A very powerful ‘five’ with Carlos Rodriguez in front to revalidate the glory in Besaya
33rd Vuelta al Besaya International
From 20 to 23 June
The return of a stage against the clock, a time trial to Bostronizo with its ramps of up to 12% planned for the third day, is the great novelty of a new edition of the Vuelta al Besaya Internacional in which the Kometa Cycling Team junior will defend the title harvested in 2018 by the Catalan Álex Martín. The current rider of the U23 team of the Alberto Contador Foundation won in the final general of the prestigious Cantabrian appointment ahead of his colleague Carlos Rodríguez. The Spaniard, double winner of the race in the cadet category and leader of the last edition until the final stage, returns to the race leading a team completed by Gerard Bofill, Raúl García, Pablo Gutiérrez, José Luis Medina and Fernando Tercero. Five riders of great quality and a lot of future who have been reaping important results both nationally and regionally.
Beyond the mentioned time trial, the Vuelta al Besaya proposes again a complex and demanding route where the most complicated stage from the orographic point of view will be the last one for the inclusion of the Collada de Brenes (6,2 kilometres at 8,7% on average, according to Josemi Ochoa for Altimetrias.com) and, close to the finish line, the Collada de Cieza (3,7 km at 7,8%). Before, however, much optimal terrain for attack and ambush. The ascent to La Montaña on three occasions during the first day or the broken terrain of the second, with an end in slope to reach the Cave of Altamira, provide difficulty and can generate uncertainty.
Up to 30 teams go to one of the great events of the European youth cycling scene, a test in which the junior structure of the Alberto Contador Foundation has always faced with the desire to be seen. “The competition is going to be enormous”, says Guillermo Gutiérrez, director of the Kometa Cycling Team. “Besaya is visited by the most granado of the national panorama and very powerful foreign teams. It is not difficult to foresee a great dispute and a great tension, not in vain is one of the most important races on the calendar. In the team we come with a lot of motivation for how well it is going this season. We have a fabulous group of riders. Now comes the season of laps with one of the best races and we want to continue being protagonists”.
The stages.
20 June: Los Corrales de Buelna – Renedo de Piélagos (99.7 km).
21st June: Santillana de Mar – Cueva de Altamira (92 km).
22nd June: Arenas de Iguña – Bostronizo (5 km CRI).
23 June: Torrelavega – Los Corrales de Buelna (110.4 km).