Iuri Leitao and Aaron Gate at the top of the world after PPC International Cycling Round Greece 2023

PPC International Greece 2024 inherits “heavy cargo”, as the two cyclists who starred the previous year, i.e. Iúri Leitão (Caja Rural) and the winner of 2022, Aaron Gate (Bolton Equities Black Spoke), became world champions a few months after the “one battle” between them in our country! The two were the main contenders of the blue jersey in last year’s event, both high-level athletes, which was confirmed once again with what they achieved after last season, but also at the beginning of this year. Both Leitão and Gate, apart from road cycling, are also struggling on the track, with great international distinctions. In last year’s world championship held in Glasgow (3-9/8), both emerged world champions, the Portuguese in the Omnium event, and New Zealander in the Points event. Their successes continued this year, with Leitão winning the gold medal last January at the Pan-European Track Championships in Scratch’s event and Gate taking the lead in his country’s championship and road endurance event. Their participation in last year’s PPC International Cycling Round Greece is a great proof of the high level of athletes who choose our country’s leading cycling event in their racing programming, offering every year a rich spectacle, suspense and reversals to the sports fans. This year, Leitão will return to defend his jersey and everything shows that Gate will follow, although New Zealand will decide permanently over the next few days. PPC organizers International Cycling Round 2024 have even more expectations, both racing and organizational, as the Round has won the impressions in the previous two years. It is not only the outstanding flattering comments of all professional teams participating in the previous two Rounds, but also the high level of athletes as demonstrated by their later achievements. For the first time, of course, joining the race routes (e.g., Athens and Thessaloniki (15-19 May) with impressive passages from Katerini, Karditsa, Karpenisi (Velouchi), Sperechiada, Chalkida, guarantees another successful year! The duel of Leitão – Gate at PPC International Cycling Round Greece 2023 From the first day and the individual timing in the Foreword of Karteros, Heraklion, Crete, until the end of the Round in Ancient Olympia, the friends of cycling had the opportunity to watch an impressive battle with constant twists, which was judged literally in the final measures of the race, with Portuguese Iúri Leitão finally achieving his goal by climbing the tallest step of the podium. Gate, taking the victory in the Foreword, wore the first blue jersey of the Round, with a 20′′ lead against Leitão, but from there on, Caja Rural athlete began to “spin” his difference daily from New Zealander, passing him to the general after his 3rd etap victory and the mass sprint of Cypressia, for just a second! Gate “answered” on the last day, winning 1′′ bonus in the first midfield straight, which brought him back to the virtual position of the pioneer, but Leitão sealed his final victory with his second place in finishing Ancient Olympia, which brought him first in the general ranking by 6′′ from Gate.