From the 2nd to the 6th of August the Spanish block of racing will continue as the riders will travel to Burgos to what is perhaps the most important preparation race for the Vuelta a Espana: the Vuelta a Burgos, which will include days for the sprinters, climbers and puncheurs.
The five-day race begins with a loop around the city of Burgos, a classic start which sees the riders go up the small hilltop at the Burgos castle (900 meters at 5.3%) for what is usually a very open finale where several types of riders can succeed. Stage two will not be a pan-flat day, however will be the best opportunity for the sprinters as the finale in Villadiego is flat - with a hilltop inside the final 10 kilometers set to be complicated however.
The third stage will be a test for the climbers, a short stage into Vilarcayo which will see the riders go up the Picon Blanco (7.9Km; 9.2%). Although being the hardest ascent in the race, it's placed far from the finish so it opens up the tactics and the possibilities in terms of racing, however it is a very important day for the overall classification. Stage four will take the riders into Ciudad Romana de Clunia, a mostly flat stage however with another hilltop finish of 2.1Km at 4.9%, suited to the puncheurs.
The final and queen stage will, as traditional, see the riders go up to the Lagunas de Neila. It is mostly another flat stage except for the final which will be very hard and see crucial gaps. The final ascent is 12 kilometers long at 6.2% average gradient, however the final four kilometers see the grades be significantly steeper.
Stage 1: Burgos - Burgos (Castillo), 157Km
Stage 2: Vivar el Cid - Villadiego, 158Km
Stage 3: Quintana Martín Galíndez - Villarcayo, 156Km
Stage 4: Torresandino - Ciudad Romana de Clunia, 169Km
Stage 5: Lermas - Lagunas de Neila, 170Km
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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- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
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- Very true.awp10-11-2026
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- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
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