The bar was high, the responsibility was enormous, Barcelona had to comply in the first act of the 2026 Tour, a team presentation that allowed the whole world to hear the French Tour speak Catalan during a time of peaceful coexistence in Catalonia. And the city did this thanks to a pleasant and spectacular show, which, by and large, was brilliantly carried out by the journalist. Carlos de Andres.
It is impossible for something to break at the foot of the mountain. Holy Familywhen the Pope’s visit was still remembered Leo XIVfrom the musical intro Silvia Perez Cruz “Castells” who finished the game with “Enxanetas” wearing yellow jerseys. It couldn’t have been any other way, it was a tribute to the Tour and a moment when you could pinch yourself on the skin to make sure that this was not a dream and that Grand Boucle was on its way. Barcelonawhose Catalan capital is dedicated to bicycle racing and shouts out the name Tadej Pogacarthe last winner, almost the only contender for victory – although some rebelled against questions from From Andrey-. What a new “look” the Slovenian phenomenon is showing as he battles to win the race.
Parade from the modernist complex of Sant Pau
If in previous team presentations the cities chosen as Great Departure– several languages were combined, Barcelona chose Catalan. None of the usual French tour hosts were present and it was From Andrey the one who asked the cyclists questions in French, English and Spanish in a language that belonged to Catalonia.
The parade went from the modernist campus of Sant Pau to the Sagrada Familia, located across the avenue Gaudi with fences strategically placed next to the cyclists, so that a large public with flags of different countries could almost touch the runners marching in front of two cyclists representing Barcelona cycling clubs.
With Movistar, for example, they exposed Andres th Carlos Tigeroby Esport Ciclista Sant Andreu, father and son, former bank manager and chief biographer IDuranauthor of the book “La Estela de Miguel”, published by Cultura Ciclista, which sadly closed the curtain the day before the team’s presentation. “It was an extraordinary experience and difficult to describe. The screams and crowd of people in the corridor along Gaudí Avenue made you feel like you were riding on top of a cloud. As a Barcelona resident, it was very emotional to be able to participate in the presentation of the Tour in my city,” he explained. Carlos Tigero to questions from this newspaper.
Star moment
It was exciting for those who believed that the Tour would never leave Barcelona, and who understood that the stars had descended from the sky, from the television broadcasting their exploits, and stood on the stage at the foot of the mountain. Holy Family listen to the day’s phrase that you had to hear twice, and even check if you understood it correctly.
“I came for the general classification and fight for victory.” And he didn’t say it Pogacarwho is usually reserved in his statements, but Paul Seixas19 years old, the son any French cycling enthusiast would love to have. It was one of the few words heard in this language, but enough to surely make the whole of France rise from the sofa, as if Kylian Mbappe would score a goal at the World Cup and was announced just two days before the start of the tour.
How wonderful to hear this statement from a child who came to revolutionize cycling, delivered from a city that took advantage of the end of the team’s presentation to have “anxenetes” “colles castelleres” raise the motto in different languages: “Barcelona“city of peace”
Teledeport mole
Because for the world, pigeons fly, but when it comes to the Tour, it is the bikes that will imitate the birds, which will be noticeable on Saturday when 60 kilometers per hour and much more throughout nearly 20 kilometers of the team’s first time trial.
Official presentation of the Tour de France teams in Barcelona. / HAND HAND / EPC
It’s a shame that Teledeporte or any other TVE channel broadcast the event live so that the rest of Spain could enjoy the Catalan party. There was basketball match. There is always something when it seems that cycling is knocking on some doors, even if it is Barcelona, the second city in the country, the one that announced itself to the world and that pressed the start button of the Tour. “We have wanted to leave here for a long time, and I am very proud of the response that Barcelona is giving,” words Christian PrudhommeCEO of the French Tour, the man in charge of all the hype, which on Saturday begins a 21-day journey from the Catalan capital to the French capital, passing mainly through the Pyrenees and the Alps. Long live Tour!
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