Clásica de San Sebastián 2023: Favourites

The route takes in six ascents before the riders tackle the short and sharp Murgil with 9 kilometres remaining. Since its introduction in 2014 the Murgil climb often plays a pivotal role in the Clásica de San Sebastián. In the first years the head of the peloton – usually, a group of four to five riders – crested the ramp with a small lead to battle it out for the stage win.

In 2019, Remco Evenepoel bucked the trend. He attacked with Toms Skujins in the flat run-up, dropped his companion on the 1.8 kilometres climb at 11.3%, and soloed to victory.

In 2021, Neilson Powless, Lorenzo Rota, Mikkel Honoré and Matej Mohoric opted for a similar approach. They attacked with 23 kilometres to go, held off the peloton on the climb, and Powless sprinted to the win.

Last year, Evenepoel re-inventend his 2019 victory all over again, as he attacked with roughly 50 kilometres remaining to solo to an impeccable triumph.

Since the Murgil introduction, the Clásica de San Sebastián was won by Remco Evenepoel (2022, 2019), Neilson Powless (2021), Julian Alaphilippe (2018), Michal Kwiatkowski (2017), Bauke Mollema (2016), Adam Yates (2015), and Alejandro Valverde (2014).

Favourites Clásica de San Sebastián 2023

**** Remco Evenepoel, Pello Bilbao, Ben Healy
*** Juan Ayuso, Julian Alaphilippe, Ion Izagirre, Neilson Powless
** Carlos Rodriguez, Tiesj Benoot, Marc Hirschi, Michael Matthews, Dylan Teuns
* Thomas Gloag, Bauke Mollema, Romain Bardet, Andrea Bagioli, Lorenzo Rota, Felix Gall