The final podium of the 2022 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (Image credit: Getty Images)
Who said early season races had to be easy and for the sprinters?
The organisers of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana , Europe’s first ProSeries race of the 2023 calendar certainly don’t seem to feel that way.
From rugged race openers in the southerly sierras of Carrasqueta and Aitana to the decisive final treks through the mountain ranges of Turia and Calderona in the north, all of Valenciana’s five stages will be significantly shaped by their climbs. Particularly when, just like last year, there’s no individual time trial in the five-day Spanish stage race which starts on Wednesday.
Although early season races are lacking in previous form guides, the initial point of reference when the peloton rolls out of the start town Orihuela will be defending champion Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-hansgrohe), who last year inflicted a stinging defeat on Remco Evenepoel on the roads of Valencia.
That proved to be one of the few setbacks of 2022 for the all-conquering Belgian rider, who rather than return to Valencia has opted for a South American start to his 2023 season.
Whoever has their eyes on standing tallest on the podium in front of Valencia’s town hall next Sunday afternoon, this year’s two summit finishes and more than 12,100 metres of vertical climbing in a total of 787.5 kilometres will likely make this year’s race a far harder challenge than in 2023.The climbing starts as soon as the race gets underway […]
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