Chain reaction

ORIHUELA played host for the first stage of the Vuelta Valenciana pro cycling race last week. City mayor, Carolina Gracia, cut the ribbon on the start line on Wednesday, February 1, setting the 74th edition of the race in motion.

Eritrean cyclist, Biniam Girmay raced to victory in the first stage of the race, which covered a huge 189.4 kilometres before ending in Altea. Fresh from victory in the Mallorca Challege, Portuguese star Rui Costa took overall victory in the five stage race.

Speaking at the start of the event, Gracia expressed pride that Orihuela had been chosen for a high profile event, bringing sporting professionals and their support teams to the city. Gracia also highlighted the values of the event, which promotes good sportsmanship and healthy lifestyles.

ELCHE City Council announced that the city recorded the best employment data in a decade during 2022 in a press conference on Saturday, February 5. In the announcement, city mayor, Carlos González, said that 2023 figures were already headed in the right direction.

The figures include the largest ever Social Security register, with 84,793 people paying into the system. Similarly, the lowest unemployment figures in a decade were registered, with 20,752 people of working age unemployed.

The excellent data means that employment has grown by 26 per cent since the economic crisis of 2008 hit, with the city having the most economically active population in around 20 years.

Unemployment in the city has similarly been falling constantly since the employment crisis of 2012 when 36,744 people were registered as unemployed.

González expressed his satisfaction with the figures saying, “These figures are not a coincidence. They are proof of the dynamism of Elche, the strength of our local economy, businesspeople and workers”.

He also highlighted the success of the city in spite of other national and regional employment trends.