Men who made the history of Loulé cycling perpetuated in a book by Neto Gomes

The Cine-Teatro Louletano was small to receive all those passionate about cycling that last Saturday, May 19, wanted […]

The Cine-Teatro Louletano was small to receive all cycling enthusiasts who last Saturday, May 19, wanted to hear the words of journalist, writer and communicator Neto Gomes, during the presentation of the book “Vencendo a Estrada, Having Loulé as a Flag ”, which portrays 75 years of the History of Cycling Louletano, in a period between 1933 and 2008.

Adopted Loulé, and who for years was the speaker of the Volta a Portugal by Bike, Neto Gomes threw himself into the arduous task of gathering information and testimonies about the remarkable events, taking as a starting point the year of 1933, the date when For the first time, two cyclists born in the Municipality of Loulé participated in the Volta a Portugal by Bike: Francisco de Brito, coming from France, and wearing the colors of Louletano, and Ildefonso Rodrigues, equipped with the colors of Sport Lisboa and Faro.

But this book is not limited to Loulé runners, but to all those who, born or not in the Municipality, participated in the Volta a Portugal representing teams from Loulé and other runners born in this municipality, but representing other clubs, also participated in the Volta . And it's not just the winners who have space in this “humanist work” either, as the athletes who failed to reach the end of the goal are also represented here.

Also in temporal terms, the author's “adventure” went a little way back in time, going back to the end of the XNUMXth century, when there are already references in the press to Loulé's connection to this modality, either through advertisements to bicycle shops, or from small tastings included in the celebrations of the Feast of the Sovereign Mother.

“With this work, we intend to perpetuate one of the most important pages of sport in Loulé. The people of Loulé have always vibrated with cycling and the 50s, 60s and 70s gave a very particular stamp to the sport in Loulé. This is a simple tribute to all those who wore the colors of the Municipality”, said the Mayor of Loulé, during the book launching ceremony.

The president of the Algarve Cycling Association, Rogério Teixeira, reinforced the link between the city and cycling and, in relation to the book, spoke of the difficulties of testimonies about this history that is now

“A self-taught person who presents a rigorous work, which brings us the smell of the times when cycling began in Loulé. It is a complete work, which goes far beyond the sporting part, as it conveys the mentalities of the time. It is a book that marks the historiography of cycling”, said writer Carlos Campaniço, a personal friend of Neto Gomes.

During this ceremony, the author reviewed the golden moments of Loulé cycling and paid tribute, above all, to those who have already departed. “This book is, for me, a life thesis. It is the testimony of the strength, courage and spirit of sacrifice of these men”, stated Neto Gomes.

“Vencendo a Estrada, having Loulé as a Flag” is also a tribute to the faces that made history – Francisco Brito, Ildefonso Rodrigues, Cássio Freitas, Cabrita Mealha, Joaquim Apolo, Vítor Tenazinha, Manuel Barros, Valério Clara, Manuel Perna Coelho, Casimiro Cabrita, Inácio Ramos, Leonel Tomás, Luís Vargues, Paulino Moreira, Raul Fachadas, Marco Chagas, Serafim Vieira or Cayn Theakston, among many others. These are the 188 names that will now be perpetuated on the plates that were placed in the sculpture “O Ciclista”, by Jits Bakker, inaugurated in 2003 at one of the roundabouts in the city of Loulé.

 

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