Event 

For many years, Gouveia (Portugal) has been the first great event of the international calendar of downhill, with the participation of the best world teams, turning into a classic race that opens the international season. This year, once again, the locality wants to feel the environment of the mountain bike in a country that always has had a great number of fans of downhill.

Next March, 30th we will be able to enjoy a great spectacle in which, in the previous years, there has been the presence of stars of this sport as Fabien Barel, Steve Peat, David Vazquez, Bernat Guàrdia, Tracy Mosley, Fabien Pedemenaud, etc. This international race of downhill will be of UCI C-1 category, continental category.

Gouveia's Maxxis Cup International is an event in which the spectators and participants enjoy a fast and technical circuit which has a final emblematic jump where a great number of cameras take pictures of all the riders. 

Last year there was a spectacular participation and it helped to create a great environment of the purest mountain bike. The inhabitants of the zone will not lose the great opportunity to see the downhillers that will approach up to Gouveia to offer us the best of them. We are sure that it will be a great event that will quiver all those that decide to appear there.

 The City of Gouveia
The city of Gouveia, concelhia headquarters, is located about seven hundred meters in altitude. Built in the western slope of the Serra da Estrela, the picture is that there is enjoying one of the most beautiful in the country. 

Gouveia offers to whom the visit and its residents, a number of green spaces, places of leisure and recreational worthy of being enjoyed. Built on the eastern slope of the Sierra Star, which is enjoying the panorama of the valley do Mondego is the most beautiful in the country. It is not the time of its foundation, prior to the Portuguese as possibly the area's Roman Iberian peninsula.

GETTING TO GOUVEIA

The village of Gouveia a distance of approximately 300 km from the capital, Lisbon, 170 km from Porto and 46 km from the city Guarda. This village is crossed by the road N17 vai of Coimbra that the Celorico da Beira, which is connected to the A25 motorway (formerly IP5).
The motorway A25 (former IP5) is the path to the nearest Oporto or out of the country. In Lisbon, there are several alternatives: the A1 motorway and then the IP3 from Coimbra, the A23 motorway (without peage) and then the A25 or by such "old" N1 highway. The latter with several local attractions to visit.

By car (from northern Europe):
Antwerpen - Lille - Paris - Tours - Poitiers, Bordeaux - San Sebastian - Burgos - Valladolid - Salamanca - Vilar Formoso (Portugal) - A25 (former IP5) (Guard before cutting to the right direction Aveiro) - Gouveia N17 crossing (between Celorico da Beira and Coimbra). 

By plane: 
By the Oporto (200 km) and Lisbon (300 km). Train station to de Gouveia. (have to change their car in Pampilhosa coming from Porto). 

By train: 
There is a direct link international de Paris by Irun (Spain) and until Celorico da Beira. After taxi to the Fifth (16 km).

HOW TO REACH THE RACE VENUE

Should the area south through the A23, when you reach the city of Guarda, enters the A25, exit at the exit of Celorico da Beira and enter in EN 17. Through about 26 km and on your left is a way out of the city of Gouveia, or continues and 3 km ahead, is a roundabout which has a plate to indicate Gouveia, follows the plate and a few
minutes later you will find yourself in the city of Gouveia. 

If comes from the north and through the A1, the case leaves in the output A25. Enter the A25 is the route to the exit of Mangualde. It passes through the centre, and following the signs that say Gouveia.

Follow in EN 232 and will be out for a village called Cativelos, after this village about 7 km ahead is a roundabout that indicate a card through the city of Gouveia.  
         
If comes from the south side but, through the A1, comes out in Coimbra north exit and enter the IP3, followed by ex-IC12 for Nelas. At the entrance of Nelas enter in EN 231 to Seia, there follows the
 
EN 17 through the Crossing de Gouveia. This leaves crossing on the right, with a plate indicating Gouveia.

THE DOWNHILL TRACK:

Circuit with about 2 km long, with areas very fast, technically areas of stone and end with a small area of forest.