The Spanish UCI Gravel event taking place this weekend in Berja in the Almeria province is a challenging one as the 96km course starts from an altitude of 300m above the sea near the start and finish line to a maximum elevation of almost 2100m halfway the course on the heights of the Sierra Nevada. Apart from the paved start and finish sections, the course is a splendid gravel track and is mainly in reverse way compared to the 2023 edition.
There is also a shorter 51km course making a shortcut and counting as qualifier distance for the men over 60 and women over 50.
Alejandro Valverde won the edition of last year and will try to renew that victory again. He will get competition from 1085 riders at the start representing 26 different nationalities.
On the female side, the main favourites are last year’s winner Carolin Schiff (GER), MTB national champion Natalia Fischer and Jade Treffeisen (GER)
On the male side, Valverde will battle with former Tour de France yellow jersey Jan Bakelants (BEL), Spanish MTB marathon champion Sergio Mantecon, Mattia de Marchi (ITA), Freddy Ovett (AUS), Christian Kreuchler (GER) and Ryan Christensen (NZL).
