Yucatan Living

It's All About Bikes in Merida

The City Council of Merida, through the Department of Sports, has designated the 1 st through the 3 rd of June, as Cycling Returns to Merida 2007. More than 100 competitors are expected to participate in this event. Involved in the production and execution of this event are the Association of Cycling of Yucatan (ACY), the Instituto de Deporte de Yucatan (Institute of Sports in Yucatan), the Preventative Federal Police, the Secretariat of Protection and Road and the Red Cross. The race will be carried out according to the regulations of the Mexican Federation of Cycling, with judges designated by the organizing committee. All decisions will be final.

The invitation to ride in this event is open to all cyclists in Southeastern Mexico who are not competing professionals.

According to Ing. David Loría Magdub, Director of Social Development, the route of the cyclists will cover a total of 400 km, but will be ridden in stages. There will be place standings awarded for each stage of the race and an emblematic sweater will be given to the leader of each stage.

But that isn’t all! They’ve got some great prizes too. In the General Classification, there will be 10 prizes. First place: $12,000; Second place: $10,000; and other prizes ranging from $9,000 to $2,000. For the 10 Best Yucatecos: prizes ranging between $5,000 and $500. In the Youth Classification (up to 18 years, 11 months), First, second and third place prizes will be $5,000, $4,000 and $3,000, respectively. Best Veteran of Yucatan (40 or older): $4,000. There are even prizes for the little children and for the disabled, who will also be riding.

Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Well, if you are going to ride, you'd better be fit and you'd better drink a lot of liquids (and wear your sunscreen!) Remember – this is 400 km, to be ridden in 3 days – in June – in Yucatan. Oh Mercy! Take a look at this route!

June 1:

Friday 8:30 AM Leave from the Municipal Palace, twice around the Periférico, and end at X´matkuil, 15 km south of Merida and site of last year’s State Fair

Total trip: 125 km

June 2:

Saturday 7:00 AM (against the clock) Municipal Palace of Progreso to the doors of Liverpool. 25 km. But that’s not the big part of the day! They come back at 4:00 PM and do another 100 km, beginning on Paseo Montejo and ending at Palacio Cantón. The bulletin doesn’t say exactly where that one goes, just that its 100 km.

June 3:

Sunday 8:00 AM Mérida-Uxmal-Mérida, 150 km – and they are going to end up right in the middle of Sunday’s Bici-Ruta, in front of Burger King!



We assume prizes will be awarded shortly thereafter, so don’t miss the Bici-Ruta this week! …and if you live along any of these routes, or are interested in cycling, do come out and support these riders!