A bigger event, an experience to remember
On 4 and 5 July 2026, Almeirim once again hosted one of Portugal’s major celebrations of youth cycling: the National Cycling Schools Meeting, held at Parque Urbano da Zona Norte.
For the Almancilense Cycling School, taking part in an event of this size is about much more than competing. It gives our young riders the chance to step outside their usual environment, meet riders from other cycling schools, take on new challenges and enjoy cycling in a spirit of sharing, friendship and community.
It is in moments like these that everything we work on throughout the year takes on even greater meaning.
Taking our young riders further
Training is essential. Learning technique, improving bike control, building confidence and developing new skills are all part of everyday life at a cycling school.
But some of the most valuable lessons only happen when young riders step outside their usual environment and experience something different.
Taking part in a National Meeting helps them realise that they are part of something much bigger than their own team. They meet riders from different parts of the country, see different riding styles, experience different levels and take on new challenges.
These experiences help them grow not only as cyclists, but also as people.
A celebration of youth cycling
The National Cycling Schools Meeting brought together around 800 young riders from across Portugal, including participants from Madeira and the Azores.
Over the two days, riders in the Under-7/Under-9, Under-11, Under-13 and Under-15 categories took part in a variety of road and mountain bike events, including skills challenges, time trials, sprints, road races and MTB courses.
Rather than focusing only on results, these different formats give young riders the opportunity to put a wide range of skills into practice: bike control, decision-making, effort management, concentration and adaptability.
Everything they learn in training is put into practice here, in a new and more challenging environment.
Learning to compete is part of learning too
Competition is part of cycling, but in a youth development school its value goes far beyond the final result.
Learning to compete means learning how to deal with excitement, nerves, mistakes and achievements, as well as the days when things do not go as planned.
It means learning to respect opponents, rules, coaches, teammates and organisers.
It means understanding that every race has something to teach.
For our young riders, these events are exactly that: an opportunity to put what they have learned into practice and return with new experiences that help them keep improving.
Meeting other schools, finding new inspiration
There is also another side to these events that does not appear in the results.
Young riders get to watch other athletes, meet other teams and discover different ways of experiencing cycling.
They build friendships, share experiences and find new sources of inspiration within the sport.
For a child or young rider who is just starting out in cycling, seeing hundreds of others sharing the same passion can be incredibly motivating.
Suddenly, cycling becomes more than a weekly training session or a local race.
It becomes part of a much bigger community.
Safety is also part of the learning process
The 2026 edition was marked by the very high temperatures in Almeirim.
With extreme heat forecast, the organisers adjusted schedules and race distances and strengthened hydration and cooling measures, including water stations, water and ice distribution, shaded areas and shower facilities near the MTB course.
There is an important lesson here too.
Cycling is not only about effort and competition. It is also about respecting the conditions, adapting decisions and always putting the safety and well-being of young riders first.
Much more than results
At the end of an event like this, there are naturally races, times and rankings, but what truly stays with us are the experiences shared throughout the entire weekend. The journey, the moments spent together as a team, the conversations before and after the races, the challenges overcome and everything each young rider takes back into future training sessions are all part of that process of growth.
That is also why taking part in events like these is so important for the Almancilense Cycling School. Every trip is an opportunity to learn, spend time together and experience different sides of youth cycling. These experiences help our young riders build confidence, maturity and new points of reference within the sport.
More than simply collecting results, we want every participation to help build a richer sporting and personal journey, shaped by experiences that last far beyond the finish line.
“Taking our young riders to events like these gives them experiences that no training session on its own can replace.”
Keep learning, keep riding
Every event is another step along a journey that is built over time.
Of course, we want our young riders to become better cyclists. But we also want them to develop independence, confidence, responsibility, respect and team spirit.
Taking part in the National Cycling Schools Meeting in Almeirim is another opportunity to put those values into practice.
Because developing young cyclists is not just about teaching them to ride faster.
It is about helping them grow on two wheels.
LEARN · IMPROVE · SHARE · GROW
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