While northern Europe is in the grip of winter, here in southern Spain spring
is rapidly approaching. Since early January, I have encountered the
professional cycling teams training on the mountain roads around here, and this
week the first proper race of the season is on, a 5-day Vuelta de la Comunidad
Valenciana. Yesterday was the third stage, starting in Orihuela south of
Alicante, going through the city and then finishing in the mountains above
Alicante—my own playground. Yesterday, I left work early and drove to the
highest point of the stage, Puerto de Tibi, where the riders would arrive with
more than 120 km in their legs and after a 5 km climb at 7% average grade.
I like to photograph cycling, because in no other sport can you get so close to
the athletes. And I always try to find a spot at the end of a long climb. At
that point the peleton is broken into several smaller groups, and the speed is
slower, so it is easier to focus. The Vuelta de la Comunidad Valenciana is not
a race that attracts the very top riders like Vingegaard or Pogacar but this
year’s edition does have the third-best cyclist in the world, Remco Evenpoel.
Going into today’s 4th (and penultimate) stage, he is in 6th place, just 9
seconds behind the leader Biniam Girmay from Eritrea, the only African cyclist
on the pro circuit.
A small gallery is here:
https://www.greatpix.eu/Vuelta-de-la-Comunidad-Valenciana-2026
As always, comments and critique are welcome and appreciated.
Nathan
Nathan Wajsman
photo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
http://www.greatpix.eu
http://www.frozenlight.eu
@nwajsman.bsky.social
Слава Україні! Героям слава!
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