Wind continues to disrupt racing in Spain as Vuelta a Murcia stage 1 is shortened

The opening stage was originally set to run from Cartagena to Yecla, covering nearly 180 kilometres. But footage from the start area quickly made clear the wind would play a decisive role. With gusts reportedly reaching up to 90 km/h, simply getting on a bike looked close to impossible — forcing organisers to come up with a solution.

That solution has now been confirmed. The stage has been significantly shortened: rather than starting in Cartagena, the riders will roll out from Fortuna instead. By moving inland, the most exposed coastal sections can be avoided — but it also means the stage is now just 89 kilometres long. A mini-stage, then, but organisers saw no other option.

The finale will stay exactly the same. That means the key test — the Alto Virgen del Castillo, crested with four kilometres to go before the finish in Yecla — remains in place. As a result, we can still expect the first meaningful gaps in the general classification to be made there. Stage 2 is also not a flat day and could still prove decisive — assuming the wind does not intervene again.

Either way, for the peloton this early in the season it has already become a fight against the elements. At the Étoile de Bessèges, riders dealt with cold and heavy rain, while at the Tour of Valencia the wind was a major factor. In the women’s Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, stage 1 was even briefly slowed/neutralised at one point — but the race ultimately continued, with Demi Vollering going on to take the win