The Principality of Asturias examines the growing momentum of the Kometa Cycling Team
62nd Vuelta Ciclista a Asturias
From 3 to 5 May
The roads of the Principality of Asturias welcome between this Friday and Sunday the new competitive commitment of the Kometa Cycling Team. The continental squad of the Alberto Contador Foundation, in its tenth test of the season, and with a special motivation for the good performances in the Giro de Sicilia and the Vuelta a Castilla y León, will be one of the fifteen formations present in the Vuelta Ciclista a Asturias; made up of a platoon where a WorldTour formation and seven continental professionals stand out.
The Vueltina is one of the most traditional events in the Spanish spring calendar, born in 1925, although this will be the first participation of a Kometa Cycling Team with a powerful team made up of the Luxembourger Michel Ries, the Portuguese Daniel Viegas, the Italians Stefano Oldani and Samuele Rubino and the Spaniards Juan Camacho, Isaac Cantón, and Diego Pablo Sevilla.
Like other races on the Spanish calendar, the Vuelta a Asturias was also badly affected by an economic crisis that put an end to many races and took away days of competition from many others. From the usual five stages, with some divided in double sector, the Asturian round was reduced to two for 2013 and ended up not going out to the roads in 2014.
After returning the following year to the front line over two days, since 2016 it has been disputed over three stages that, with changes in the intermediate routes and punctually some variation in the order of the stages, have been repeating the same scheme in the centre and west of their territory. Facing 2019, the Vueltina maintains these wavelengths, although it renounces the traditional ending in the Santuario del Acebo to turn this iconic climb into a passageway, placing the finish line in Cangas del Narcea.
That, however, will be in the second stage. The first day, on the way to Pola de Lena, a very nervous journey through the “Cuencas Mineras” (ancient area for mining works) topped by the demanding climb to Carabanzo, with its summit at six at the end and its two kilometres of climb at an average of more than 10%. And the last and final, short, dangerous stage, eight from the finish line, the no less demanding passage through the Alto del Violeo.
Jesús Hernández, director of the Kometa Cycling Team: “The Vuelta a Asturias is always a demanding race due to the orography of the Principality and the intense fight that always takes place in the competition. For us the race has a point of discovery, because it is our first participation, and another one of motivation, since it comes after two races that have left us with a very good taste in our mouths like the Giro de Sicilia and the recent Vuelta a Castilla y León. Our idea is clear: the search for protagonism without giving up anything, without complexes, but always being aware that the competition will be varied and very hard, as always we compete against professional WorldTour and Continental formations”.
The stages.
3rd May: Oviedo – Pola de Lena (179 km).
4th May: Soto de Ribera – Cangas del Narcea (171 km).
5th May: Cangas del Narcea – Oviedo (119 km).
(automatic translation)
