Miguel Induráin signs off on the redesigned route of a sportive that next year will be part of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series

The Edifici dels Esports, the beating heart of the spectacular Camilo Cano Sports City, hosted this Monday the official presentation of the second edition of the Critérium and Gran Fondo La Nucía, which will be held on October 18 and 19, respectively.

The event was attended by the organizer of the double cycling event, Javier Castellar; Miguel Induráin, legend of Spanish and world cycling and in charge of redesigning the Gran Fondo route; the mayor of La Nucía, Bernabé Cano; the president of the Alicante Provincial Council, Toni Pérez; and the regional minister of Industry and Tourism of the Generalitat Valenciana, Marián Cano.

This 2025, the Critérium La Nucía takes a historic step by becoming a mixed competition, where men and women will compete together for the first time. A decision that, in the words of the organizers, “represents a fundamental step toward full equality in cycling and in sport in general.”

Del Toro and Ferrand-Prévot confirmed

The Saturday, October 18 race has already confirmed the participation of stars such as Isaac del Toro, the revelation of world cycling, and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, current champion of the Tour de France and Paris–Roubaix. In the coming weeks, more names from both the present and the history of cycling will be announced, joining the lineup arriving in La Nucía next October.

It was also confirmed that one of last year’s most thrilling events will return to the Critérium: “The Duel.” Six-time Spanish rally champion (and the only driver to have won the title with front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive cars) Miguel Fuster will once again challenge the best cyclists in the world. Last year, driving the Citroën with which Sébastien Loeb won the World Championship, he went head-to-head with Mathieu van der Poel and Alejandro Valverde.

A renewed route

On Sunday, October 19, the Gran Fondo La Nucía will take place, featuring a completely redesigned route created by Miguel Induráin. It will cover 132 kilometers with 2,275 meters of elevation gain, starting and finishing at the Camilo Cano Sports City.

The course will include iconic climbs such as the Sierra de Aitana and the Coll de Rates, the latter with a timed section so that each participant can test their strength and chase their best record.

The route will pass through some of the most emblematic spots in the province of Alicante, such as Finestrat —a decisive point in the 1992 World Championships won by Gianni Bugno (who raced last year’s Critérium) and where Miguel Induráin finished sixth— as well as Relleu, Fageca, Famorca, Castell de Castells, Tárbena, Callosa d’en Sarrià, and Polop de la Marina. A course that combines toughness, breathtaking scenery, and historical cycling landmarks. In other words, a true ode to cycle tourism.

La Nucía, an award-winning city

The mayor of La Nucía, Bernabé Cano, expressed his great satisfaction at the return of the Critérium and Gran Fondo to his town a year later. As he explained, “For us it is very important to host major events in our municipality. Not only for what these events represent in themselves, but also for what they mean as a showcase for our ‘City of Sport’ and for the example that great athletes give to all our citizens.”

He also recalled that La Nucía has earned some of the most important national and international awards and recognitions (including being twice named European Town of Sport by the European Commission) and that “many federations have chosen it as the base for training and preparation camps for their athletes.”

This reality, he insisted, has made La Nucía the training ground for many of those who won medals and Olympic titles at the recent Paris Games.

Cycling and tourism, a perfect match

Both the president of the Alicante Provincial Council, Toni Pérez, and the regional minister of Tourism and Innovation, Marián Cano, emphasized the enormous tourism value of cycling and, in particular, of events like the Critérium and Gran Fondo.

They highlighted that “cycling is an activity that allows us, on the one hand, to open our destinations to new source markets and strengthen the ones we already have, and on the other, to reduce the seasonality of tourism during the autumn and winter months, when almost all professional teams and thousands of amateur cyclists choose our region to prepare their seasons.”

With this second edition, the Critérium and Gran Fondo La Nucía establishes itself as a reference on the cycling calendar, capable of attracting great stars, promoting gender equality, and offering fans and participants a unique experience in a privileged setting.