Setmana Ciclista Valenciana 2024

The first European stage race of the season gives riders the chance to show off their early spring form

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Setmana Ciclista Valenciana

Dates 15 Feb - 18 Feb
Race Length 477 kms
Race Category Elite Women

Published: November 29, 2023

Setmana Ciclista Valenciana 2024 overview

The Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana, to give it its full name, is the first important European stage race on the women's calendar. Although it’s not a WorldTour event, the February race always attracts a strong field and produces an exciting few days of racing, with the stage racers and sprinters alike keen for a pre-Classics tune-up in the more forgiving Spanish climate. For any team who didn’t head to Australia for the Tour Down Under, this is often their first stage race of the year, and it’s a chance for riders to scope each other out early on in the season.

The prestige of this 2.Pro race can be seen in its list of former winners, with Annemiek van Vleuten, Anna van der Breggen and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig among the roll of honour in the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana’s eight-year history.

Taking place over four days, the race usually combines flat stages, a couple of more rolling days, and a key climbing stage, where the GC is usually decided. Taking place in and around Valencia on the east coast of Spain, the weather is usually agreeable and the riders come into the race with sunny training camp form.

Setmana Ciclista Valenciana 2024 key information

When is the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana 2024? This year’s Setmana Ciclista Valenciana takes place from February 15 to 18.

Where does the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana 2024 take place? As the name suggests, the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana takes place in the community of Valencia, which is in the east of Spain. The route usually stays quite close to the coast, with visits to Altea, Gandia and Sagunt common inclusions.

Who won the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana in 2023? The 2023 race was won by Justine Ghekiere, who took the lead from her AG Insurance Soudal Quick-Step teammate Ashleigh Moolman Pasio with a final-day breakaway effort.

When did Setmana Ciclista Valenciana start? The first edition of the race was in 2017, and it was won by Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.

Who has the most wins at the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana? The rider with the most overall wins at the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana is Annemiek van Vleuten, who took back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. Elisa Balsamo has the most stage wins, with three.

Setmana Ciclista Valenciana 2024 route

The route for the 2024 Setmana Ciclista Valenciana has not yet been confirmed. Check back here for details soon.

Which teams are racing the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana 2024?

The startlist for the 2024 Setmana Ciclista Valenciana has not yet been confirmed, but is expected to feature a mixture of Women’s WorldTour teams, Continental teams, and Spanish squads.

What happened at the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana 2023?

The 2023 Setmana Ciclista Valenciana was won by Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance Soudal Quick-Step) after her efforts in the breakaway on the final stage saw her leapfrog previous leader and teammate Ashleigh Moolman Pasio in the overall standings. Ghekiere didn’t win the fourth stage - that went to Elise Uijen (Team DSM) - but the remaining escapees had enough time to secure the overall title for Ghekiere.

Moolman Pasio had taken the race lead the day previously, winning a hilly stage 3 ahead of Amanda Spratt (Trek-Segafredo) and Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) in a three-up sprint in Altea. The first two stages, which were flatter, were both won by Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) in sprint finishes, with the returning Lotta Henttala (AG Insurance Soudal Quick-Step) finishing second on both occasions.

Setmana Ciclista Valenciana history

The Setmana Ciclista Valenciana was first raced in 2017, and it is organised by the local cycling federation in Valencia. It forms part of a mini Spanish block, preceded by the Vuelta CV Feminas and followed by the Clasica de Almeria in a small series of post-training camp races for the women’s peloton.

From its first edition, despite not being a WorldTour race, its place in the calendar and attractive location and parcours have ensured plenty of strong riders have turned up. The first edition in 2017 was won by Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig ahead of Arlenis Sierra and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, before Hannah Barnes and Clara Koppenburg took the titles the following two years.

In 2020, the race was one of the few races to go ahead in the early season before the pandemic shut racing down, and that year it was Anna van der Breggen who took the title, whilst Demi Vollering - then on Parkhotel Valkenburg - showed early signs of her climbing abilities with a third-overall finish.

In 2021 and 2022, Annemiek van Vleuten completely dominated the race, winning both editions by clear margins in what were essentially extended pre-race training blocks for the unstoppable Dutch stage racer. She just missed out on a third victory in 2023, mainly down to losing the sprint for the win on the Queen stage behind Moolman Pasio and Spratt.