Monchique pays tribute to the cyclist with a sculpture on top of Foia
Also known as the 'Cycling Mecca', Foia, the highest point in southern Portugal, in the heart of the Serra de Monchique, is one of the most popular places for fans of nature and adventure sports. Among waterfalls, streams and mountains that make up the best routes on bicycle, on or off the various mountain bike, Enduro and Downhill trails, the Serra de Monchique represents an icon and a unique landscape that has been asserting itself in one of the main destinations and a tourist attraction for lovers of two wheels.
Foia has been the scene of the most competitive sporting events with the passage through this mystical place of the most important stars of the bicycle, such as Joaquim Agostinho, Alberto Contador, Vítor Gamito, Cândido Barbosa, Amaro Antunes, Joaquim Gomes, José Azevedo, Delmino Pereira, Geraint Thomas, Tadej Pogäcar, Primox Roglic, among others. It was, however, in 2020, in the second stage of the Volta ao Algarve by bicycle, almost always decisive in choosing the final winner of this important international cycling event, that, a few meters from the goal, Remco Evenepoel crushed all the competition and won for the first time , no longer leaving the yellow jersey and winning the comeback that year.
The image of Remco Evenepoel's arrival at the top of the mountain, celebrating the victory laden with effort, was chosen by Rui André, Mayor of Monchique, to mark what will certainly be a place to celebrate and record such an important achievement - the arrival to the Top of the Algarve. The artist invited to carry out this work was Carlos de Oliveira Correia, an experienced and recognized artist with a vast work throughout the region. The inauguration took place on September 22, at an event attended by Delmino Pereira, president of the Portuguese Cycling Federation, Ricardo Rodrigues, president of the Algarve Cycling Association, and the author of the sculpture.