From the area of Karteros and the Karteros Beach Sports Center this year the PPC Cycling Tour of Greece 2023 will start on May 2. From the jewel of the city of Heraklion and the only center of coastal sports in Greece, the 7.7km long Prologue (time trial race) of the first day will start. There will also be the official presentation of the teams of the Round in the afternoon.
The Karteros Beach Sports Center, a facility completed on his initiative Deputy Minister of Sports Lefteris Avgenakis, for the utilization of the area, is part of the National Sports Center of Heraklion (EAKI). It has already hosted many major events and is set to be the main facility at the upcoming Mediterranean Coastal Games next September in the city of Heraklion.
The route of the Prologue stretches along the Gulf and the beauty of the landscape is what will accompany the efforts of the 120 athletes against the timer. The route is flat with no uphill difficulties. The northerly winds blowing at the point of the Gulf are likely to affect the course of the race.
The very next day (May 3) starts the 1st stage of this year’s organization of the PPC Cycling Tour, 187.7km long with start and finish in Heraklion.
This is a particularly demanding stage, with the most altitude in this year’s race (2,561m), crucial for those cyclists who will claim the blue jersey of the general classification.
The pre-start of the peloton will take place from the facilities of the Karteros Beach Sports Center, and the start will be given from the port of Heraklion.
Leaving the city of Heraklion, the cyclists head to the heights of the Prefecture, and in particular to the village of Agia Varvara, which is a crossroads for the southern mountains of Psiloritis, and western Messara! At 54.8km will be held the 1st climb sprint, under the imposing peak of Psiloritis, in Vorizia of Heraklion. Here mythology meets the history and legends of Crete, the Minoan Sacred Cave “Idaion Andron” is just a breath away.
Descending towards Tympaki, the show of the landscape is stolen by the Archaeological Site of Phaistos which it was one of the most important centers of the Minoan civilization and the most important city in terms of wealth and power in southern Crete!
In its ruins is the second palace complex after the palace of Knossos! In Tympaki, will also take place 1st intermediate straight sprintat the point where the peloton will have covered a distance of 81.6km.
From the Fates cyclists will pass through, an area where “the forces are responsible for the good and the bad of every mortal’s life, from birth to death.” There the 120 riders are expected to “invoke” the power of Zeus, who in Fates has the power to even change the course of the race!
The 2nd intermediate straight sprint will take place at 117.3km, in the village of Harakas under the foothills of Asterousia, and from there, after the peloton passes through the villages of Pyrgos-Rotasi-Mesochorio, it climbs towards the north and enters the plain of Mesara, overgrown with olive groves and vineyards, reaching center of the Prefecture of Heraklion, and more specifically in the village of Arkalochori, which took its name from Arkoleon, one of the twelve nobles of Byzantium into which Crete was divided.
The 2nd uphill sprint it is scheduled to take place in a landscape made up of vineyards and flower gardens at 164.7km, in Meleses, a crucial point of the race, which is expected to give another twist to the hunt for the points for the blue jersey of the pioneer.
From here, the peloton descends to the most “colorful village” of Cretan land, Archanes, which was awarded by the European Union for its residential development.
Through a route between olive groves, vineyards and cypress trees, the athletes will head towards the famous Knossos, the most important center of the Minoan Civilization!
Knossos is the most characteristic Minoan archaeological site that has been discovered and has been largely restored by the archaeologist Arthur Evans. This great monument of cultural heritage will be highlighted in the best way through the worldwide television broadcast of the PPC Cycling Tour of Greece, thanks to which the myths of the Minoan Civilization will travel around the world.
The group of cyclists will then head towards the Port of Heraklion, where the spectacular finish of the 1st stage will take place, with the Venetian Fortress in the background.
The identity of the 1st step
Heraklion – Heraklion 187.7 km
Points of interest
km 0: Start / Heraklion
km 54.8: Sprint climb 1 – Cat. 2 / Vorizia
km 81.6: Intermediate sprint 1 / Tympaki
km 117.3: Intermediate sprint 2 / Harakas
km 164.7: Sprint climb 2 – Cat. 2 / Meleses
km 187.7: Termination / Heraklion
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
