On Wednesday February 18, the Vuelta Ciclista a Andalucía starts, a five-day Spanish stage race also known as the Ruta del Sol. It’s the first race of the season for Jurgen Van den Broeck, who finished second overall two years ago.

On the first day of the Ruta del Sol two stages are scheduled. First there’s a stage of 118.3 kilometres, then a time trial of 8.2 kilometres. There are two short hills in the time trial in Coria del Río. In the second stage, on Thursday, the riders go from Utrera to Lucena. The stage is mainly flat but at nine kilometres from the finish there’s a climb of third category which can cause a split in the peloton. On the third day it’s the first summit finish. There are two climbs of first and second category on the route.  The strongest riders can make the difference on the Alto de Hazallanas, a 7.3 kilometres long climb. Also the next day there’s a serious amount of climbing to do. After three climbs of third category the finish lies on top of the Alto de Allanadas. It’s a steep climb of 5.4 kilometres with a maximal gradient of 21%. On Sunday the riders go to Alhaurín de la Torre where there's a tough wall in the finale.

Lotto Soudal come to the race with most of their climbers.

“We start with a strong team," Louis Vervaeke said. "Pim Ligthart won the GP la Marseillaise and was really strong in the Etoile de Bessèges, just like Maxime Monfort. Tim Wellens proved on the third day of the Challenge Mallorca that he’s in good shape. We have several riders that can battle for a stage win and a good GC. I will try to support them, because I feel the condition is good. I should be able to ride the final to help them. Who knows if I can join a breakaway in one of the stages.

“At the end of January, I rode my first races for Lotto Soudal, in the Challenge Mallorca. It is my first full season in the pro peloton, so it’s exciting. I had a perfect winter, I didn’t have to skip any training. The first training camps with the team were great and then I trained four days in Álora, close to Málaga, together with Tim Wellens and Sean De Bie. A perfect preparation, but it’s always waiting to see how the first races go.”

Selection Lotto Soudal:

Bart De Clercq, Pim Ligthart, Maxime Monfort, Jurgen Van den Broeck, Jelle Vanendert,​ Louis Vervaeke and Tim Wellens.