The Ribera del Duero, between steep slopes, in the heat, with possible wind and an important team time trial

Gerard Cano, Balint Feldhoffer, Iván Loaisa, Álvar Martín, Balazs Pollner and Manuel Sanroma will be the six riders, five of second year and one of first in the category, who will compete under the banner of the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team in the roads of Soria, Valladolid, Segovia and Burgos in a new edition of the Vuelta a la Ribera del Duero, a race of international character and growing weight that has firmly established itself in the summer calendar with its parallel wine, heritage and regional proposal. Participation, as in previous editions, will once again be at a very high level.

Concentrated in three days, the second of which is divided into two sectors, the race will once again feature a team time trial (absent last year) as a hot and differentiating point. Although the orography of the area does not allow the assumption of a mountain likely to be considered ‘high’, there will be no shortage of difficulties that can break the race, with a first stage with a hilly finish that has been recurrent in the Vuelta Ciclista a Burgos. But above all, there will be a lot of terrain where the wind can do its thing. The final stage, with Valdevacas and La Serrezuela on the menu, although far from the finish, emerges as the most selective.

Álvar Martín, who came fifth in the race that put the Castilian-Leonese road title at stake, held in León, is the home rider. The rider from Aranda de Duero, present in 2022, knows the routes and the ins and outs of the race well, although both Balint and Balazs and Manuel have already competed in it in last year’s edition: “It is true that we are not talking about a race with a lot of elevation gain, that is what this area is like, but it is a challenging race, with narrow, bumpy roads, on very hot days and with the possibility of the wind blowing. This is an area with a lot of wind and in some stages we will be competing when the wind is at its strongest. In addition to the team time trial, which will make a difference, I would also highlight the finish at Clunia. That one and a half kilometre steep climb is very difficult, especially if there is a bit of wind at the top. It can make more differences than expected. Personally, I’m really looking forward to the start of the race”.

Manu Sanroma: “This year the return of the team time trial will be a bit of a factor in the final general classification, as important teams from abroad are coming. We have already had the opportunity to compete against them and both Álvar and I were ahead in the final general classification last year. Let’s hope that we can repeat what we did then, as we have a great team. The last few races I have done on the Valencian calendar and the training sessions planned with Antonio (Campos) have left me with a good point. I’m looking forward to doing well, I have good memories of last year”.

The stages.
25th August | Stage 1: Tiermes Site – Clunia Sulpicia Site (112.4 km).

26th August | Stage 2 (sector 1): Bodegas Legaris – Pedrosa de Duero (17.6 km TTT).

26th August | Stage 2 (sector 2): Bodegas Legaris – Pedrosa de Duero (67.8 km).

27 August | Stage 3: Aranda de Duero – Aranda de Duero (117.7 km).

[? Ángel Martín Pérez / Trofeo Ayuntamiento de Béjar]