The last month of summer kicks off with the season’s 27th World Tour race.
The course of this 45th Clasica San Sebastian has retained all the elements that have made it one of the most spectacular and demanding one-day races in the world. The 221.1km route, starting and finishing on the famous Boulevard de Donostia, will see the peloton tackle seven ascents - including the iconic Jaizkibel - that will make for a cumulative elevation gain of more than 4000 meters.
A selection could happen long before the final climb, but it’s very likely that the winner will once again emerge on the ultra-steep gradients of Murgil-Tontorra, a 2.1km hill averaging 10.1% and packed with fans that gives absolutely no moment of respite, from whose top only eight kilometers remain.
Our team, who holds the record for most wins in Clasica San Sebastian (six with four different riders), will be at the start of the World Tour event with a strong squad led by Mikel Landa. The Basque, a top ten finisher here on two occasions, is set to make his first outing since the Tour de Suisse, part of a squad that will also include Gianmarco Garofoli, Alberto Dainese, Martin Svrcek, Dylan van Baarle, Mauri Vansevenant and Filippo Zana.
Clasica San Sebastian is a beautiful but hard race, with many climbs and some really steep gradients that can make the difference.
- Soudal Quick-Step sports director Wilfried Peeters -
“We have many guys who will be present there after completing an altitude training camp, we have Dylan coming from the Tour, but also Mikel, who has started his preparations for the Vuelta without any pressure. The riders are motivated and we hope to get a nice result at the end of the day”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Wilfried Peeters.
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel
