Tour of Burgos: cycling resumes by Spain - France 24

Paris (AFP)

Part of the elite cycling peloton resumed Tuesday with the Tour de Burgos, a five-day stage race which brings together a large peloton, notably with Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck) and Spaniard Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).

After an interruption of more than four months due to the coronavirus pandemic, a new chapter opens with the Spanish event which attracts a plateau of unprecedented quality.

Ecuadorian Ricardo Carapaz (Ineos), winner of the last Giro, Briton Simon Yates (Mitchelton), Spaniards Mikel Landa (Bahrain), Enric Mas and Marc Soler (Movistar), are also part of the contingent of 22 teams (including 14 WorldTour classed) which will line up at the start given in front of Burgos Cathedral.

Unbeaten in 2020, winner of the Tour of San Juan and the Tour of Algarve before the end of competitions in mid-March, Evenepoel is a real eye-catcher for this recovery.

The Belgian phenomenon (20 years old), who has not run since February 23, affirms his impatience: "Five months is a long time!".

For Evenepoel as for the other favorites, the expected test will take place on Thursday with the arrival at the top of Picon Blanco, a climb of more than 7 kilometers at more than 9% of average slope.

A favorable ground for the duo of South American climbers that Carapaz forms with the Colombian Ivan Sosa, winner of this stage and of the final classification last year.

Another summit finish (Lagunas de Neila), where Sosa had also won in 2019, is scheduled for climbers on Saturday.

As for the sprinters, foremost among them the Irishman Sam Bennett (Deceuninck), the Colombian Fernando Gaviria (UAE) and the French Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), they will have two clearly favorable stages, Wednesday and Friday.

"I am coming to the Tour de Burgos with good feelings and the feeling of a job accomplished," said Démare.

"Now, only the competition will bring us with certainty the final verdict. It's quite special to find ourselves with this uncertainty at the end of July. But that's also why I can't wait to hand out a bib."

© 2020 AFP