CYCLING! VOLTA A LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA

The 74^th edition of Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana, a five-day cycle race, will take place from February 1^stto the 5^th. Racing in Eastern Spain, some of the biggest names in cycling will compete and many for the first time this season. There are 19 teams participating and a total of 130 international riders. Aleksandr Vlasov, last year’s winner, also returns to defend his title. With each team bringing their top riders, the race is gearing up to be a terrific event and the first on the international calendar. The race is approximately 787.5km and starts in Orihuela, Alicante. For the first time in the event’s history, the riders will cross the finish line this Sunday at the iconic City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.

On Thursday 2^nd February, the Red Sea Auditorium in Valencia’s Aquarium hosted the official presentation of the route of the VCV 2023. The event organisers unveiled the five stages and the incorporation of new mountain passes. Seeking to show the world the wonders of the Valencian community, the organisers were proud to announce the inclusion of Alto de Pinos in Benissa and La Frontera in the Sierra Calderona. The Spanish sunshine and the scenic landscape of the natural world provide ideal conditions for both the riders and the viewers who are exposed to the cycling paradise in the community of Valenciana.

The race officially started on February 1^st and the first stage concluded in Altea with routes through Coll de Rates and Bèrnia. Stage two passed through the province of Alicante, commencing in Novelda and finishing in Alto de Pinos de Benissa with seven climbs across 180km. The third stage starts in Bétera and crosses mountains such as the Garbí, before finishing in the Roman city of Sagunto. As the riders face some of the toughest climbs, they will be rewarded with stunning scenery and views right across Valencia. In the penultimate stage of racing, the cyclists must climb 3,557 metres across 181.6km through Castellón and will finish for the first time in the history of the race, in front of the Sanctuary of the Holy Cave in Altura. The final stage will finish in Valencia this Sunday in front of l’Oceanogràfic in the City of Arts and Sciences. If Saturday’s results are tight, it could be anyone’s game as the riders enter the final stage on Sunday. Get yourselves down to the City of Arts and Sciences this Sunday to witness the exciting sprint finish of this year’s first cycling stage race on European soil.

Report by Imogen Hockings