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Murcia - Almeria - Jaén, February 11th, 12th & 13th

3 Spanish one day races in 3 days time.

Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia Costa Calida (1.1)

Basically same route as last year when Covi won after a late attack. Last kilometers are different tho. They finish on a little hill (around 800 at 5.7%) with a lot of corners in the last km. Positioning is key. Headwind in the last 40km might make it hard to avoid some sort of reduced uphill group sprint.

vuelta-ciclista-a-la-region-de-murcia-2023-result-profile-2d4ef75d83.jpg


vuelta-ciclista-a-la-region-de-murcia-2023-result-climb-n2-1d9607bbb1.jpg

vuelta-ciclista-a-la-region-de-murcia-2023-result-climb-n3-9bb65fbccc.jpg


Last 800m: https://veloviewer.com/segments/30112285

Favorites: Coquard, UAE (Trentin, Hirschi, Covi, Wellens, ...), Kron, Madouas, Rota, Clarke, Louvel, Barguil, Sanchez, Van Eetvelt, Zimmermann, Turner, Izagirre, ...

Full startlist: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/vuelta-ciclista-a-la-region-de-murcia/2023/startlist


Clasica de Almeria (1.Pro)

Should be a bunch sprint, but there is some serieus NE wind (>30km/u) expected. Echelons are definitely possible on some parts of the parcours, but it will be a headwind mainly I fear.

clasica-de-almeria-2023-result-profile-2fbf913b06.jpg


Favorites: De Lie, Gaviria, Bouhanni, Girmay (I thought he was in Eritrea but ok), Kristoff, Nizzolo, Meeus, Tesson, Coquard, ...

Full startlist: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/clasica-de-almeria/2023/result/startlist

Jaén Paraiso Interior (1.1)

Gravel!!! Last year was the first edition, won by a extremely dominant Lutsenko. Different route this year tho. Longer gravel climbs are in the first part of the race while they were in the 2nd pars last year. Final parcours has a 5km gravel section with a 1km climb in it. Very technical final through the city of Baeza. First 2023 race for Tadej Pogacar!!!

clasica-jaen-paraiso-interior-2023-result-profile-3d0ed24a6b.jpg


Favorites: Pogacar, rest of UAE, Rota, Zimmermann, Louvel, Barguil, Martin, Geschke, Kron, Van Eetvelt, Vliegen, Swift, Battistella, Clarke

Not so full startlist: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/clasica-jaen-paraiso-interior/2023/result/startlist
 
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Jaén Paraiso Interior (1.1)

Gravel!!! Last year was the first edition, won by a extremely dominant Lutsenko. Different route this year tho. Longer gravel climbs are in the first part of the race while they were in the 2nd pars last year. Final parcours has a 5km gravel section with a 1km climb in it. Very technical final through the city of Baeza. First 2023 race for Tadej Pogacar!!!

clasica-jaen-paraiso-interior-2023-result-profile-3d0ed24a6b.jpg


Favorites: Pogacar, rest of UAE, Rota, Zimmermann, Louvel, Barguil, Martin, Geschke, Kron, Van Eetvelt, Vliegen, Swift, Battistella, Clarke

Not so full startlist: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/clasica-jaen-paraiso-interior/2023/result/startlist
Looks a lot cooler than last year when it was just a gravel climb repeated 4 times mostly. This looks like a worthy parallel to Strade Bianche.
 
Looks a lot cooler than last year when it was just a gravel climb repeated 4 times mostly. This looks like a worthy parallel to Strade Bianche.

Yeah won't just be the best climber that wins easily. Well, Pogacar can still win obviously.

I think it was 2 different climbs that they did 2 times last year and not the same one 4 times, but they looked like the same climb. A long 4km stretch uphill. Anyways your point still stands obviously.
 
Yeah won't just be the best climber that wins easily. Well, Pogacar can still win obviously.

I think it was 2 different climbs that they did 2 times last year and not the same one 4 times, but they looked like the same climb. A long 4km stretch uphill. Anyways your point still stands obviously.
In between, actually: they did climb 1 - climb 2 - climb 1 - climb 1. Climb 1 is this year's sector 3, climb 2 is the first part of sector 4, every other sterrato sector is new.
 
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Snow on the big climb so parcours changes... Guess they will be getting rid of it. Will make the race even easier.

What's up with the weather in Spain lately. First Mallorca now this one.

EDIT: Yeah the Collado Bermejo recplaced by some 3rd category climb. With the headwind in the last 40k I really don't see how this won't be just a bunchsprint uphill and Coquard winning it. Going to be messy when they come into the last kms with those turns and probably a bigger bunch than expected.
 
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In a perfect world, all race organisations would have the money to have full-coverage of every race, and it would be easily available everywhere. Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world.

Clearly you need to attend all .1 races and buy the huge amount of alcohol you consume there, instead of going to your local Lidl, so they'll get the money to put them on TV :p
 
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Clearly you need to attend all .1 races and buy the huge amount of alcohol you consume there, instead of going to your local Lidl, so they'll get the money to put them on TV :p

I don't consume that much alcohol...
And while it's quite easy to watch multiple races on "TV" at the same time, physically attending multiple races at the same time is somewhat more complicated.
 
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