Brussels, 27/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - For the first time, 10,000 children, pupils from 1243 Spanish schools took part in the "Vuelta a Espana". The children aged around twelve also took part in the "Vuelta Junior", an event organised in parallel to the famous Spanish race and sponsored by the European initiative "European Year of Education through Sport" (EYES), which aims to promote cycling among the young generation. At the end of the different tests, 95 finalists qualified for the final race in Madrid on 26 September. Teresa Zabell the champion and double medallist in sailing (and former MEP) awarded the EYES winner the trophy during a ceremony stressing the importance of sport. The sportsperson declared that "sport is the vest school for life" and pointed out the essential rules of sporting behaviour: respect, tolerance, honesty and team spirit.