Alex Trelinski
A mountain bike race in the Calpe area of Alicante Province produced added difficulties for a thousand competitors.
They were participating on Sunday’s final day of the four-day 2023 Costa Blanca Bike Race attracting some of the world’s best mountain bike specialists.
Rather than just fighting the steep terrain, cyclists had to deal with low temperature and rain, resulting in 35 of them having to be treated for hypothermia.
Daytime temperatures in the Marina Alta veered between five and ten degrees, but the showers meant the overall value felt even lower for the cyclists on the 37 kms course.
Blankets were supplied to the cold competitors at the finish line. with people suffering falls in body temperature.
Four cyclists were treated by the Cruz Roja but its believed that nobody needed hospital attention.
Police, civil protection and basic life support workers also provided assistance, as extra blankets were brought in.
