Following the Spring classics, the cycling calendar moves on to the great tours. Of all the European tours , Le Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España rank as the three 'Grand Tours'.
You will probably remember that last year Spanish riders won all three; Carlos Sastre won the Tour de France and Alberto Contador won both the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España.
To have a stage of one of these tours pass through your town is interesting. To have one start or finish there is an honour.
There is an opportunity for one of the stages in the 2010 race to finish in Orihuela. This would nicely coincide with the centenary celebrations for the birth of the poet Miguel Hernández.
At the latest plenary session of the council, the PP party, lead by the mayoress, Mónica Lorente decided to turn down this opportunity. The Socialist group led by Antonia Moreno say they are perplexed and angry and the organisers of the Vuelta find this decision incomprehensible.
Not to be defeated, the Socialist group are determined to bring the Vuelta to Orihuela and have started a campaign to gather support from local institutions, organisations and individuals.
I hope they are successful. I've watched many tour stages on television; this would probably be my best chance to witness one live.
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