Women’s WorldTour racing resumes in Spain at the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas set to take place from May 18-21. The four-day race comes off the back of two of the nation’s other top-tier stages races La Vuelta Femenina, won by Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar), and Itzulia Women, won by Marlen Reusser (SD Worx).
Vuelta a Burgos is held across the hilly terrain and concludes with a mountaintop finish at Lagunas de Neila, where Juliette Labous (Team DSM) was crowned the overall champion in the 2022 edition.
The race will once again attract some of the strongest sprinters and climbers such as Demi Vollering and Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx). Vollering has proven to be in top form after a winning streak at the Ardennes Classics and finishing second overall at both La Vuelta Femenina and Itzulia Women.
Cyclingnews highlights some of the main talking points ahead of the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas
Join Cyclingnews’ coverage of 2023 Vuelta a Burgos Feminas and check back after the event for the full race reports, results, photo galleries, storylines and race analysis
Lagunas de Neila to crown overall champion
This year’s route varies compared to last year, but the most significant point of the race remains the final stage to the Lagunas de Neila. The 12km climb reaches 1,870 metres in altitude, and while the average gradient is 6.3%, there are pitches as steep as 11.7%.
The three stages before the finale offer undulating terrain, particularly on stage 1, into Medina de Pomar, and stage 2 into Lerma, which could cater to a breakaway or reduced sprint. Stage 3 could present an opportunity for the pure sprinters.
The final day of racing will be a day for the climbers, but as Labous showed last year, a strong and tactical racer could ride away with the whole show. The French woman started the day 15 seconds off the overall lead but then was the strongest of a breakaway that entered onto the slopes of the Lagunas de Neila.
Although Vollering caught her and won the stage, Labous held on to finish second on the day and secured the overall title. Watch for this year’s winner to make her move on this decisive ascent.
SD Worx relaxed
It was a stellar Spring Classics season for SD Worx, and particularly Vollering, where she won Strade Bianche, Dwars door Vlaanderen, and all three of the Ardennes Classics.
Now that the season has transitioned to stage races,…
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