Mikel Landa and Chris Froome go head-to-head at the Ruta Del Sol

Basque climber tackles first race in Movistar Team colours at 64th Ruta del Sol starting Wednesday February 14th

Mikel Landa will wear the Movistar Team jersey for the first time in a race at the 64th Vuelta a Andalucía  starting on Wednesday 14th in Mijas and finishing four days later in Barbate.

The Basque climber, supported by Andrey Amador, Jorge Arcas, Carlos Barbero, Héctor Carretero, Imanol Erviti and Marc Soler.

The peloton will face a grueling route that features two explosive hilltop finishes on Stage 2 to Las Allanadas, on Thursday 15th; and Alcalá de los Gazules, on Saturday 17th, and a decisive 14km individual time trial on stage five.

The Basque climber will face a difficult course, with three days where GC contenders will have to give it their all and he won't have previous race winner Alejandro Valverde as support.

Landa said "“This will be a very special race for me. New colours, new ambitions... and I'd like to start this off in a good way, to make things easier for everyone and bring some joy to the rest of the team. It's been a rough winter if you consider the cold temperatures we've had in the Basque Country. I've had to go elsewhere to build a good base for the harder training blocks, and that's why I've moved to Calpe, in the Alicante coast, for most of the offseason. There has been good weather there, so we didn't have any excuses to fulfil the work plan we were supposed to follow."

Chris Froome will begin his 2018 season at the 64th Ruta del Sol, Froome said “I have put in a hard training block in January. It’s been good to be out on my bike and to get the miles under my belt. “It’s been a couple of years now since I was last at Ruta del Sol. It’s a race I’ve enjoyed in the past and so I’m looking forward to going back there”.

He last raced the Ruta del Sol in 2015, when he took overall victory and picked up a stage win along the way.

Stage 1 in the Ruta del Sol (a.k.a. the Vuelta a Andalucia) travels from Mijas to Granada. The route takes in six categorized climbs, the last 5 in the final 80 kms. A tough opening stage in the mountains.

Stage 2 features four climb finishing atop the Alto de las Allandas at 1,003 metres above sea level and will be a important stage for the GC contenders.

The 3rd stage is from Mancha Real to Herrera is fairly flat.

The fourth stage from Seville to Alcalá de los Gazules includes the big climbs of Puerto de las Palomas and tge Puerto del Boyar, both over 1,110 metres halfway through the stage before descending down with a final 200 metre to go in the last 10 kms and will be a important stage for the GC contenders.

The final fifth stage is an individual time trial that will suit the fastmen and over contenders. At 14 kms this will be a very fast stage and will be a important stage for the GC contenders.