The route will be official on January 10, but it is expected that it will cross two other countries, possibly Andorra and France (Tourmalet).
MADRID, 1 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The general director of La Vuelta, Javier Guillén, announced that the route of the next edition, which will take place from August 26 to September 17 between Barcelona and Madrid, will be “very mountainous” and “international” because it will cross two other countries, in possible reference to Andorra and France, with the ascent to the mythical Tourmalet.
In an Informative Meeting of Europa Press, together with the executive director of Carrefour Spain, Alexandre de Palmas, Javier Guillén did not want to give many details of the official route of La Vuelta in 2023, which will be made public on January 10 in an act at the Palau of the Music of Barcelona.
However, the director of La Vuelta announced that “it is more or less done”. “It will be a very mountainous and international Tour, with a presence in at least two more countries. It begins on August 26, with the Cycling World Cup before the race. We understand that it will not have a negative effect, but the route will be more spectacular and more media,” he said.
“It will be a Tour that will be decided at the end, no one will relax at the end. We are working on a last stage that breaks with the profile of so many classic mountain passes. Everything is planned for it to be decided there. It will be a Tour to the taste of the fan”, he underlined about the next edition, which will have a “powerful start” from Barcelona 60 years later.
From Unipublic, organizer of the test, they want the third weekend of the race “to be very powerful, with attractive stages.” Thus, there will be a stage through the Community of Madrid, in addition to “seven high finishes”. “If the Vuelta were to Tourmalet, Biescas would be a good place,” he commented on the possibility of starting to climb the mountain pass located in the center of the French Pyrenees, which will become next year “a great cycling reference”.
“The mountain is going to decide La Vuelta, there is going to be a time trial and we wanted to reinforce the last week. This year we are especially excited that the best Spaniards and some internationals come. It would be extraordinary news if Pogacar came. Last year he said that He came and he didn’t, I hope he comes”, he added.
After confirming that he will be in the 2023 Giro, Remco Evenepoel, champion of La Vuelta 2022, could also repeat in the next edition of the Spanish round. “To the riders, if you give them the choice between winning La Vuelta or leaving a week before to prepare for the World Cup -which on this occasion will be held before the Spanish round-, the answer is clear. La Vuelta’s participation in the last years has always been one of the best,” he said.
Finally, Guillén remembered the Italian cyclist Davide Rebellin, who died this Wednesday at the age of 51 after being run over while training with his bicycle in Montebello Vicentino (Italy). “He is great and passionate about cycling. One more accident and one more drama, one more proof of the fragility of the cyclist on the road. I wish this could be the last, vehicles and cyclists must be made aware, we have to be responsible,” he concluded.