Starting this week, ROUVY is offering the global cycling community a chance to compete virtually on official real-life race courses of La Vuelta ‘just like the pros’.
Following up on the announcement of ‘La Vuelta Virtual’ by Unipublic, ROUVY has released the 8-stage digital version of the Spanish Grand Tour for amateur ridings.
Racing starts on October 22nd virtually on the Molinos de Duero – La Laguna Negra stage. ROUVY notes that… ‘Cyclists and triathletes of all levels can test themselves and compare to the pros from the World Tour Teams. Athletes have the opportunity to ride some of the most impressive mountains in the world in 1:1 reality.’
Fans are meanwhile being invited to vote on La Vuelta’s social media for the route they would like to see for competition in the future.
“It’s very exciting to be hosting the first digital edition of La Vuelta,” said Petr Samek, CEO of ROUVY. “We can’t wait to welcome athletes around the world onto the fantastic roads and stunning views that Spain offers.”
La Vuelta Virtual Grand Tour Challenge
The warm-up and celebration of the Spanish Grand Tour on ROUVY starts with an initial challenge that ends on October 24th. Riders who complete the de la Rasa climb on ROUVY will be eligible to win VIP tickets to go ‘behind the scenes’ of one of the La Vuelta stages: to ‘watch the race from a mechanic’s car or even a helicopter.’
Despite social distancing, ROUVY points out that fans can still get close to the pros. Every day at 17:00 UTC, the international cycling community can compare themselves to the crème de la crème of cycling professionals on the same stage sections in the La Vuelta Virtual race series.
‘To expend the same effort as the pros for five days is certainly a new and unforgettable experience for anyone up for the challenge.’
Digital races and parcours:
22 Oct | Race 1 | STAGE 3 | Mollinos de Duero – La Laguna Negra
25 Oct | Race 2 | STAGE 6 | Luz Saint Sauveur – Tourmalet
28 Oct | Race 3 | STAGE 8 | Panzares – Alto de Moncalvillo
30 Oct | Race 4 | STAGE 10 | Comillas – Suances
31 Oct | Race 5 | STAGE 11 | San Marín – Alto de la Farrapona
01 Nov | Race 6 | STAGE 12 | La vega – Alto de l’Angliru
03 Nov | Race 7 | STAGE 13 | Muros – Miradoiro do Ézaro
07 Nov | Race 8 | STAGE 17 | Baños de Montemayor – Alto de la Covatilla
Races start 17:00 UTC. The stages are running the same day as the pros riding in the morning.
Race format
The competition is open to anyone. Athletes of all levels are welcome to join via a mass start for all riders. Each day is an individual stand-alone single race with the overall individual standings based on points. Bike selection and drafting are available and always ‘on’ virtually via ROUVY.
Prizes
Prizes will be presented by ROUVY, WeLoveCycling, and Santini. Prize winners will be via random draws, so every participant of the virtual tour races has a chance to win. Every stage winner will be presented with a custom red Santini-designed jersey/ and everyone who participates will unlock a virtual Santini jersey in ROUVY and receive a 20% discount in the Santini shop.
The first three male and female winners of the general classification will win a ROUVY subscription.
Cyclists wishing to participate in the La Vuelta series must have a smart trainer, bike and device capable of using ROUVY, such as a phone, tablet, computer, or AppleTV, connected to the Internet. A valid ROUVY account is also required. New riders are offered a 14-day free trial to take part.
