The Cyclocross World Cup Triumphs in the Tourist Battle and Fills Hotels in Benidorm During the Off-Season

El Moralet Park in Benidorm debuts this weekend with its new status as a 'Blue Trail 2025' recognized space by Adeac, hosting, alongside the neighboring urban park of Foietes, the third edition of the Cyclocross World Cup. This event has become a fixture on the international winter cycling calendar and has established itself as a 'hotel-filling' event during the city's most challenging season.

Pending the final weekend data, Benidorm hoteliers are confident of exceeding 80% occupancy, thus approaching what seemed a mere dream before the arrival of cyclocross and the Benidorm Fest: a technical full house in January.

With high expectations following the first two successful editions of the World Cup, the favorable weather forecast for today, Saturday, and tomorrow, Sunday, has further boosted the local hospitality industry's spirits, hoping for a 'last-minute' effect among nearby visitors.

For now, the cycling event organizers are very pleased that, for the third consecutive year, they will surpass the 15,000-fan mark, a feat that this year, despite the absence of Mathieu Van der Poel (winner of the first year) from the entry list, demonstrates that the event is an attractive enough draw beyond the roster of participants.

In this, the cyclist from Vilero, Felipe Orts, who is already well-established in the elite of his sport (this year he has won the European runner-up and the first two World Cup podiums in the history of Spanish cycling), plays a significant role. This year, he will end the winter with only three appearances in Spain: the European Championship held in Pontevedra, the Spanish Championship in As Pontes, and, of course, the World Cup in Benidorm.

As the event's main organizer, Pascual Momparler, explains, we can now talk about the 'Felipe effect'. "Felipe has managed to spark great interest among fans, and many will come to Benidorm dreaming of seeing him on the podium," says Momparler.

In fact, this interest in seeing the La Vila Joiosa native race 'at home' has not only spread among local fans but also among many Belgian and Dutch supporters who are making a weekend trip to Benidorm to support a rider who has earned a significant place in their hearts.

A visitor from Belgium and the Netherlands, who was once a key pillar for the Costa Blanca's tourist capital, but over time shifted to other destinations, is being wooed back by the Visit Benidorm Foundation.

And for this, the Cyclocross World Cup, explains Leire Bilbao, director of Benidorm's promotional entity, plays a key role. "Sports tourism, whether to participate or to enjoy as a spectator of major sporting events, is transforming the mid or 'majestic' season (to paraphrase the mayor), positioning itself alongside congresses and incentives as key to diversifying sun and beach tourism," she assures.

Leire Bilbao adds that "these tourists have a profile in which active and experiential tourism is part of their objectives," and that is exactly what Benidorm's tourism industry offers them. All of this, adds the director of the Visit Benidorm Foundation, "is complemented by gastronomy in a very prominent way."

In addition to the Cyclocross World Cup, which takes place on Sunday, the event's organizers have, since the first edition, supported BenidormCX, a day of national category races (for all categories from cycling schools to Masters 60) held on Saturday on the same circuit.

This day, which started at nine this morning, has managed to gather more than half a thousand participants across all categories. They, along with their companions (it is estimated that three more people on average accompany each participant to Benidorm), also represent a boost in hotel and, above all, hospitality occupancy.

The leaders of Abreca state that, for now, they do not have specific data on the growth in demand that this Cyclocross World Cup will bring compared to previous editions, but they have already experienced a notable increase in reservations compared to other weekends in the colder months of the year. In some places, in fact, it is impossible to find a table for Saturday or Sunday for several days now.