Tribute to cyclists

Huge tributes to departed cyclists and their injured friends Scott and Andrés at Pedreguer fun run and CD Jávea match

Llebeig Athletics Club, who lost three of their members in last week's tragedy on the N-332 in Oliva. led a march supporting the victims' families and two other cyclists injured in the accident, who remain in hospital.

ON SATURDAY evening following its match against La Safor-based club UE Tavernes, football team CD Jávea staged a tribute to the town's three cyclists who died after being hit by a drunk driver on the N-332 in Oliva.

Marking the end of the football season and just seven hours after the funeral of the third victim, José Antonio Albi, CD Jávea paid homage to the triathlon team members who lost their lives, and to their friends Scott Gordon and Andrés Contreras, who are recovering from serious injuries in Dénia and Alzira Hospitals.

A collection went around and all proceeds from this, plus entry tickets to the match, went to the families of those who did not make it home from their weekly Sunday morning practice.

Last Sunday's fun run in Pedreguer, which all five would have been compet- ing in, turned into a massive memorial for Edu, José Antonio and Luis Alberto with a minute's silence followed by a two-minute ovation before the race kicked off.

Competitors wore black ribbons, and José Antonio's mother wore her son's number cloth.

Dozens of runners crossed the start line carrying a huge banner with the photographs of the three deceased and two injured victims and the slogan 'We're with you'.

And the first Jávea resident to cross the finish line, Toni Soler, raised his hands and face to heaven to connect with his departed friends before dropping to his knees.

He was joined by Jávea runners Siro Piña, Moha Rida, Adrián Hadri, Víctor Fernández and Antonio Fornés, who marched arm in arm through the finish line along with José Antonio's mother.

They finished with a procession in tribute to their five friends, which gained a thundering round of applause.

The mayors of Jávea and Pedreguer, José Chulvi and Sergi Ferrús respectively, joined the marches at the start and end of the race.