With the Tour de France behind them the riders’ thoughts now turn to San Sebastian and the Clasica San Sebastian. Defending champion Alejandro Valverde returns to defend his 2014 victory and brings a strong Movistar team to assist, can anyone upset the Spaniard’s chances of going back-to-back?
The race organisers have stuck by last year’s revamped route after it delivered exciting racing, so the peloton will have an idea of what awaits them. However, that will not make the parcours any easier and the riders will be dreading the decisive ascent of the Bordako Tontorra.
Beginning in the streets of San Sebastian the race heads westwards to tackle the first category Alto de Iturburu. Officially 3.5-kilometres in length, at an average gradient of five per cent, the climb is preceded by kilometres of false flat, meaning the peloton will be begin ascending long before the 56-kilometre mark.
Similar to the old parcours, the peloton loop around to climb the first category Alto de Jaizkibel and second category Alto de Arkale not once but twice before re-entering the streets of San Sebastian. Once the kingmakers of the Clasica San Sebastian, anyone not at the proverbial races could find themselves distanced before the final climb of the day.
Continuing in its role as kingmaker of the race, the second category Bordako Tontorra favours puncheurs and explosive climbers. Just 2.5 kilometres-long, an average gradient of nine per cent hides the true severity of the ascent.
While the first 800-metres of the climb are at gradient of eight per cent, it is followed by the first of three 100 metre sections featuring an agonising gradient of 20 per cent. Afterwards the peloton will have a chance of recover with the next 1000-metres at just 4.5 per cent, before encountering our second 100-metre section of 20% gradient. The final-800 metres will be decisive, with the final-200 metres, at a gradient of 7.5 percent, preceded by a 500-metre section at 13 percent and our third and final section of 20 percent.
Just seven kilometres, four of those downhill and the other three flat, separate the summit of the Bordako Tontorra and the finishing line in San Sebastian. As a result any indecision or lack of cooperation among the favourites can easily prove costly if someone attacks, something Alejandro Valverde used to his advantage last year.
Race Contenders
Arguably coming in to the race with better form after the Tour de France than in 2014, Alejandro Valverde is the race’s outstanding favourite. The Spaniard’s Movistar team have brought with them a strong team in their bid to see Alejandro Valverde achieve back-to-back victories.
Since Leonardo Bertagnolli's victory in 2007, the previous seven winners of the Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian have come in to the race off the back of the Tour de France. The likes of Philippe Gilbert and Jelle Vanendert will be hoping to break that streak but history is on the side of the Tour de France participants, like Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez.
Team Katusha once again come to the Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian with a strong two pronged attack in Joaquim Rodriguez and Daniel Moreno. Catalonian climber Joaquim Rodriguez is the leading favourite to upset Movistar after riding away with two stage victories at the recent 2015 Tour de France.
Local Basque hopes and dreams will be resting squarely on the shoulders of Mikel Landa in the absence of Team Sky's Mikel Nieve
Returning to racing after a breakthrough Giro d’Italia, the hopes and dreams of the Basque Country will be resting on the shoulders of Astana Pro Team’s Mikel Landa. However, Mikel Landa’s form will be a bit of an unknown quantity during the race due to this being the 25 year-old’s first race back since the 2015 Giro d’Italia.
If the race once again shatters on the slopes of the Bordako Tontorra it will become difficult for Movistar and Alejandro Valverde to control matters. So keep an eye out for dark horses like Adam or Simon Yates of Orica - GreenEDGE, Daniel Martin of Cannondale - Garmin, Julian Alaphilippe of Etixx - Quick-Step, Bauke Mollema of Trek Factory Racing, Nicolas Roche of Sky Pro Cycling, Romain Bardet of AG2R Le Mondiale and Rui Costa of Lampre - Merida.
Picking Luis Leon Sanchez victories these days is becoming a bit like finding hens' teeth, rare and beautiful. Probably has a better chance if I don't mention him.
Breakaway of the day formed by Manuel Boaro (TCS), Valeri Agnoli (AST), Dennis Vannendert (LTS), Nathan Haas (TCG), Maarten Wynants (TLJ), Thomas Degand (IAM), Lluis Mas (CJR) and Romain Hardy (COF).
emre99's stages Thread of the Week : Tour of California 2014 -Official PCM World Cup 2016, 10th best keirin player in the world PCM.daily Awards : 2 Nominee 0 Award
Daily Song Contest WINNER! With Foals - Mountain at my Gates with Greece! 1 like 1 girlfriend ''I call you the stage god. You are the stage god.'' -baseballover312, 15.07.2016
emre99's stages Thread of the Week : Tour of California 2014 -Official PCM World Cup 2016, 10th best keirin player in the world PCM.daily Awards : 2 Nominee 0 Award
Daily Song Contest WINNER! With Foals - Mountain at my Gates with Greece! 1 like 1 girlfriend ''I call you the stage god. You are the stage god.'' -baseballover312, 15.07.2016
Spain and Italy in getting images, France in choosing images (remember froome's attacks on Quintana)
#FREELANDA #FREELIA MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
emre99's stages Thread of the Week : Tour of California 2014 -Official PCM World Cup 2016, 10th best keirin player in the world PCM.daily Awards : 2 Nominee 0 Award
Daily Song Contest WINNER! With Foals - Mountain at my Gates with Greece! 1 like 1 girlfriend ''I call you the stage god. You are the stage god.'' -baseballover312, 15.07.2016
'We have lost the TV signal because of a fault in the plane that makes connection' says the tweet.
#FREELANDA #FREELIA MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
emre99's stages Thread of the Week : Tour of California 2014 -Official PCM World Cup 2016, 10th best keirin player in the world PCM.daily Awards : 2 Nominee 0 Award
Daily Song Contest WINNER! With Foals - Mountain at my Gates with Greece! 1 like 1 girlfriend ''I call you the stage god. You are the stage god.'' -baseballover312, 15.07.2016
Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian (219km)
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