Inside the Ruta del Sol
Take an inside look at the early season Spanish race as riders and teams prepare for a stage on the Ruta del Sol. Photos by Chris Catchpole
As early season races go, the Ruta del Sol is certainly a toughie. A split stage on day one with a road race and a time trial, as well as two category one summit finishes later in the race, riders have little time to find their race legs if they're hoping to pull out a result .
>>> Ruta del Sol day one in pictures
But it's also the first time for many riders that they'll be taking new bikes, setups and kit into competitive action, and for some possibly the start of racing with a whole new team.
Cycling Weekly's Chris Catchpole took his camera out to Andalucia to catch an inside glimpse at the five-day spanish race.
An Ag2r team Focus Izalco max wait for its rider by the team bus entrance
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Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
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