Two former top-tier professionals went head-to-head in a fast and furious sprint at the rescheduled UCI Gran Fondo La Nucia, a UCI Gran Fondo World Championships qualifier in Spain, on Saturday 07 November.
Dutchman Nick Van der Lijke and Spain’s Alejandro Valverde battled for victory after 132 km, 2,275 metres of climbing and 03:34:08 of racing. Van der Lijke, 35, took the win by a wheel, with Valverde finishing second. Guillaume Gerbaud was third, 10 seconds back.
The pairing brought plenty of history. Valverde, 46, is the 2018 world champion and 2009 Vuelta a España winner, with four Liège-Bastogne-Liège titles, five Flèche Wallonne victories and four Tour de France stage wins to his name. He now races on gravel and serves as Spain’s national team coach.
Van der Lijke, a former Dutch professional who raced for Team LottoNL-Jumbo and Belkin-Pro Cycling Team, among others, has also won the last two editions of UCI Millars Gran Fondo in Castellón.
The race made its UCI Gran Fondo World Series debut after Storm Adam forced organisers to cancel the original event scheduled for Sunday 18 October. It is a qualifying race for the 2027 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Haute-Savoie, France next August.
In the women’s 132 km race, Felicity Milton won in 04:06:06, finishing 1 minute 19 seconds ahead of Dana Rozlapa, with Joanna Kucinska 2 minutes 34 seconds back.
The 71 km medio fondo saw Ashley Holding lead a five-rider group across the line in 02:04:25. Mónica Daza Asumendi won the women’s medio fondo in 02:17:36.
View UCI Gran Fondo La Nucia results HERE
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