Madrid brings back its Vuelta with a focus on U23 cycling and a very interesting route

33º Vuelta a Madrid
From 21 to 25 July

Postponed twice due to the health situation, the Vuelta a Madrid returns to the roads on an unprecedented summer date that also brings with it a change of category. After more than a decade with a race destined for the professional field, the race takes a step back, a return to its origins, to enter the U23 category. And through the front door, it should be added, because the Vuelta a Madrid will be held over five stages (the longest stage race of all those that have been held so far in the national amateur scene).

The route proposed by the Federación Madrileña de Ciclismo is really interesting, perhaps with a moderate mileage. Five days, more than 460 kilometres in total, in which there is no lack of time trials and in which both the mountains and the broken and winding terrain will have a generous presence. The Vuelta 2021 will start with an individual time trial in the Casa de Campo in Madrid, and will continue with a great mountain stage in the Sierra Norte de Madrid in which the peloton will have to negotiate the Collado de la Fragüela (not scoring), the Puerto de La Puebla, the Puerto de El Cardoso and, after a brief journey through Guadalajara, the Puerto de La Hiruela, which is crowned in the last 25 kilometres.

A third stage starting and finishing in Parla will give prominence to the routes through Las Vegas del Sur, while the day’s stage in Villarejo de Salvanés will be a tribute to a large part of the roads that year after year the unfortunately disappeared Gran Premio Macario de Alcalá de Henares has faced. Complex terrain in the Alcarria de Alcalá, the Cuenca del Henares and again Las Vegas. The southwest of Madrid, with no major mountain passes, is a paradise for cycling. For the final stage, the longest day: a demanding stage around San Lorenzo de El Escorial with up to eight mountain passes (Cruz Verde, El Mojón, La Almenara, Valdemaqueda, Navas del Marqués, Peguerinos, Robledondo and El Mojón) and a hilly finish after passing through the Cañada Nueva street and its 17% gradients.

The Balearic Joan Martí Bennassar, Andalusian David Martín, Fernando Tercero from Castilla-La Mancha, Yago Segovia from Asturias, Catalans Arnau Gilabert and Álex Martín and Italian Davide Piganzoli make up the seven that will take part in the U23 structure of the Fundación Contador, with Rafa Díaz Justo in the direction. Based in the Madrid town of Pinto, for the Foundation this Vuelta a Madrid is undoubtedly the great home race.

The stages.
21 July: Casa de Campo / Madrid – Casa de Campo / Madrid (7.2 km ITT).

22 July: Buitrago de Lozoya – Buitrago de Lozoya (97.6 km).

23 July: Parla – Parla (123.7 km).

24th July: Villarejo de Salvanés – Villarejo de Salvanés (130 km).

25th July: Galapagar Velodrome – San Lorenzo de El Escorial (138.3 km).