PREVIEW | Gran Camiño 2023 - Jonas Vingegaard looks to open season up with a bang

Preview. From the 23rd to 26th of February 2023 the riders will face another challenge in Spain, this time one of the country's most recent stage-races taking place in Galicia: O Gran Camiño.

Stage 1 will see the riders have their easiest day, one however where there are 3000 meters of climbing. The region is packed with nothing but mountains, and although the opening day lacks any majour climb in it's second half, there are at least five hilltops where there can be attacks. The latter has 5.4 kilometers at 3.9% summiting with just 13 kilometers to go, before a downhill finish into Sarria.

Stage 2 will take place mostly close to the Atlantic, heading south. The finish will be at the very southwestern tip of Galicia - and the northwestern tip of Portugal. After a 2.8-kilometer climb at 6.6% the riders head towards Monte Trega for a summit finish. The climb is 3.9 kilometers at 7.1%, with the final climb seeing the riders detour into an ancient cobbled section before the panoramic view at the top.

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Stage 3 is the queen stage of the race, without a doubt. It's a tough race but here the differences can be colossal, with a very tough start packed with small climbs, but the main ascent of the day will be a much bigger challenge. Ridden twice, with 54 and 30 kilometers to go, the climb to the Alto de Santa Marina is 5.5 kilometers at 10.3%. The finale will be atop another ascent however, into Rubiá. The final climb is 6.7 kilometers long at 6.3%, but it does feature 800 meters at 13% in it's middle. 

The final day of the race will be a 17.9-kilometer long time-trial from Novo Milladoiro to Santiago de Compostela. The city has already hosted finales of the Vuelta a Espana but will receive the end of Gran Camino this year. It is a hilly time-trial, a very difficult and hard to gauge challenge against the clock. It features some small ascents and sharp efforts, where the overall classification will be sealed.

The startlist includes riders such as: Ruben Guerreiro, Iván Sosa, Jesús Herrada, Ion Izagirre, Rohan Dennis, Attila Valter, Jonas Vingegaard and Lorenzo Fortunato.

*** Jonas Vingegaard
** Ruben Guerreiro, Jesús Herrada
* Ion Izagirre, Rohan Dennis, Attila Valter, Iván Sosa, Rubén Fernandez, David de la Cruz

Pick: Jonas Vingegaard