Lineup announcements
Movistar Team leader, one of the biggest sportspeople the region has even known, set to lead Blues at home race. Telefónica-backed squad also at Clásica de Almería on Sunday.
Following his victory in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana last week, Alejandro Valverde will be back racing on Saturday at the 38th edition of the Vuelta a Murcia, a long, one day-event (208km) from Beniel to the region’s capital over the climbs of Cieza (Cat-3), Zarzadilla (Cat-2) and the grueling Collado Bermejo (Cat-1) before a long descent into the finish -interrupted by the non-categorized Alto de Gebas.
It will be a double duty for the Movistar Team in southeast Spain this weekend, as the Blues will be racing on Sunday at the 31st Clásica de Almería (185km; four rated climbs, far from the finish), with one of its sprinters, Carlos Barbero, replacing Valverde. The seven-man roster directed by José Luis Jaimerena will be completed at both races by José Joaquín Rojas, Andrey Amador, Imanol Erviti, Eduardo Sepúlveda, Marc Soler and Rafa Valls.
?? Este fin de semana tendremos dos bonitas carreras en el sureste de España:
– El sábado 1️⃣0️⃣, la #VueltaCiclistaMurcia2018: https://t.co/2D54cn0eHJ
– Y el domingo 1️⃣1️⃣, la @Clasica_Almeria: https://t.co/KiaK4Vwc9d pic.twitter.com/gQjwH3GO2d— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) February 8, 2018