Naxos to Host Mountain Bike Race for Third Year

Photo credit: Geronimo Remoundos

A 20km technically challenging off-road race through the fertile Tragea valley

For a third year in a row, Naxos, the largest island of the Cyclades, will host its annual mountain bike race. The race will take place on Sunday, October 18.

The 20km technically-challenging off-road race is open to men and women with a shorter course of 10 km for young adults and other athletes.

The 3^rd Annual Naxos Mountain Bike Race begins and ends at the traditional village of Sagri, a listed protected settlement, 11 km from Naxos town. Located in the heart of Naxos’s countryside, known as the Tragea valley, it is an area of rare natural beauty known for its wealth of olive groves and Byzantine churches.

The demanding route, almost entirely on dirt tracks, continues through the villages of Damalas and Damarionas towards the foothills of the mountain of Profitis Ilias for a two-loop course run (one loop for the shorter distance) and with Mt. Zas (the Cyclades’s highest mountain peak) as the backdrop, onward to the finish at Sagri once again.

Photo credit: Michele Witteveen

In addition to delving into an area rich in mountainous terrain, green valleys and picturesque villages, participants will pass sightseeing highlights such as: the 17th-century Timios Stavros Monastery – Bazeos Tower and Apaliros Castle. The altitude is 470 meters steep with grades only in a few spots and the elevation is gradual.

For the off road adrenaline enthusiasts there is a quick downhill 1300 metres with loose rocks and a technical pass through a river bed.

The race will start at 12 noon. On site registration starts at 10 am and ends promptly at 11:30 am.

Preregister online here by Friday, October 16, 2015. Registration fee is 5 euros.

Categories:
Long course: 20 km
Male: 18-35 yrs, 36-49 yrs, 50 yrs and up. | Female Open Category: 18 yrs and up.
Short course: 10 km
Boys and Girls 12-17 yrs. | Athletes (over 12 yrs of age)

The 3^rd Annual Naxos Mountain Bike Race is organised by Island Events and held under the auspices of the cultural and athletic organisation of the Municipality Naxos and Small Cyclades.