Tour of Spain Cycling Race Eyes Expansion to Morocco, Officials Discuss

Morocco is seeking to restore the image of its cycling. To this end, the Royal Moroccan Cycling Federation (FRMC) is multiplying its efforts with sister associations. Telquel.ma reports that a Moroccan delegation visited Spain to meet with the organizers of the Tour of Spain and to "assess the possibilities of a joint project in the future". According to the same source, they wish "to make an outing in North Africa".

Like its neighboring France, Spain is seeking to enhance the reputation of its cycling tour through international stages. For the Director of this major competition, Javier Guillén, "Morocco must be involved" in the upcoming editions of the Vuelta.

On the FRMC side, "only contacts have been made so far with the Spanish counterparts but no agreement has been sealed", warns the top Moroccan cycling official, Mohamed Belmahi.

According to him, the discussions focused on a possible Moroccan stage of the Vuelta in the coming years, and on the possibility of launching the Tour of Spain in Morocco. All these efforts, recalls the President of the Federation, aim to highlight Moroccan cycling which "enjoys a good reputation on the continent".

The Tour of Spain cycling race has been held abroad 3 times: in 1997, in Lisbon, in 2009, in Assen (Netherlands), and then in 2017, in Nîmes (southern France). The Moroccan stage is in progress and could be effective in the next edition.