a lot of mountain and a luxury poster for the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana Gran Premi Banc Sabadell. The round fulfills its 74th anniversary and does it with five stages full of emotion and many ports. Little track for sprinters, while climbers rub their hands on a route that starts today in Orihuela and ends next Sunday in Valencia. 787 kilometres, divided into two stages through Alicante, two in Valencia and one in Castellón, await the 19 teams who arrive with many of their leaders at the forefront to conquer the VCV 2023, supported by the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation for the third consecutive edition.
Not even the last minute absence of Juan Ayuso Due to a slight tendonitis, he detracts from a return expected by many to premiere this season. Several cyclists made their debut in Australia and others did so in Mallorca, but the Community will be the starting point for several cyclists in this 2023.
The Spanish navy will be well represented with runners the size by Carlos Rodríguez, Mikel Landa and Pello Bilbao, among others (Bahrain, the team of the latter two, is the one with the most powerful squad). All of them start as favorites and with the intention to dethrone the Russian Aleksandr Vlasov, the champion of last season’s edition.
Apart from the Spanish cyclists, the VCV of this edition will feature international runners of the stature of Biniam Girmay or Thymen Arensman, among others. But once again, the Spanish teams will be well represented thanks to the presence of the Movistar Team, Burgos BH, Euskaltel Euskadi and Caja Rural Seguros RGA, World Tour and Pro Tour squads.
The organization, led by former cyclist Ángel Casero, has designed a very mountainous layout with unprecedented ports, Little known and short, but very hard, like La Frontera (Valencia). “As an organization we love to show the world the wonders that we have in the Valencian Community. That is why we always try to recover or incorporate new mountain passes. This year we have achieved it with Alto de Pinos in Benissa or La Frontera in Sierra Calderona, and We are convinced that the end in the Sanctuary of the Holy Cave, in Altura, is going to be spectacular”, said Ángel Casero, general director of the VCV.
The absence of an individual time trial or by teams or the presence of at least two mountain passes in each of the five stages make this Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana one of the more mountainous and spectacular that are remembered from recent years. The organization awaits the mass response of fans on the Valencian roads.
Without a doubt, the queen stage the Saturday, through the province of Castellón. The end, in the Sanctuary of the Holy Cave, after five ports and 181.6 kilometers, it will be unprecedented. For the last stage, there are also several hidden secrets. Even though the end is at the Oceanográfico de Valencia, a massive sprint at the finish line is not expected. And it is that before reaching the iconic building of the capital of Turia, you will have to go up the Oronet and the port of La Frontera again.
The V edition of women, one stage and on Sunday
The Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana Féminas Gran Premi Diputaciò de Valéncia is completing editions. This year it will celebrate its first five years of life. The women’s test will be held on Sunday, in one stage and with the same route than that of the boys. Therefore, they will travel the more than 93 kilometers in search of a victory in the Oceanográfico, with several ports and mountains ahead. The presence of 21 teams is expected, of which nine will be Spanish, with the Movistar Team, from Women’s World Teams, at the helm and as a great representative.