Preview Clasica Almeria 2024 | Super duo Wout van Aert/Olav Kooij back in action!

Looking at the honor roll of the Spanish February race, one can only conclude that this race is made for the men with turbo thighs. From Sam Bennett to Alexander Kristoff and from Mark Cavendish to Caleb Ewan; all of them have added the race to their list of honors in the past ten years.

Last year, we got a rather surprising winner in Matteo Moschetti. The small Italian from Q36.5 outpaced Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny), Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe) and Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) in the finish town of Roquetas de Mar.

2023 Matteo Moschetti
2022 Alexander Kristoff
2021 Giacomo Nizzolo
2020 Pascal Ackermann
2019 Pascal Ackermann
2018 Caleb Ewan
2017 Magnus Cort
2016 Leigh Howard
2015 Mark Cavendish
2014 Sam Bennett

Just like in the past editions, we won't finish in the city of Almeria, but in the nearby Roquetas de Mar. This is after 192.3 kilometers of racing, where we have to overcome the same decisive climbs as in previous years. The Alto Celin (7.0 kilometers at 4.6 percent) and Alto de Fuente Marbella (part of a three-stage rocket) are located in the first part of the course, so will this really affect the outcome of the race?

In recent years, it has not, so it pays to take a closer look at the final kilometers around Roquetas de Mar. As the crow flies, this place is not so far from the starting point in Puebla de Vicar, but still, the riders face a significant loop through southern Spain. The final kilometers are as we know them in the Clasica Almeria: nice and wide, clear, and relatively safe.

Weather
15 degrees Celsius, with sunshine and a light breeze coming from the south. What more can we say?

Times
Start: 1:00 PM
Finish: 5:41 PM

Here we once again have the super duo from the most recent Tour of Britain: Olav Kooij and Wout van Aert. The Dutchman and Belgian shook up the entire peloton there and might want to repeat that same trick in their first race together of 2024, also leading up to the Giro. Or will they choose, for example, to send Van Aert up front by himself in Spain, keeping the Kooij card up their sleeve? We will find out on Sunday!

Arnaud De Lie is also participating on behalf of Lotto-Dstny. The Belgian finished second in this race last year and is probably hoping to advance by precisely one spot. Jasper De Buyst and Florian Vermeersch, among others, will support him. Also, the first and third place finishers of the 2023 edition, Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5) and Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe), will be at the starting line in Almeria.

Intermarché-Wanty is lining up with their fast men Gerben Thijssen and Arne Marit, though it seems likely that the former, after his win in Mallorca, will be the team leader. UAE-Team Emirates has Juan Sebastian Molano on the provisional start list, although he recently withdrew after a crash in the AlUla Tour.

Uno-X, with Soren Waerenskjold, Magnus Cort and Rasmus Tiller, can also aim for a good result, while in terms of outsiders, we also consider Alberto Dainese, Matteo Trentin (Tudor), Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ), Ivan Garcia Cortina (Movistar), Piet Allegaert, Milan Fretin (Cofidis). And let's not forget the Arkea - B&B Hotels duo Florian Sénéchal and Arnaud Démare. Or will Rémi Cavagna shake things up on Sunday, on behalf of Movistar?

Top favorites: Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny)
Outsiders: Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty), Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe) and Juan Sebastián Molano (UAE-Team Emirates)
Long shots: Arnaud Démare (Arkea - B&B Hotels), Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5), Alberto Dainese, Matteo Trentin (Tudor), Magnus Cort, Soren Waerenskjold (Uno-X), Iván Garcia Cortina (Movistar), Milan Fretin(Cofidis) and Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ)

Anyone wanting to enjoy some great racing on Sunday afternoon can turn to the sports channel Eurosport. From 4:00 PM to 5:45 PM, you can tune into Eurosport 1 or log onto Eurosport.com to follow the Spanish race!