Male Team 15 - 16 Feb
Vuelta a Murcia
365 Kilometers 2 Stages
The Spanish pro cycling calendar continues to strengthen its schedule after the rough times of financial crisis, and the 39th Vuelta a Murcia will be enjoying a second day of racing which brings it back to the stagerace format it had until 2012. On the other hand, the race will have slightly less hilly routes, and so both stages will offer chances for adventurers or sprinters alike.
Actually, the opening day (Friday 15) does seem destined for the fastest men in the bunch to go for the race lead, as the Alto de Cabeza de la Plata (Cat-3) is more than 30km away from San Javier’s finish – where crosswinds could play a factor. Saturday 16 will see the peloton tackle the famous Sierra Espuña, with the Collado Bermejo (Cat-1) halfway through stage two before the always challenging Cresta del Gallo (Cat-2) and its dangerous descent near the finish.