On the second day of El Corazón de México, the Division 5 teams of the respective season will stay once again in the city of San Miguel de Allende, in the state of Guanajuato.
The stage will begin in the heart of the historic center, famed in its viceroyal style similar to those of Querétaro, León, and even Mexico City. These colonial streets, narrow and floored with cobblestone are idiosyncratic to the cultural ...
Read moreOn the second day of El Corazón de México, the Division 5 teams of the respective season will stay once again in the city of San Miguel de Allende, in the state of Guanajuato.
The stage will begin in the heart of the historic center, famed in its viceroyal style similar to those of Querétaro, León, and even Mexico City. These colonial streets, narrow and floored with cobblestone are idiosyncratic to the cultural dynamics of the human condition during the years of New Spain. As a result of the unjust ethnic combination of spaniards, later criollos, and indigenous natives of different cultures and origins, cultural and historic identity for the Mexican people can be a troubling subject. The brutality and murderous evil nature of colonization and its effects on our society has been a topic of discussions for many intellectuals and artists, such as Octavio Paz and Frida Kahlo.
Where the first stage stage begins is where this stage begins, in the Jardín Allende, the main plaza. If riders turn their heads right, they will be able to see the most famous landmark of the city: La Parroquia, a parish church. The building has two tall towers besides its neo-Gothic façade, and a large entrance allows visitors and religious believers to explore its interior. During the next few meters the peloton will have to tighten its seatbelt as the streets are very narrow, and go uphill. The cobblestone will hurt the riders' legs, while they go through Calle Correo, red, orange, white and yellow houses with solid walls against the sidewalks to their left and right. The peloton will turn left in San Francisco and come back to the start in a parallel street.
They will continue through the street Conde del Canal and will turn right in the Guadalupe Avenue, exiting the historic straight-grid street downtown center and enter the more gritty sceneries of the contemporary Mexico plagued with unsafe city planning under the command of corrupt politicians. There is however some charm to the sights of tianguis markets and small local businesses ran by the locals.
Calle Independencia is next, where cobblestone once again meets the peloton. This rough road is much more aggressive and hard on the pedals, and teams must ensure their wheels are thick, as many flats will happen during this difficult straight line. Many empty lots and big houses can be seen to the sides, green pastures and trees as fauna. Turning right in San Miguel street, the peloton will see the city from above, they are now in the northern side of the city. They will go through federal highways of perfect asphalt before returning to the city and heading south.
They will then go straight into the Boulevard de la Conspiración via Calzada de La Luz, Montitlán, Paloma and Avenue Las Américas. They will then take the exit to Querétaro that will lead them back to the historic center and Jardín Allende. The stage will go for 10 laps, 151km of straight flat road with difficult winds, but mostly tough and severe cobblestone, which will define the probable winner of the tour. With its narrow streets, the cobbles will leave little place for maneuvering, so key positioning and baroudeur qualities are primordial. OCM TV2 spectators will be glued to the screen during this marvelous king stage that could very well be a Division 1 classic.
