Klasika Primavera to end Basque week

By Monika Prell

For Basque cycling fans, a week full of exciting racing and high emotions is drawing to a close. Last Saturday, Gerolsteiner's Fabian Wegmann took his second win in the Gran Premio Miguel Indurain and throughout this week, Spaniard Alberto Contador rode to an emotional victory at the challenging Vuelta al País Vasco.

One more event remains – the Klasika Primavera, a race where traditionally most of the ProTour teams that participated in the Vuelta al País Vasco will start. Teams that did not find victory during the first two races have another chance.

The race consists of two parts, the first 92 of the 171.6 kilometers are flat. The peloton will pass three times through the small village of Amorebieta before going for the second part, in which six mountain classifications await the riders: three on the Alto de Autzagane (category three) and three on the Alto de Muniketagane (category two).

Caisse d'Epargne will send a strong team with last year's winner Joaquím Rodríguez, Alejandro Valverde and David López. Euskaltel - Euskadi will participate with their team from the Vuelta al País Vasco plus Dioni Galparsoro and Aitor Galdos. CSC, Liquigas, Lampre, AG2R and Saunier Duval will also send their País Vasco teams, profiting from the early start at 9:15 am, before flying home.