Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease A Bike), Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers), David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) and the opposite high contenders within the upcoming O Gran Camiño stage race will face a toughened-up route this 12 months together with a double ascent of the daunting Monte Aloia.
The early season four-day Galician race in NW Spain revealed its race route this week, with a brief technical time trial on February 22 via the streets of A Coruña kicking off the motion, and a few very hilly challenges on stage 2. However it’s the showdown finale on stage 4 and the ascent of the seven-kilometre cat. 1 Aloia climb which notably catches the attention.
Usually used within the now-defunct Vuelta a Galicia, the predecessor of O Gran Camiño, Monte Aloia within the Tui Nationwide Park was as soon as the scene of victories for riders of the calibre of Nineteen Nineties Italian star Claudio Chiappucci, Swiss allrounder Fabian Jeker and Spanish Tour de France stage winner Marcos Serrano.
This 12 months, Vingegaard returns to defend his 2023 total title, which he received together with all three levels final February.
Other than Aloia, the opposite vital change in comparison with the primary two editions of the race is the shift in place of Camiño’s particular person time trial, from the final day to the primary.
The stage 1 race in opposition to the clock runs fully alongside the seafront within the metropolis of A Coruña, with some technical segments, a small climb mid-way via and a end exterior the Torre de Hercules lighthouse.
With over 3,000 metres of climbing, stage 2 takes O Gran Camiño deep inland to the province of Lugo. The double ascent of the cat. 2 Alto de San Pedro de Lincora, the second time round peaking out only a handful of kilometres away from the end in Chantada, might make this one other main GC day.
Stage 3 whereas hilly, has most of its climbing difficulties early on. Solely the Cat. 3 climb of Alto de Couso, round 15 kilometres to go, might forestall the fastmen from having their flip to shine within the end Castelo de Ribadavia.
Stage 4 is a really completely different story, with all the things to play for within the final 100 kilometres. Working fully via the mountains of southwest Galicia, the Cat. 2 of Alto de San Cosme acts as an appetizer for the double ascent of the cat. 1 climb of Monte Aloia. By no means dropping under 9.5% within the last three kilometres, 4 ramps of between 18% and 20% ought to present a blastoff level for what is about to be one of many hardest early season occasions in Europe this spring. And as Jonas Vingegaard’s first summit end of 2024, how the ultimate battle of the 2024 O Gran Camiño develops on the slopes of Mount Aloia shall be of even higher curiosity.
O Gran Camiño 2024 – route
- Thursday February 22: Stage 1: A Coruña-Torre de Hercules – A Coruña-Torre de Hercules 14.8 km (ITT)
- Friday February 23: Stage 2: Taboada – Chantada 151.7km
- Saturday February 24: Stage 3: Xinzo de Limia – Castelo de Ribadavia 173.1km
- Sunday February 25: Ponteaereas – Monte Aloia 162.2km
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