Vuelta a Burgos 2023

Vuelta a Burgos 2023 overview

The Vuelta a Burgos was created in 1946 and despite not being a WorldTour race, it has become a hotly-contested prize in its own right. Taking place towards the end of summer, this year August 15-19, it has become a perfect warm-up race for the Vuelta a España and regularly some of the world’s best climbers head to Spain early in order to test themselves on challenging climbs. This year is no different, with Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) headlining the startlist.

Eight WorldTour teams, six ProTeams and one Continental team will line up at this year’s race, with Bora-Hansgrohe, Bahrain Victorious and UAE Team Emirates all bringing strong teams to challenge Jumbo-Visma. Ineos Grenadiers sealed the overall win with Pavel Sivakov last year, but will not be back to defend their crown.

Instead, the likes of Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates), Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) and Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) may all be in contention for victory. Yates and Kämna may take up dual-leadership roles alongside teammates Jay Vine and Aleksandr Vlasov, respectively.

The format of the race has stayed largely the same since its inception in 1946, with each edition featuring five gruelling stages in and around the mountainous Burgos province of northern Spain. Over the past few years, the race has typically started with a rolling stage around the city of Burgos, the capital city of the eponymously named province. The race has then tended to head north to the mountains that straddle the Burgos-Cantabria border for a mid-race summit finish, often on top of the monstrously steep Picón Blanco - an 8.5km-long climb with an average gradient of 9% and several ramps teetering on 20%. The climb features once more on stage 3 this time around but preludes another category 3 test before the finish.

The organisers don’t just stop there with the climbing, after shuffling the GC on the Picón Blanco halfway through the race the organisers then throw in the classic summit finish to Lagunas de Neila on the final day to draw everything to a close. This particular climb has played host to the finale of the Vuelta a Burgos every year since 2015. At 11km in length, with an average gradient of 6% and ramps of 17% in the final 4km, it’s clear to see why the GC is often decided on this mountain.

Vuelta a Burgos 2023 key information

All the important details you need to know about this year's Vuelta a Burgos.

Dates: August 15 - 19, 2023

Country: Spain

Category: 2.Pro

Editions: 42 (as of 2022)

First winner: Bernardo Capó

Most recent winner: Pavel Sivakov

Vuelta a Burgos 2023 route

Starting in Villalba de Duero and finishing atop the Lagunas de Neila climb, this five-day stage race will test riders on a lot of different terrains around the Burgos region.

Stage 1: Villalba de Duero → Burgos (161km)

Stage 2: Oña → Poza de la Sal (TTT) (13.2km)

Stage 3: Sargentes de la Lora → Villarcayo (182.1km)

Stage 4: Santa Gadea del Cid → Praduluengo (156km)

Stage 5: Golmayo → Lagunas de Neila (160km)

Vuelta a Burgos 2023 contenders

The big favourite heading into the Vuelta a Burgos simply has to be Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), who is among a fleet of riders using the race as their final tune-up before the Vuelta a España gets underway in Barcelona.

The Jumbo-Visma leader has favoured fewer race days over the last couple of years and this has continued once more, with Roglič not having raced since he won the Giro d’Italia in May. As such, he should be well prepared and raring to go - especially given the tough start to the Vuelta that means no favourite can afford to begin the race still riding into form.

It is not all about Roglič at the Vuelta a Burgos, however, with the Slovenian set to be challenged by the likes of Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) and Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious). Caruso is a diesel engine who prefers to chip away at his rivals over the course of three weeks, whilst Yates is often more of a contender in the week-long stage races, thereby offering him the advantage heading into the five-day Vuelta a Burgos.

Yates is a rider who has always flourished in stage races, winning the likes of the Volta a Catalunya, UAE Tour, Tour de Romandie and Deutschland Tour throughout the course of his career. He found the best form of his life to finish third at the Tour de France in July and this will give him the confidence to go on the offensive in the Vuelta a Burgos. He will likely be Roglič’s closest contender.

Elsewhere, keep an eye on Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe), who will seek to lay down a marker ahead of the Vuelta a España, Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious), a rider enjoying the best season of his blossoming career, and Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates), who will be hoping the second half of his season is blessed with better luck than the first.

Vuelta a Burgos 2023 teams

Eight WorldTour teams, six ProTeams and one Continental team will be on the start line for stage 1, most building towards the start of the Vuelta a España.

• AG2R Citroën
• Astana Qazaqstan
• Bahrain Victorious
• Bora-Hansgrohe
• EF Education-EasyPost
• Jumbo-Visma
• Movistar
• UAE Team Emirates
• Burgos BH
• Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
• Equipo Kern Pharma
• Euskaltel-Euskadi
• EOLO-Kometa
• Q36.5 Pro Cycling
• Electro Hiper Europa

Vuelta a Burgos history

The home nation dominates the winners’ list in this race, with 29 wins from a total of 44 editions. It’s the Colombians that have taken the most overall victories in the last nine years however, with four titles courtesy of Nairo Quintana (2013 and 2014) and Iván Ramiro Sosa (2018 and 2019). Last year Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers) took the win, ahead of his now-future UAE Team Emirates teammate João Almeida.

Major Races

See All

Date	Event	Class
29 Jun - 21 Jul	Tour de France	2.UWT
12 Aug - 18 Aug	Tour de France Femmes	2.WWT
4 May - 26 May	Giro d'Italia	2.UWT
28 Apr - 5 May	Vuelta España Femenina	2.WWT

Provided by FirstCycling