Spanish flirtation as organisers want Van der Poel to start on gravel in 2027

In recent years, Momparler has consistently brought a superstar to Spain. The Clásica Jaén Paraíso Interior sits perfectly on the calendar: just before stage races in Spain and Portugal kick off, and shortly after many riders fly back to Europe from winter racing in the Middle East.

As a result, the palmarès of the Spanish one-day race—defined by tough gravel sectors—is already impressive. Alexey Lutsenko won the inaugural edition in 2022, with Pogačar best a year later. Oier Lazkano (2024, Movistar) and Michał Kwiatkowski (2025, INEOS) have taken the last two editions, with riders such as Wout van Aert, Egan Bernal and Isaac del Toro also taking part.

Because the race now needs to be broadcast on television—and Spanish police can be strict when it comes to access to gravel roads—Momparler and his team have had plenty of work getting the 2026 edition ready. On 16 February, riders will tackle eight gravel sectors, with a local finishing loop ridden twice.

With Tom Pidcock, Momparler has once again secured a big name. The Brit, now riding for Pinarello–Q36.5, has already won Strade Bianche and will be looking to make an immediate impact in Jaén. He will face opposition from, among others, Jan Christen and Benoît Cosnefroy (UAE), Giulio Pellizzari and Jai Hindley (Red Bull), and Attila Valter (Bahrain Victorious).

If Momparler can tick off Pogačar, Del Toro, Van Aert and Pidcock, there is still one major name missing from his bingo card: Mathieu van der Poel. The Alpecin–Deceuninck leader will not be there in 2026, but could 2027 be different? “I haven’t approached him yet, but I have good contacts and I know how to negotiate with him. Next year we’re going to try,” Momparler said.

With what he describes as a “strong and convincing offer”—the same kind of approach that helped land Pidcock—Momparler believes he can tempt Van der Poel, he explained in an interview with Marca. He is even considering a multi-day stage race with stages that feature gravel more prominently. Ambition, clearly, is not in short supply.