The 2nd Police Motorbike Gathering held in Noja adds another €1,200 in support of research into the disease
The 10th Cicero Night Trail and the 12th Night Walk, held jointly on April 3, raised a total of €1,800 for Alzheimer’s disease research. Both events brought together more than 1,000 participants in a sporting and solidarity initiative that has become a fixture in Cantabria’s calendar.
The race, organized by Club Sport 101 in collaboration with the Bárcena de Cicero Town Council and the Cicero Local Board, featured 190 participants in the Trail category, who completed a demanding 21.5‑kilometer route with a cumulative elevation gain of 1,695 meters. Later, more than 780 walkers set off to complete a 15‑kilometer course with a cumulative elevation gain of 930 meters.
Since its beginnings twelve years ago, this sporting event has been defined by its charitable nature. In fact, the first donation ever received by the Cognitive Impairment Area of the Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL) came precisely from this event, which has maintained its commitment to Alzheimer’s research throughout its history.
The start was presided over by authorities from the municipality of Bárcena de Cicero, together with Óscar Negrete, founder of the solidarity initiative Unidos Por Un Reto; Fernando Cerro, event organizer; and Eloy Manuel Rodríguez, researcher and head of the Neurology Department at Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, who also took part in the Trail category alongside two other members of his team.
Research that advances thanks to solidarity
During the donation handover ceremony, attended by Galo Peralta, managing director of IDIVAL, Rodríguez highlighted the importance of these contributions in advancing early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and in developing new, less invasive diagnostic tools. He recalled that the first donations helped fund studies on cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, a pioneering technique introduced in 2010 that significantly improved diagnostic accuracy, reducing the margin of error present in traditional clinical assessments.
The researcher explained that the team is currently working with blood biomarkers, a line of research that has made it possible to validate tests equivalent to those performed through lumbar puncture. Thanks to this progress, since December blood tests have been used in consultations that can avoid between 70% and 80% of the lumbar punctures previously required.
In addition, the Valdecilla Neurology team is focusing on new markers aimed not only at diagnosis but also at predicting disease progression, with the goal of anticipating the speed of Alzheimer’s development even before symptoms appear.
Rodríguez also emphasized that Cantabria has become the third autonomous community in Spain to implement these plasma biomarkers within the public healthcare system, describing this achievement as “a very important change for patients and professionals.”
He further noted that donations are essential to continue developing research projects, as laboratory costs are very high. “A single analysis plate for 40 patients can cost around €2,000,” he explained.
Solidarity on two wheels
The solidarity promoted by Fernando Cerro also extended beyond the sporting world with the 2nd Police Motorbike Gathering, held on May 2 in the town of Noja.
This social and community‑oriented event raised an additional €1,200, also allocated to Alzheimer’s disease research.
The day began at 9:30 a.m. in the town square with participant registration and welcome packs. Attendees then took part in a motorbike route from 10:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., returning to the starting point, where a community meal brought the event to a close—a day marked by camaraderie, fellowship, and the police community’s commitment to solidarity.
Through initiatives like these, the Cicero Night Trail and the Police Motorbike Gathering continue to demonstrate that sport, solidarity, and research can move forward together to help improve the lives of people affected by Alzheimer’s and their families.
