Mountain and new features for the first round of the season

Another stop on the calendar for the start of the season for Alejandro Valverde, who in three days of competition in the recent Challenge de Mallorca was able to debut his seasonal locker in the Port d’Andratx Trophy, finish second in the mountainous Serra de Tramuntana Trophy and sixth on the opening day of the Calvià Trophy. A debut that highlighted the excellent physical condition of the Movistar Team rider in the first steps of the course, something that he will try to take profit from the next Wednesday in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (February 2-6).

This is a traditional appointment in his calendar (final winner in 2004, 2007 and 2018) and the first stage race of the season, bringing together fifteen of the eighteen World Tour squads. A large part of the GC will be decided in the tremendous final on Friday, the climb to the Antenas del Maigmó. An unprecedented port, with an average slope of more than 10% in its almost 5.5 kilometers and an area of ​​sterrato that will complicate the outcome.

The first and the second stages, both considered mid-mountain, could be also importan for the GC. However, should move very little on Saturday and Sunday in the more than likely massive arrivals of Torrevieja and Valencia.

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency / Movistar Team