Good news for climbers and time trialists: Tour of Valencia reveals route
The organization of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana – also known as the Tour of Valencia – has revealed the route for the upcoming edition (February 4-8). A first look at the course shows us that the overall winner will need solid all-rounder qualities.
The Tour of Valencia again features five stages this year, covering a total distance of 600.5 kilometers. The race starts on Wednesday, February 4, and four days later, on Sunday, February 8, we will know the final winner. The route passes through the provinces of Castellón, Alicante, and Valencia.
In the opening stage, the sprinters seem to have the advantage, although we should be cautious. The course is definitely not flat, and the Alto de los Madroños and the steep climbs around Oropesa could provide some excitement. However, with a relatively flat finish ahead, there also seems to be time to organize for a – possibly reduced – bunch sprint.
The second stage is where the first differences in the general classification will be made, as the individual time trial returns after a few years' absence. It is a test against the clock of just over 17 kilometers. After a technical opening section, there is a climb of about three kilometres, followed by a fast descent to Alginet.
The individual time trial could prove decisive for the overall result, but climbers will still have the opportunity to make up lost time. The third stage already features climbing with two potential selection points in the last fifty kilometers, but a sprint remains a possibility.
Back to the 'Tom Dumoulin climb'
On day four, there will definitely be no showdown between the fast men, as the queen stage includes five categorized climbs, totaling 3,300 meters of elevation gain. Riders will face the Alto del Miserat (first category), the very steep ascent of the Cumbre del Sol (where Tom Dumoulin made his breakthrough as a grand tour rider), and the challenging climb of the Muro del Pou (with pitches reaching up to 22%).
In the fifth and final stage, several race scenarios are possible. A sprint is certainly not out of the question, though the climb of the Garbí, with its summit 40 kilometers from the finish, could cause a last shake-up. Once in Valencia, we will know the winner of the final stage and the successor to Santiago Buitrago, who was the strongest in the overall classification last year.
