Preview Vuelta a Murcia 2026 stage 2 - Is Tom Pidcock's climbing power enough to defeat Marc Soler's UAE?
Cycling
The Vuelta a Murcia will be taking place from the 13th to the 14th of February, having a two-day format this year. The race provides stages for the sprinters, classics specialists and climbers to build on their form towards bigger goals this spring, whilst providing reputable wins for those who venture out in southern Spain. We preview stage 2, which is estimated to start and finish at 11:15 and 15:30CET.
The Vuelta a Murcia is a race with tremendous history, decades of some of Spains' very best who have taken part in it and have won it as well. Pedro Delgado won the initial edition of the race back in 1981 whilst Miguel Induráin was the winner in 1986, both of which far before going on to Tour de France glory.
he race continued to feature prominent national and international start's throughout 1990's with Marco Pantani winning it in 1999 whilst being the Giro and Tour de France's reigning champion; Whilst this century Murcia's very own Alejandro Valverde won the race on five times in total. The likes of Denis Menchov, Alberto Contador (who was stripped of his in in 2011), Nairo Quintana and Philippe Gilbert also stand on the race's palmarès. On some years, this was a one-day race, and this has been the case since 2021. Last year it was Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team's Jan Christen who took a surprising victory in the sprint.
Profile stage 2: Murcia - Santomera
Stage 2: Murcia - Santomera, 178 kilometers
The second and queen stage of the race features a route that is more widely known by the riders, starting off from the city of Murcia and then climbing the Alto Collado Bermejo, which is 16 kilometers long at 5.5%. However, the climb is positioned in the first third of the day, and it may very well not have an effect on the outcome of the race.
Most likely, the riders will save their legs towards the ascent to Cresta del Gallo, which is 4.4 kilometers long at 6.6%, and ends with 23 kilometers to go. This ascent should split the peloton up into bits, and then the riders that remain close to the front can battle it out for the win in either a small group sprint or through tactical racing in the flat arrival to Santomera.
The wind will blow again and so we could see more chaos happening in Murcia. However, the climbs is where we will look at, where UAE now has the responsibility to defend Marc Soler's lead. Usually, they will be able to do this as he is a strong climber, the team has good support specially in Tim Wellens and Igor Arrieta - but also in Julius Johansen, if the crosswinds affect the race, and the final climb is not hard enough to destroy the peloton and keep the gaps over the flat section.
However, Tom Pidcock looked very strong today and is also a very good descender, which means we may see dangerous moves, specially if there is an alliance with someone like Pello Bilbao or Héctor Alvaréz.
Prediction Vuelta a Murcia 2026 stage 2:
*** Tom Pidcock, Héctor Alvaréz
** Pello Bilbao, Tim Wellens,
* Quinten Hermans, Matej Mohoric, Marc Soler, Andrea Raccagni, Simone Velasco, Raul García Pierna, Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda, Jon Barrenetxa, Matyas Kopecky
** Pello Bilbao, Tim Wellens,
* Quinten Hermans, Matej Mohoric, Marc Soler, Andrea Raccagni, Simone Velasco, Raul García Pierna, Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda, Jon Barrenetxa, Matyas Kopecky
Pick: Héctor Alvaréz
How: Small group sprint.
Original: Rúben Silva
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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