The Biscayan brothers Luis and Angel Serrano and Jose Luis Saenz from Araba will receive a well-deserved tribute in Leintz Gatzaga. These three young men traveled to the Vatican in August 1960 with the aim of having the Virgen de Dorleta declared the patron saint of cyclists. They had an audience with the Pope on August 8th and on August 28th, they achieved the confirmation of the designation. Now, 66 years later, their feat will be remembered.

They will be welcomed at the Sanctuary of Dorleta, where a traditional Basque dance, the aurresku, will be performed for them. The parish priest Horacio Argarate and members of the Association Virgen de Dorleta will speak, emphasizing the significance of the 3,200-kilometer cycling journey undertaken 66 years ago. "What they achieved has immense merit. At that time, there were greater difficulties than today to accomplish something like this, and they succeeded. That region of Italy is very tough, very mountainous, and that adds even more value to what they achieved," stated Joxerra Agirreurreta, a member of the association.

The honorees will be shown the museum at the Sanctuary of Dorleta, followed by lunch at the Toki Eder society. They expect around 30 close acquaintances to attend. "Upon returning from Rome, they were welcomed in Vitoria-Gasteiz, but they hadn't been together since and had lost touch. The families learned about us after seeing a report about Gatzaga and managed to contact us," explained Agirreurreta. Six decades later, they will reunite in the town those who achieved making the Sanctuary of Dorleta a symbol for cyclists, and he believes it will be a very emotional moment.