The Clásica Araba, with points at stake for the Spanish Cup, and the Nafarroa Klasikoa, two one-day events this weekend
11 june: III Clásica Araba Vitoria-Gasteiz / Copa de España
Vitoria-Gasteiz – Vitoria-Gasteiz (107,2 km)
The Eguzkilore club from Alava is setting up this Saturday a young race, but with a very promising future. After the first two experiences in Maeztu (2000, 2001), the third edition of the Clásica de Álava comes this time to the populous Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The event in the capital of Alava, the second most populated city in terms of population in the Basque Country, will be the fourth and penultimate race of the current edition of the Spanish Cup, led by Pablo Lospitao from Extremadura, with David Puente in fourth place. The Cantabrian from Guriezo will be part of an eight that will be completed by Nigl Aguilera, Joel Diaz, Álex García, Lucas Guillermo, César Pérez, Manuel Sanroma and the Hungarian Balint Feldhoffer.
The Clásica Araba-Vitoria-Gasteiz has a very interesting profile. The riders will have to manage three laps of a circuit of more than 35 kilometres that enters the Condado de Treviño and which has two climbs: Vitoria (4.5 km at 3.4%) and Zaldiaran (6.5 km at 3.8%).
12 june: I Clásica Navarra Nafarroa Klasikoa
Tafalla – Tafalla (115,5 km)
Even younger if possible is the Nafarroa Klasikoa Clásica de Navarra on the following day. The race faces what will be its first edition and is born, blessed by the federative foral authorities, with the vocation of changing its route and the club in charge of the organisation from year to year. For the debut, this honour falls to the Club Ciclista Tafallés.
The EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team will take part with the same team that will compete 24 hours earlier in Alava, with the only exception of the departure of Joel Díaz to form a team of seven participants.
The route, of more than 115 kilometres, has three punctuated climbs (Artajona, 2 km at 5%; Olleta, 4.9 km at 5.1% and Tirapu, 3.2 km at 5.8%) and some more short walls, but with important slopes that do not score for this classification. Nor will an enclave score that could be important in the fight for the win: a second pass over the Alto de Artajona, which will be crowned seven kilometres from the finish line.
[📷 Roberto Menéndez / Ciclismo en Asturias (1)]
