Time to ride at home

After the seasonal debut in the Challenge of Mallorca, Alejandro Valverde returns to the competition next weekend in Vuelta Ciclista a la Región de Murcia.

On Saturday, he is disputing a new edition of the only professional race that takes place at his home, an appointment always special where the Movistar Team rider has obtained four victories and two extra podiums, the last in 2016, finishing in second position only behind the Belgian Philippe Gilbert.

Valverde will look for his fifth victory on a opener course than in 2016, after the organization confirmed that Cresta del Gallo can not be climbed because of the poor condition of the road. Therefore, Collado Bermejo will be again the main judge of the race, despite its distance to the finish line. The 37th Vuelta a Murcia is starting in San Javier and is concluding in Murcia one more time.

Photo: Movistar Team