A young but strong squad will be at the start of the Vuelta a Murcia and Clasica Jaen.
For the first time since 2020, Vuelta a Murcia is a two-day race whose course will mainly suit the puncheurs and climbers. The region is known for its open flat areas, where the wind can play a major role, and both stages will likely be decided in the closing part featuring a steep, narrow climb, followed by the finish straight after.
Soudal Quick-Step will tackle the race with Casper Pedersen, Tour Down Under best young rider Andrea Raccagni, and Martin Svrcek, who will be joined by four Devo team riders: Jasper Schoofs, Viktor Soenens – tenth overall at last week’s Volta Comunitat Valenciana – Erazem Valjavec and Marc Zafra.
“We go there with an incredibly motivated team. It’s a strong and balanced squad, with several options across both stages, and the fact Raccagni has a good sprint gives us an extra option for the finale. He will start his first race since finishing top ten in Australia, and we’re looking forward to those two days of racing”, said sports director Kevin Hulsmans.
Despite being one of the youngest races on the calendar, Clasica Jaen – which is scheduled on Monday – has quickly become one of the most popular, thanks to its combination of gravel and hills. The many off-road sectors, stacked in the second half of the 166.7km technical course, and the almost 2400 vertical meters, make for a difficult to control and explosive race on the roads around Ubeda, where the event starts and finishes.
“Positioning, handling skills and pure power will be decisive on Monday. The route is extremely challenging, but we have riders who can aim for a strong result. At the same time, this race is also a great opportunity for our young Devo guys, who can gain valuable experience at a high level in a real classics-style environment. Our objective is to stay well positioned on every gravel sector, anticipate the key moves and give our best the entire day”, added Hulsmans about the race which we’ll tackle with the same seven riders.
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
