 12 June in Jardines de Mexico, Morelos, followed by Leon, Guanajuato on 21 August and the final event will be in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon on 2 October.

PHOTOS: Raúl Alcalá Challenge