Prime Minister Luis Montenegro will attend the ninth stage of the 85th Tour of Portugal, which ends in Senhora da Graça, this Saturday to “pay tribute” to the cyclists, refusing to answer any other questions from journalists.
In Amarante, as he climbed into the car of race director Joaquim Gomes to watch the ninth and penultimate stage from the inside, he explained to reporters that he was “invited” to watch the race also because he “loves cycling very much”.
“This is an opportunity to pay tribute to these athletes who are putting in an absolutely incredible effort to get through each stage, and in particular this one, which is very difficult,” he said.
The governor wished for “everything to go well, for the spirit of sportsmanship, fair play and for the best to win”, refusing to talk about the football Super Cup, which will be played today between Sporting and Porto, and respect for cyclists.”
Repeating that he was only talking about cycling, Montenegro declined to answer questions about the closure of emergency obstetrics and gynecology services, as well as criticism from the Socialist Party and the Czech government.
“We will have other opportunities to talk about these issues. This Saturday I will focus on this scene, a big party with a lot of passion from many people who will be on the side of the road,” he replied.
Faced with persistent demands from journalists, he reiterated his focus and attention on “the spectacle of sport, as well as a certain culture, tradition and spirit of national identity that the Tour of Portugal includes.”