Registration for the VII TransPortugal Garmin Mountain Bike Race Opens on October 1st

27.08.2008

The dates for the 2009 edition of the Trans Portugal race have now been announced and registration for this popular event will open on October 1st.

The VII TransPortugal Garmin will start in BraganÃ§a on the 31st May 2009 and arrive at Sagres on the 7th June 2009. As every year registration opens on the 1st October 2008 at 00:00 GMT and all the details about the changes you can expect next year are being updated on the event website.

A lot of people have already said that they want to participate in the race and they will be by their computers on the 31st September at midnight, waiting for registration to open. If you too are planning to sign up next year register early so you don\'t miss your chance!

The race has also received a lot of feedback in the reply to the questionnaires sent out to the athletes who participated in this year\'s race, and have taken their comments into consideration while planning next year\'s race. Overall the feedback was positive, but of course there were a few things that could be improved, and there were a lot of helpful comments in the replies.

One change is that nestyear the race is open to 60 athletes, an increase from the previous year\'s 50. This is the limit as the organisers want to keep the race small, partly as hotels are used along the way and have limited capacity. The route intentionally avoids large towns and busy places and the rural hotels used are small. (In some villages competitors are divided between two or more hotels.)

This is the case on the first night of the race, at the end of stage 1 in Freixo Espada a Cinta where three excellent small bed and breakfast hotels are used in or near the centre of the village. As it is the first night and at the end of a long hard stage, it is a logistical challenge as we have to run a shuttle service to one of the hotels, but everyone who stayed at the Quinta de Salgueiros rural hotel on the edge of the village this year said the place more than made up for the inconvenience. This small house, run by the charming (and talkative) Margarida is an oasis of peace and home made delights. Breakfast was particularly memorable with fresh juices and homemade bread and jams.

Freixo Espada a Cinta may not be the easiest place to stay at in terms of logistics, but it is the town where the race gets the most incredible support from the local council. They put on police marshals as the racers cross a busy road to get to the finishing line, they close off a village square for the route to the finishing line, allow access to the town sports hall facilities so racers can set up a massage at the finishing line and provide somewhere to wash and store the bikes. As the town publicises the event there is always a good turn out of locals who come to cheer the racers over the finishing line. It is a real pleasure to visit Freixo and you can be sure it will always be on the TransPortugal Garmin route.

The second change is that the registration fee has increased. Following racer\'s feedback the fee now covers everything from when you get on the bus in Lisbon until you get back off the bus again back in Lisbon. All hotels (10 nights) and all evening meals (9) are included. The only things competitors will need to pay for during the week is anything you bought along the way, massages and bike parts if mechanical assistance is needed. [Previously racers paid for the first night\'s hotel in BraganÃ§a and the last night in Sagres.]

The race still remains incredibly good value, especially when you take into consideration the stays in extremely comfortable (and sometimes luxury) hotels rather than camping. Each year a few people inquire about the possibility of camping but that goes against the philosophy of the race and the infrastructure does not cater for camping at all. (None of the stops have camp sites, and racers deserve a warm shower and a comfy bed!) There is also no need to queue for food as evening meals are in the hotel restaurants, usually as a buffet, so everyone can eat all they want.

For more information about the next race see www.supertravessia.com.