Portal de Alhama de Murcia
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The XL Cycling Tour of the Region of Murcia 'Grand Prix Banco Sabadell', which takes place this weekend, will take place tomorrow, February 15, through Sierra Espuña and Alhama de Murcia.
The first stage, 177.6 km, is played today with departure from Los Alcázares and finish in Caravaca de la Cruz.
With a total of 179.6 km, the second day will begin this Saturday at 12:00 h.
in Santomera and will end in the city of Murcia.
18 teams, 126 runners with the five Murcia at the start
The Cycling Tour of the Region of Murcia-Grand Prix Banco Sabadell celebrates its 40th edition uninterruptedly.
And as usual, some of the best teams and cyclists in the world meet in our land.
Among them, the presence of the five Murcia, who are part of the international squad (José Joaquín Rojas, Rubén Fernández, Antonio Jesús Luis León and Alejandro Valverde), and who aspire to win the Tour, as has happened in the last three years first with Valverde, after his solo exhibition of 70 kilometers, and then Luis León with that of Las Lumbreras second, in the last two editions.
The German team Bora has placed Pascal Ackermann, a cyclist who uncovered the essence jar last season and was among the best in a large number of tests, even ahead of his famous teammate Peter Sagan.
The Bora was second in the 2019 world rankings, with 47 wins and a lot to do with the German champion cyclist.
It also highlights the CCC, fourth Word Tour team, with a powerful team with the current world runner-up Matteo Trentin, who last year was seventh overall.
Movistar has included Enric Más in the seven, who has come to the team to be one of the leaders, along with Valverde and Marc Soler.
For his part, Luis León has Gorka Izaguirre, Omar Fraile, fifth last year and Alexey Lutsenko, undoubtedly the great revelation of the team at the end of last season.
An edition in which the participation of 18 teams is planned
The designated Word Tour
Ten Pro Teams
Burgos-BH (Spain)
Sport Vlaanderen Baloise (Belgium)
Team Arkea - Samsic (France)
UHC Rally (United States)
Caja Rural - RGA Insurance (Spain)
Fundación Orbea (Spain), with the Murcian Rubén Fernández and Antonio Jesús Soto
Gazprom Rusvelo (Russia)
Circus - Wanty Gobert (Belgium)
Bingoal - Wallonie Bruxelles (Belgium) Riwal Readynez Cycling Team (Denmark)
And four of the Continental category
The two Spaniards Kometa Xtra of the Contador Foundation and the newly created Kern Pharma.
In addition to the Portuguese Louletano and the Russian Lokosphinx
There will be teams representing Poland, Germany, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Russia, Denmark, United States, Portugal, France and Spain
In total 126 corridors from 21 different countries
Spain, Canada, Kazakhstan, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Australia, Ecuador, Colombia, Belgium, South Africa, Portugal, Holland, Belarus, Italy, France, Russia, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.
The first stage, with departure in the Alcazares and arrival in Caravaca de la Cruz, can be considered medium profile.
You can see a cut profile that has as its main point of reference the ascent to the top of the Garapacha, first category, because it goes up the longest area, to the refuge of Puerto Frío.
The strongest will have 52 kilometers to go in Caravaca.
A route that only has a few kilometers of descent, since once you pass the Cieza Flying Goal 'Memorial Mariano Rojas', everything will be on the way up until you reach the ramps of Caravaca Castle, through the same place where you go up' The Wine Horses' to the Basilica de la Vera Cruz, where the goal is located, 177 kilometers in which everything can happen.
The second stage will depart from Santomera and arrive in Murcia, Gran Vía Sculptor Francisco Salzillo.
Before the traditional final in the capital of the Region, 179 kilometers in which cyclists must put their best, not only to try to win, but to finish the Tour.
The presence of four scoring ports, two of the third category, one of the first and another considered special, may be too much for those who are not yet filmed at this time of season.
It will be a very demanding stage, first with the ascent of Espuña of first category and then with hardly any rest, still with sore legs, the Colme Bermejo 'Cima Marco Pantani', which this year will begin to climb shortly after passing through the Alhama Flyer Goal and collect the supplies, which curiously can be key to the development of the stage and the Tour.
It will come from a strong wear in the previous high, which can have consequences in the ascent to the Collado.
In this section the directors and auxiliaries will play a very important role for the future of the race.
From that point and to the top, everything is uphill, almost 20 kilometers to the top.
After the descent of the Collado Bermejo, the Alto de Gebas of third category will be promoted.
On those roads three years ago Alejandro Valverde, made one of the exhibitions of legend in the Vuelta a Murcia, went 70 kilometers alone until reaching the finish line on the Gran Vía, chased by a group that exceeded the dozen components, which arrived more than two minutes from Valverde.
From the Alto de Gebas to Murcia, 38 kilometers will be missing that will give the measure of the state of form of the favorites.
The Tour of the Region of Murcia-Grand Prix Banco Sabadell, this year has new sponsors, such as the Primafrio Foundation, Aguas de Santomera and Estucalia Group that join the Archena Spa, Mobel Sport, Kia Talleres M. Gallego, official dealer , and Grupo Caliche, which together with the Banco Sabadell Grand Prix and the main sponsor, the Autonomous Community, make it possible for the Tour to go ahead, without forgetting the help of the Town Halls where it runs, such as Alhama de Murcia, and of all collaborators .
Source: Ayuntamiento de Alhama de Murcia
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