Race
Ubeda > Ubeda (169 km)
Clásica Jaén 2026 - Race profile
16.02
Tim Wellens powered to a crushing solo win at Clásica Jaén, riding clear for 54 kilometres after dropping Mark Donovan with 55 kilometres to go. Behind him, a lack of organisation in the chase meant his advantage held firm all the way to the line, where he won by 48 seconds. Tom Pidcock led the sprint for second ahead of Jan Christen, while Maxime Van Gils hit the deck in the run in. The victory continued UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s blazing start to the 2026 season.
Profile
How to watch?
Curious about how to watch the 2026 Clásica Jaén? Discover it in our complete how to watch guide, featuring a full overview of all broadcasters and streaming options.
Route
The 2026 Clásica Jaén covers approximately 169 km of rolling terrain around Úbeda in Andalusia, with 33.1 km of gravel sectors spread across ten unpaved stretches that are key to how the race unfolds.
After leaving Úbeda, the peloton heads out into the undulating countryside before encountering the first gravel sector after around 80 km. The gravel roads, known locally as Caminos de Olivos, run between centuries-old olive groves and vary in length and surface quality. Among these are longer sections such as Guadalupe (6.2 km) and technical stretches like Juancaballo (3.7 km) and Santa Eulalia (2.5 km), all of which are tackled twice on a concluding circuit.
The finale sees riders return to Úbeda for a finishing loop that includes repeated passages over the gravel sectors, with the final unpaved sector of Vandelvira (1.2 km) occurring inside the last five kilometres. These gravel sections and accompanying short climbs sap strength and encourage splits, rewarding riders with endurance, bike handling and tactical nous.
With around 2 600 metres of climbing overall, the terrain is selective rather than mountainous, making the race both a test of resilience and positioning before the finish back in Úbeda.
Read more about the route in our preview.
Favourites
Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5) is the clear favourite for the 2026 Clásica Jaén, with his handling on gravel and his proven record on white roads, including a Strade Bianche win and a second place. Jaén functions as a near perfect warm up for Strade Bianche in three weeks, and his form is an extra talking point after an altitude camp in Chile with his new team.
Behind him, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe arrive stacked with options, led by former UCI Gravel World Champion Gianni Vermeersch alongside Jai Hindley and Maxim Van Gils, while UAE Team Emirates XRG bring Jan Christen, Igor Arrieta, Domen Novak and Benoit Cosnefroy, with Christen in confident mood after overall success at AlUla.
Other names to watch include Matej Mohorič for his technical edge, breakaway candidate Victor Vercouillie, and Spanish youngster Héctor Álvarez, who could push for a top ten.
The full start list can be explored here and read more on the favourites in our preview.
