Barcelona is turning yellow. Thousands of yellow caps have welcomed the cyclists who will chase glory on two wheels starting this Saturday in the Tour de France, the emblematic race that, for the first time, starts from Barcelona. Today was the turn of the official presentation of the teams with a route where the cyclists rode along a yellow road that began at the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site and ended in front of the Sagrada Família, in a setting where both riders and authorities had their say. If just a few days ago thousands of people approached the temple to see the Pope of Rome in an act of faith, today the atmosphere was different. More festive, with a crowd of cycling fans who wanted to see the best cyclists of the moment up close.

It's Tuesday and it's a quarter to eight in the evening. At the back of the Can Felipa Civic Center, in Poblenou, Barcelona, five men are chatting. They are discussing and pointing at a copy of the magazine Ciclismo a Fondo.. "We've all been part of the club for over 30 years and we do this every week because we love it," admits Jaume Llopart, president of the Penya Ciclista del Poble Nou, founded in 1929. "We're always talking about bikes, what they're doing, the stage, the start... and of course, now the Tour," explains Llopart.