PREVIEW | Vuelta a Burgos 2023 - Primoz Roglic's test before Vuelta a Espana

Profile. From the 15th to 19th of August the peloton takes on the Vuelta a Burgos. One of the many Spanish races at this time of the year and perhaps the most important preparation race ahead of the Vuelta a Espana.

The race starts off in the city of Burgos itself, where the first stage will end. Not a pan-flat day by any chance but the best and likely only opportunity for the fast men in this race. This year the riders do not go up to the cathedral but instead have a flat finish in the city center.

The second day of racing is one of the very few team time-trials of the year. It is 13.1 kilometers long, not too long so that it doesn't create huge differences in the overall classification but big enough to create gaps. Interestingly, the finale is not flat, into Poza de la Sal the riders find a slight rise which is around 2 kilometers at 5%.

Stage 3 of the race is a tricky but very difficult one. The arrival into Villarcayo is not too difficult but the first section of the day features several explosive ascents, and the day is headlined by the climb to Picón Blanco which is 7.8 kilometers at 9%, is a regular on this race and a climb where serious differences can be made.

A hilly day in the fourth stage of the race. A day for breakaway specialists to hunt, but for puncheurs to also test their sharpness. It's a day where massive watts can be expected at both it's start and end. The finale itself in Pradoluengo is 2 .1 kilometers long at 5.4%, not a climb to set differences between the GC favourites but we can expect them to be trying to capitalize on the difficult terrain the day has to offer.

As always, the race reaches Lagunas de Neila. Wrapping up this year's edition once again, the final day of the Vuelta a Burgos is mostly flat but with the brutal summit finish. The 161-kilometer stage ends with the climb that features 7 kilometers at 8.7%, however the second half of the climb is considerably steeper and less constant.

Prediction Vuelta a Burgos 2023 overall classification:

*** Primoz Roglic
** Adam Yates, Aleksandr Vlasov
* Attila Valter, Einer Rubio, Jay Vine, Santiago Buitrago, Damiano Caruso, Lennard Kämna, Jefferson Alexander Cepeda

Pick: Primoz Roglic