Toni Calderón, Pierfrancesco Santin and Arnau Masferrer are the winners of the first edition of The Capitals 2022!

31 hours to go!

The last day of The Capitals by PedAlma begins

And there we have it! 

Toni Calderon Guillen

Pierfrancesco Santin

Arnau Masferrer Selva

Bernat Sanz Pineda

Sergi Lopez Jimenez

Alberto Rambla Sorlí

Juan Francisco Garamendi Bragado

Antonio Tijeras Alonso

Ivan Muñoz Tebar

Miguel Angel Caldentey Valls

Gimeno Del Busto Aparicio Joaquin (Quico)

Xavier Andres Centeno

José Mª Cordero Martínez

Laura Gallardo Gracia

Pieter Bevernage

Martin Aylward

Claessens Wouter

Richard Delaume

Ferran Bargas Sabat

Alvaro De La Camara

Ivan Moreno Puche

Dani Puig

Edgar Grandio Ruiz

Gert-jan Staelens

Joan Ramon Rueda Portas

Pep Sanchez Delgado

Juan Ramon Vilar Farres

Aleix Ballarín Gimenez

Josep Tarrés Toneu

Albert Esteve Salvany

Ibai Ordax Olave

Media 2

Media 1

### UNSUPORTED ULTRACYCLING LINKING THE 4 CATALAN CAPITALS

The Capitals is an ultracyclcing, gravel and adventure event organized by Pedalma. The event will start on July 24, 2022 in Arc de Triomf, Barcelona. Participants will have to complete the 865Km of tracks, roads, paths and tarmac and +16300m of elevation gain, following the GPS track that the organisation have created for the event and that will connect the four Catalan capitals (Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona) reaching the Pyrenees passing through Puigcerdà. The event takes place without assistance. Adventure, unsupported, nature and cycling are the factors that will accompany you throughout the tour in a maximum of 6 days.

A total of 40 participants from all over Europe will be part of the first edition of The Capitals, the show is guaranteed!

The Capitals by PedAlma Preview


Under the gaze of Arc de Triomf in Barcelona, around 30 riders put cleat to pedal at 06:00 this morning. These riders have over 865km to go, 16300m of elevation gain and a maximum of 132 hours to complete the challenge. Cyclists were not afraid of this and the excitement was pumping at the start line this morning!

The threatening heatwave has dominated the conversation during the past day and they all set out carrying plenty of electrolytes and with extra water.

As expected, a strong group of riders imposed a big tempo right from the start which made the peloton stretch a lot.  Toni Calderon was the first to reach the CP1 – Girona by Komoot, followed by Ferran Bargas and Arnau Masferrer. Some of them chose to take a breath and eat something, some passed straight away and started to head the Pyrenees mountains.

It is far too early to speculate on the leaderboard, but the pace is looking fierce. Only time will tell who can keep it up. For now, they are all heading towards CP2 - Puigcerdà and into a very sparsely populated area, so they will probably be bivvying tonight (if they sleep at all).

We’ll report back later on for the feed up in The Capitals by PedAlma.

And they are off!

DAY 1. The Capitals.  It's already getting dark.  There are participants who are choosing to rest and be able to enjoy the route during the day and there are those who are taking advantage of these hours of good temperature to "advance work" for tomorrow.  The afternoon after passing Girona has been hot.  The participants are quite stretched out, with a distance of 100Kms between the first and last.  While some have already completed some of the long passes in the Pyrenees, others continue in the Pla de l'Estany area.  We will keep reporting.


Day 1 at The Capitals by PedAlma

After a very hot and tough day, the night has been distracted and even cold at some point. The majority of the participants have decided to stop and rest during the night. There are those who have decided to stop at nightfall, and others who have decided to take advantage of the good temperature of the night to advance, but in the middle of the night have decided to stop and sleep for a while. 

![In the middle of the night](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4ESP1yv9lmiSlSbVFA4ss1/e69cc034b077a222989bc0adbd28df5c/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-25_at_10.24.51.jpeg)

As for the leading group, Toni Calderon (SP), Pierfrancesco Santin (IT) and Arnau Masferrer (SP) have decided to take advantage of the whole night without stopping. At the time of writing this report, both Toni and Pierfrancesco have passed the town of Bagà and started to climb the track that surrounds the impressive Pedraforca mountain. Arnau Masferrer advances at a good pace towards Bagà, not far behind the two riders. The gap between the first three cyclists and the rest of the peloton is very large, as there is still no other cyclist who has passed CP2 Puigcerdà.

The day is expected to be very hot, although temperatures will be a little lower than yesterday. 

Let's see what the second day of The Capitals has in store! How far will Toni Calderon, Pierfrancesco Santin and Arnau Masferrer go? Will the rest of the participants be able to reach CP2 Puigcerdà? We will keep you informed!

![The Capitals Day 1.1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2caAzXmaevDAW0GtwQjks/33942ff41147b700a359bfc80aa97b3d/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-25_at_10.10.51.jpeg)
![The Capitals Day 1.2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5VsHLgSLxXsrtWZ3pEB42g/8015f6e55ee30a32f5f0ffc6f67a5ff1/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-25_at_10.24.49.jpeg)


The sun has already risen on the 2nd day of The Capitals by PedAlma

The riders have cycled the entire day under the sun and heavy heat. Even so, we are very pleased to announce that the day went smoothly with no serious problems or accidents. 

The leading group didn’t slow down the pace during the day, which stretched the race even more (there is a distance of more than 250km between the leader and the tail end of the race). Toni Calderon started to face the last peak of the track before leaving the mountainous landscape behind, and Pierfrancesco Santin and Arnau Masferrer are not far behind, all them heading to CP3 without sleeping at all. 

A special mention for Laura Gallardo, who with a few kilometers to go to CP2, is the first and only girl of this first edition of The Capitals!

![First Woman of The Capitals by PedAlma](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3wMHAiG58oBuu7CHukeDIC/00261b767d91c636442cc029d82b5a3b/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-25_at_16.59.32.jpeg)

Most of the participants have already passed CP2 and will still have to face long climbs and steep slopes, they still have a little bit to go before they can say goodbye to the Pyrenees. As the cyclists progress, the landscape will change to leave behind the Pyrenean mountains and enter the Lleida plain. 

We would like to encourage all participants, from the first to the last, what you are doing is just amazing! 

![Day 2 - The Capitals by PedAlma 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7HgD83GQ9rbHRH312VVGoh/d2fb7567e3e95faa3a80ee449880ef6a/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-25_at_16.59.16.jpeg)

Day 2 at The Capitals by PedAlma

The cyclists narrowly escaped the storm that threatened at dusk yesterday, but the night was finally calm and fresh. 

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-26 at 10.10.00](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1g3sN7yzat0k0MLA7E3g24/eefcee87ff44ea7d4c213366c1c05e81/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-26_at_10.10.00.jpeg)

When the provisional leader, Toni Calderón, arrived to Ponts, he decided to stop and wait for his pursuers to arrive to have dinner together and ride together throughout the night. Again, the leading group didn’t stop during the night, except for a few power nap. At this moment, they are still riding together heading to CP4 – Tarragona. 

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-26 at 10.09.17](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/54QrjROjToyfED83qvNewp/8aeeb883993460a3f129f10c7cb5b729/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-26_at_10.09.17.jpeg)

Away from there a second group has been created, we won’t say a chasing group as they are more than 150 km away, but the group formed by Sergi Lopez, Bernat Sanz, Ivan Muñoz, Antonio Tijeras and Miguel Angel Caldentey is advancing at a good pace and they are now facing the last peak of the track before leaving the mountainous landscape behind.

The majority of the riders now begin the ascent around the mythical Pedraforca mountain, and far behind, in Puigcerdà, we are still waiting for the arrival of the last three participants: Martin Aylward, Pieter Bevernage and Claessens Wouter. 

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-26 at 10.18.18](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6BpiAOoWxtD8ESEIB9GX99/7b97436c593784685e9da48117212f11/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-26_at_10.18.18.jpeg)


The third day of The Capitals has begun!

Congratulations to Toni Calderón, Pierfrancesco Santin and Arnau Masferrer for a storming performance taking the win in The Capitals 2022! After having dinner together in Ponts, the three leaders did not separate and continued riding together until they reached the finish line. Last night, after one o'clock in the morning, the three cyclists arrived at the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona, the point from where they started the adventure 67 hours and 13 minutes ago.

![The winners](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2Y86igRwVIOdSgxb3Q69uz/592c2fd3a008ee8f57d2ed0a13104794/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-27_at_10.57.21.jpeg)

Bernat Sanz and Sergi Lopez, 4th and 5th place, are also doing very well and tonight they decided not to stop to sleep and keep moving forward. In the next few hours we are expecting them at the finish line! 

![Bernat Sanz](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4fHTmp8lG9nHVLePdsZlS9/d170a3f523568fffd69dccf9b6c5b844/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-27_at_11.35.25.jpeg) Bernat Sanz

![Sergi Lopez](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6KyjbSfGpWKtKrCIhrpio4/a8be0553b03b802abea214fc319e219e/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-27_at_11.35.58.jpeg) Sergi Lopez

And Alberto Rambla, 6th place, already passed CP4 - Tarragona and is now heading to Barcelona. 
![Alberto Rambla](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7B2VJvRQASDZRe8RdGH3nS/4e42fca9e222e43a301ed1bc0fb774d2/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-27_at_11.34.55.jpeg)

As for the rest of the cyclists, most of them have already passed CP3 - Lleida and are heading to CP4 - Tarragona which is expected to be a fast ride and in search of the views offered by the Mediterranean Sea. 

![Heading to Tarragona](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/34Sslc2Ige9jMWoyGH5Pyn/33450ebce04e93b11bb41521be584384/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-27_at_10.58.21.jpeg)

We hope that today, from midday, the cyclists will start arriving at the Arc de Triomf. If you are in the area and you would like to come and see the atmosphere, do not hesitate to stop by!

![Heading Tarragona](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4J6UodsiOw7wjeM46LzPMB/cfeb6055afa9cd4f2a024eb2dbc0acc7/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-27_at_10.58.37.jpeg)

During the last hours and overnight we have received the participants who ended the adventure, and there are already eleven cyclists who have finished this first edition of The Capitals and surely are now taking a well-deserved rest. 

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-28 at 12.53.32](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/42scD2N5PjvJ1rvxFeS2wl/5fa3bd91263a77e712f7dd9592506bc2/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-28_at_12.53.32.jpeg)

On the road there are still 6 participants, in order on the map these are Xavier Andres Centeno, Laura Gallardo Gracia, José Mª Cordero Martinez, Martin Aylward, Pieter Bevernage and Claessens Wouter. 

Xavier, Laura and José Mª stopped during the night to rest at CP4, and this morning they have been caught by a little rain at the height of La Bisbal del Penedès. We expect a day with an overcast sky and no more rain, although the weather continues to be hot. We hope that during the course of today the three of them arrive in Barcelona. 

About 130 kilometers behind, Martin and Pieter are heading to CP4-Tarrgona, and facing the last climb before leaving the Pyrenees behind, Claessens is pushing hard to reach CP3-Lleida today. We'll see how far they will be able to go! They have 31 hours left to finish the challenge, will they make it to the finish line before 8pm tomorrow?

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-28 at 12.53.32 (2)](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4aS1YqLqGzE7Iep271pCPq/f0ba17f76fdede61a8ef206f993612c0/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-28_at_12.53.32__2_.jpeg)

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-28 at 12.53.32 (1)](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1cb9ZUEK2nTqoZT4bEcbIj/3348bf8c8d13f97f307ae9bc61b0b04a/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-28_at_12.53.32__1_.jpeg)

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-28 at 12.53.31 (1)](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6Ra04hShI05ZZpSilb1Qs8/a3fc827c3aca6ab2660effb8aac4e2ea/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-28_at_12.53.31__1_.jpeg)

Today is the day! Last hours to finish the big challenge of The Capitals. 

During yesterday we were receiving several cyclists at the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona. Xavier Andres, Laura Gallardo, José Mª Cordero and Pieter Bevernage already have their finisher medal and the stamp in their route card! We are expecting Martin Aylward to arrive in the next two or three hours. 

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-29 at 09.45.01](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2WXfJC5fMmZYHcxb1O0O69/1c6b57f81af8a751e982fdb5697197f5/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-29_at_09.45.01.jpeg)

We are pleased to see how the participants who have already finished the race have come by the finish line hours later to share their experience and very good words about their story. We are proud to know that our cyclists enjoyed it as much or more than we did!

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-29 at 09.45.01 (2)](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7wlh56UuYuhCWm4588zB7A/261a7ad1b57d520128c52990c2efd87e/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-29_at_09.45.01__2_.jpeg)

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-29 at 09.45.00](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2SCNsAoillg3CybsKO78hm/bbd9beb27ee1775abb1b17e3c2e0628c/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-29_at_09.45.00.jpeg)

132 hours later and we’re at the end of our coverage. We are happy to announce that all riders are back home safely and with 865 extra kilometres in their legs! 

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-29 at 16.32.42](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/57pw11GrtNSfr3R6yYkPOp/9efe052327f5fe1479b91208ab14c727/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-29_at_16.32.42.jpeg)

We are proud to say that, even with the withdrawals, we have finished this first edition of The Capitals without any accident.

We would like to thank each and every one of the riders who have been part of this first edition of The Capitals, it has been a great success thanks to you!!

And of course, we would like to thank all our sponsors without whom this would not be possible: 

Wilier Triestina
Geosmina Components
Finisher 
Komoot
Gsport
Hugchinson Cycling
Sportmed
Davima Rent a Car

We are also grateful to all the supporters who have been following the adventure and cheering up their companions, we are already thinking of the next edition of The Capitals, and we count on all of you!

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-29 at 16.34.41](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/711WAXKImPtGhmpfLC9iIi/ce9c9e69b26c1ec8105d92552c15b939/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-29_at_16.34.41.jpeg)

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-29 at 16.28.50](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3uDcc3wjFqsr5d3NKtX2Dr/879508dd2775d40d01b89b904aee315b/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-29_at_16.28.50.jpeg)

![WhatsApp Image 2022-07-29 at 16.31.59](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6iXYMRxvzcMxWZJCmnpp5i/242e19e1325c89af3b7c870a99ca9e0f/WhatsApp_Image_2022-07-29_at_16.31.59.jpeg)

The Capitals by PedAlma 2022 Tracking

An epic race connecting the four Catalan Capitals, unsupported over 6 days our riders will take on almost 900km with over 16,000m of climbing.

The Capitals by PedAlma 2022

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