By Antonio J. Salmerón
The 28th Vuelta a Burgos, which was presented on Saturday, will be disputed from august 6-10. The race is divided into five stages, of which the third one is against the clock over 13 kilometres, and the fourth one will finish on the top of Lagos de Neila - likely to be the decisive stage.
Race director Gregorio Moreno confirmed that the Basque Euskaltel-Euskadi rider Iban Mayo will participate. And as far as ProTour leader Alejandro Valverde goes, Moreno said that, "His participation will depend on a final physical examination" which will take place next weekend in Murcia.
The first stage is between Briviesca and Medina de Pomar, over a route of 178 kilometres. The second will start in Aranda de Duero and the arrival is in Roa de Duero, after 158 kilometres. The third is the 13 km time trial, and the fourth ends on the Lagos de Neila. The final stage will finish in Burgos after 174 kilometres.
18 teams will take part in the Vuelta a Burgos, and seven of them are UCI Pro Tour teams: Euskaltel Euskadi, Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears, Astaná, Saunier Duval Prodir, Rabobank and Milram. Nine are continental professional: Kaiku, Comunidad Valencian, Relax Gam, Andalucía Paul Versán, 3 Molinos Resort Murcia Turística, Chocolade Jacques, Unibet, Acqua e Sapone, Landbouwkrediet Colnago and Androni Giocattoli, and there are two continental teams, Vine Magna Cropu and Nicolas Mateos Murcia.
The stages
Stage 1 - August 6: Briviesca - Medina de Pomar, 178 km
Stage 2 - August 7: Aranda de Duero - Roa de Duero, 158 km
Stage 3 - August 8: Lerma - Lerma ITT, 13 km
Stage 4 - August 9: Vilviestre - Lagos de Neila, 148.8 km
Stage 5 - August 10: Miranda de Ebro - Burgos, 174 km
