Image: from MazaCiclismo X @RuedaPedal
By Open Chronicle News Desk with Agencies
Belgian star Remco Evenepoel delivered a commanding performance to win the 77th edition of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, confirming his status as one of the strongest stage racers in the peloton with victories in both the individual time trial and the decisive queen stage.
The five-day race, held from 4 to 8 February, featured a balanced route of sprint opportunities, rolling terrain, an individual time trial and a demanding mountain stage. Evenepoel emerged as the strongest rider of the week, finishing 31 seconds ahead of João Almeida, while Italy’s Giulio Pellizzari completed the overall podium.
¡¡¡ Victoria de Remco Evenepoel !!! El corredor belga (Red Bull-Bora) gana en solitario la cuarta etapa de la Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, y asalta el liderato. "Grande el Pitbull". 🤩🇧🇪🥇🚀 📹Eurosport pic.twitter.com/6gawBmAjDr
— ⚡MazaCiclismo⚡ (@RuedaPedal) February 7, 2026
Final General Classification
The top five riders in the 2026 Tour of Valencia were:
- Remco Evenepoel (Belgium)
- João Almeida (Portugal) +0:31
- Giulio Pellizzari (Italy) +0:34
- Antonio Tiberi (Italy) +0:36
- Brandon McNulty (United States) +0:50
Evenepoel’s decisive attacks against the clock and in the mountains proved enough to secure overall victory despite strong competition from several of the world’s leading stage racers.
A varied route across the Valencian Community
The 2026 edition offered a route designed to test every type of rider.
The race included:
- Three hilly stages.
- One individual time trial.
- One high-mountain queen stage.
- Multiple opportunities for sprinters, puncheurs and general classification contenders.
The varied parcours ensured that the overall standings remained open until the decisive mountain stage.
Stage 1 – Girmay strikes first
The race opened with a 160-kilometre stage from Segorbe to Torreblanca.
Eritrean sprinter Biniam Girmay claimed victory in the opening stage and earned the first leader’s jersey of the race.
Stage 2 – Evenepoel dominates the time trial
The 17.5-kilometre individual time trial between Carlet and Alginet provided the first major test for the overall contenders.
Remco Evenepoel produced a typically dominant performance against the clock, winning the stage comfortably and significantly strengthening his position in the general classification.
Despite the Belgian’s victory, Girmay retained the overall race lead thanks to his advantage from the opening stage.
Stage 3 – Andrew August surprises
The third stage travelled 158 kilometres from Orihuela to Sant Vicent del Raspeig over rolling terrain.
Four riders escaped after the final climb, with Andrew August emerging victorious from the breakaway.
The 20-year-old American outsprinted Florian Vermeersch, Ådne Holter and Jonathan Vervenne to claim the biggest victory of his young professional career.
Meanwhile, Biniam Girmay successfully defended the leader’s jersey for another day.
Queen Stage settles the race
Everything changed on Stage 4, the race’s decisive mountain stage between La Nucía and Teulada Moraira.
On the steep slopes of Puig de la Llorença, Remco Evenepoel launched a powerful attack as the climb began to ease.
One by one, his rivals were unable to respond as the Belgian rode clear to take both the stage victory and the leader’s jersey.
The performance effectively decided the race, with João Almeida, Giulio Pellizzari and Antonio Tiberi unable to match Evenepoel’s explosive acceleration.
García Pierna wins final stage
The race concluded with a relatively short 93.7-kilometre stage from Bétera to Valencia.
An early breakaway of 21 riders established a substantial advantage, and six remained together to contest the sprint for victory.
Spain’s Raúl García Pierna proved the fastest, taking the stage win after an aggressive day of racing.
Behind the breakaway, Remco Evenepoel safely crossed the finish line with the general classification favourites to secure the overall title.
Evenepoel proves strongest in every discipline
The Belgian’s success was built on versatility.
He dominated the race against the clock, attacked decisively in the mountains and managed the remaining stages with confidence, leaving little doubt about the identity of the strongest rider of the week.
His victories in both the individual time trial and the queen stage highlighted his ability to excel across different terrains—qualities that continue to make him one of cycling’s leading Grand Tour contenders.
Strong performances across the podium
Although unable to challenge Evenepoel for victory, João Almeida once again demonstrated remarkable consistency by finishing second overall.
The Portuguese climber remained among the leading contenders throughout the race and secured another important podium finish early in the season.
Italy’s Giulio Pellizzari continued his rapid rise with third place, while compatriot Antonio Tiberi and American Brandon McNulty completed an exceptionally competitive top five.
An ideal start to the European season
As one of the first major European stage races of the year, the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana once again attracted a world-class field and provided an early indication of form ahead of the spring classics and Grand Tours.
For Remco Evenepoel, the race served as the perfect beginning to his 2026 campaign, delivering an emphatic overall victory that reinforced his credentials as one of the sport’s most complete riders.