The Cyclin’ Portugal project confirms Aldeias do Xisto as Portugal’s premier destination of excellence for competitive and recreational cycling, with its combination of quality infrastructure, competitive and recreational events, and tourism programmes and services that specifically target cyclists. From the calendar of events presented yesterday, we highlight the European Downhill Championship, the Aldeias do Xisto Classic, and the Spring Walk.

The 2018 Cyclin' Portugal Aldeias do Xisto events calendar was presented at the Aldeias do Xisto Welcome Centre in Lousã, which was attended by ADXTUR Coordinator Rui Simão, the President of the Portuguese Cycling Federation (FPC), Delmino Pereira, the President of Turismo Centro de Portugal (TCP), Pedro Machado, and the Mayor of Lousã, Luís Antunes. It should be remembered that this project has the support of the Secretariat of State for Tourism.

Cyclin' Portugal Aldeias do Xisto 2018 Main races

• 25 March: DHI Portugal Cup (Lousã)
• 25th March: Aldeias do Xisto Classic (from Álvaro to Aldeia das Dez)
• 25 March: Spring Walk (Aldeia das Dez)
• 6, 7 and 8 April -European DHI Championship (Lousã)
• 19th and 20th May - Portuguese Enduro Cup (Lousã)
• 16 and 17 June -DHI National Championship (Pampilhosa da Serra)
• 30th September – Aldeias do Xisto Granfondo (Fundão)
• 7 October - Licor Beirão Avalanche (Lousã)

This calendar of international competition, training, and leisure events is one of the main initiatives of the Cyclin' Portugal Aldeias do Xisto project, which brings together the three organisations mentioned above (ADXTUR, TCP, FPC) plus the councils and economic bodies, strategically promoting and internationalising the destination as "bike friendly". Other aspects of this strategy include the certification of routes, equipment and services, the construction of integrated tourism services based on bicycling and its integration in communication and booking platforms.

In fact, Rui Simão, Coordinator of ADXTUR - Schist Villages Tourism Development Agency, emphasised that "the main objective of the Cyclin' Portugal project is to ratify and develop the culture of cycling within the Aldeias do Xisto brand, as a destination of excellence for training and competitions, but also to take economic advantage of these factors."

For Delmino Pereira, president of the Portuguese Cycling Federation, "this calendar of events meets the interests of the riders and, on the other hand, by taking place essentially in low seasons, makes destinations more appealing. Besides, the Aldeias do Xisto region has excellent conditions for road cycling because there is practically no traffic, many good surfaces and, of course, wonderful landscapes. First and foremost, what we want is to be a prime destination for training and high-level races, but also for leisure and, in this sense, we intend to organise tourism services so that people can enjoy the region by bike."

For Pedro Machado, president of the Turismo Centro de Portugal, "despite what happened, between January and November 2017 the Central Region was one of the fastest growing. Moreover, we are still on the way to reach an average stay of two nights per visit to the region, for which the Cyclin' Portugal project and the events in its calendar will contribute a lot."