The yellow of the Tour lights up Bilbao

Bilbao expanded its chromatic variety last night. Until 1 July, the ‘yellow Tour’ has been added to the white and red of Athletic and the city’s flag, and its characteristic Bilbao blue. A color that invades the Biscayan capital, ready to vibrate with one of the biggest events that the world of sport can bring. The Grand Départ is already feeling itself and yesterday it symbolized its landing with the start of the countdown.

To that yellow Bilbao, the Tour sent its best ambassador, Christian Prudhomme. The director of the Grande Boucle was one of the protagonists who filled the city with light. In the company of the mayor, Juan Mari Aburto, Elixabete Etxanobe, deputy for Public Administration and Institutional Relations, and Bingen Zupiria, Minister of Culture and Language Policy, they attended an event that started at 7:30 p.m. on the steps of the Town Hall and ended after nine on the esplanade of San Mamés.

Upon his arrival, he was able to enjoy that giant yellow jersey that hangs from the Aznar building’s façade and that is twinned with the Bilbao flag that flies right in front of it. It will be a symbol of unity that will remain until the Tour runs through Bizkaia and Bilbao in the first stage of the 2023 edition.

By then, the esplanade next to the Town Hall had been populated with yellow handkerchiefs tied around the necks of the people who attended the mini-concert of the Bilbao Choir and the Kalakan group. Twenty minutes that were the perfect preview for an act loaded with symbolism such as the start of the clock that counts down the time remaining until the start of the first stage. Prudhomme, always relaxed and smiling, admired the explosion of light at that moment. The yellow jersey lit up and the façade of the Town Hall glowed with the color of the Tour leader.

The applause filled the Ernesto Erkoreka square in a festive atmosphere that moved through El Arenal, the Circular square -with the Bizkaia Tower also lit- and the Gran Vía to the next stop, the Bizkaia Provincial Council. It was a delegation headed by the authorities, who made the bike tour led by the car of the race director of the gala round. It was clear that the organization of the Tour did not skimp on details to give all the officialdom in the world to the event that was held last night in Bilbao.

The passers-by on the Gran Vía turned their heads towards the peloton, while the group completed the route until they found a new choir with a couple of songs that gave way to new lighting in the Foral Palace. More yellow for Bilbao, resplendent with its leading role in the 2023 edition.

Athletic’s tribute

There was one last journey left, the ‘leap’ to San Mamés where Athletic wanted to celebrate its 125th anniversary by receiving the Tour delegation. An act that was a nod to the cycling past of the rojiblanco club and where Athletic gave him all the protocol burden with the presence on the esplanade of president Jon Uriarte and captains Garazi Murua and Iker Muniain. As in all cycling events, there is always the risk of a fall and Mayor Aburto suffered a small setback without incident. The city’s highest mayor immediately joined the procession to attend the exchange of jerseys between the Tour and Athletic.

Uriarte explained to Prudhomme that the one he was given with the rojiblancos colors was a tribute to the cycling section that the club had in the 1920s. In exchange, the leader received a yellow jersey from the Tour director that symbolized that twinning that he lived through yesterday the Biscayan capital. In a relaxed atmosphere and with San Mamés also illuminated and the word ‘Ongi eTOURri’ circling the façade, Prudhomme once again referred to that “so passionate” Basque fans to explain to the French media the wisdom of choosing Bilbao as the Grand Depart of 2023. He also referred to the ardor with which football is experienced “on a big stage” like San Mamés, which he pointed to while making his statements. Later, relaxed and smiling, he faced his last interview for a French television while asking that they keep the garment that Athletic gave him. “It’s a magnificent jersey,” he confessed to a collaborator. Thus, with the director of the Tour in front of a yellow-illuminated San Mamés, the act that symbolizes the countdown to the start of the French round ended. One hundred days and counting.