# 2018 Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana

The 69th edition of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (English: Tour of the Valencian Community) was held from 31 January to 4 February 2018. It was run over five stages, of which one team time trial, covering a total distance of 691.8 km. It was a 2.1 event of the 2018 UCI Europe Tour. The race was run entirely in the autonomous community of Valencia, starting in Orpesa and finishing in Valencia.
The race was won by Spaniard Alejandro Valverde of Movistar Team, who also won two stages. Luis León Sánchez was second, Jakob Fuglsang third. Valverde's overall win was his third in the race after 2004 and 2007, which made him the recordholder of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana.

## Teams

Twenty-five teams started the race. Each team had a maximum of seven riders:
UCI WorldTeams
* Movistar Team
* BMC Racing Team
* LottoNL–Jumbo
* Mitchelton–Scott
* AG2R La Mondiale
* Team Dimension Data
* Team Sky
* Team Katusha–Alpecin
* Bahrain–Merida
* EF Education First–Drapac p/b Cannondale
* Astana
UCI Professional teams
* CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice
* Gazprom–RusVelo
* Israel Cycling Academy
* Rally Cycling
* Euskadi–Murias
* Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini
* Cofidis
* Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise
* Direct Énergie
* Caja Rural–Seguros RGA
* Burgos BH
UCI Continental teams
* Polartec–Kometa
* Inteja Dominican Cycling Team
* Fundación Euskadi

## Route

Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Stage winner |
| 1 | 31 January | Oropesa del Mar to Peniscola | 191.5 km (119.0 mi) | Flat stage | Danny van Poppel (NED) |
| 2 | 1 February | Bétera to Albuixech | 153.9 km (95.6 mi) | Medium mountain stage | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
| 3 | 2 February | Benitachell / El Poble Nou de Benitatxell to Calp | 23.2 km (14.4 mi) | Team time trial | BMC Racing Team |
| 4 | 3 February | Orihuela to Cocentaina | 181 km (112 mi) | Mountain stage | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
| 5 | 4 February | Paterna to Valencia | 135.2 km (84.0 mi) | Flat stage | Jürgen Roelandts (BEL) |

## Stages
### Stage 1

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Danny van Poppel (NED) | LottoNL–Jumbo | 4h 34' 13" |
| 2 | Luka Mezgec (SLO) | Mitchelton–Scott | s.t. |
| 3 | Jürgen Roelandts (BEL) | BMC Racing Team | s.t. |
| 4 | Daniel McLay (GBR) | EF Education First–Drapac p/b Cannondale | s.t. |
| 5 | Clément Venturini (FRA) | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 6 | Hugo Hofstetter (FRA) | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 7 | Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| 8 | Oliver Naesen (BEL) | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 9 | Marco Canola (ITA) | Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini | s.t. |
| 10 | Angelo Tulik (FRA) | Direct Énergie | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Danny van Poppel (NED) | LottoNL–Jumbo | 4h 34' 03" |
| 2 | Luka Mezgec (SLO) | Mitchelton–Scott | + 4" |
| 3 | Jürgen Roelandts (BEL) | BMC Racing Team | + 6" |
| 4 | Daniel McLay (GBR) | EF Education First–Drapac p/b Cannondale | + 10" |
| 5 | Clément Venturini (FRA) | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 6 | Hugo Hofstetter (FRA) | Cofidis | s.t. |
| 7 | Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| 8 | Oliver Naesen (BEL) | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 9 | Marco Canola (ITA) | Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini | s.t. |
| 10 | Angelo Tulik (FRA) | Direct Énergie | s.t. |

### Stage 2

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Movistar Team | 3h 53' 55" |
| 2 | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | Astana | s.t. |
| 3 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | s.t. |
| 4 | Giovanni Visconti (ITA) | Bahrain–Merida | + 19" |
| 5 | Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) | BMC Racing Team | s.t. |
| 6 | Merhawi Kudus (ERI) | Team Dimension Data | s.t. |
| 7 | Pello Bilbao (ESP) | Astana | s.t. |
| 8 | Alexis Vuillermoz (FRA) | AG2R La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 9 | Ben Hermans (BEL) | Israel Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 10 | Adam Yates (GBR) | Mitchelton–Scott | s.t. |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Movistar Team | 8h 27' 58" |
| 2 | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | Astana | + 4" |
| 3 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | + 6" |
| 4 | Wout Poels (NED) | Team Sky | + 29" |
| 5 | Diego Rosa (ITA) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| 6 | Pello Bilbao (ESP) | Astana | s.t. |
| 7 | Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) | BMC Racing Team | s.t. |
| 8 | David de la Cruz (ESP) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| 9 | Primož Roglič (SLO) | LottoNL–Jumbo | s.t. |
| 10 | Brent Bookwalter (USA) | BMC Racing Team | s.t. |

### Stage 3

The time trial result was neutralised.
| Rank | Team | Time |
| 1 | BMC Racing Team | 27' 24" |
| 2 | Astana | + 1' 08" |
| 3 | AG2R La Mondiale | + 1' 12" |
| 4 | Gazprom–RusVelo | + 1' 36" |
| 5 | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | s.t. |
| 6 | Team Katusha–Alpecin | + 1' 43" |
| 7 | Euskadi–Murias | + 1' 46" |
| 8 | Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise | + 1' 54" |
| 9 | Cofidis | + 2' 14" |
| 10 | Direct Énergie | + 2' 15" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Movistar Team | 8h 27' 58" |
| 2 | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | Astana | + 4" |
| 3 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | + 6" |
| 4 | Wout Poels (NED) | Team Sky | + 29" |
| 5 | Diego Rosa (ITA) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| 6 | Pello Bilbao (ESP) | Astana | s.t. |
| 7 | Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) | BMC Racing Team | s.t. |
| 8 | David de la Cruz (ESP) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| 9 | Primož Roglič (SLO) | LottoNL–Jumbo | s.t. |
| 10 | Brent Bookwalter (USA) | BMC Racing Team | s.t. |

### Stage 4

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Movistar Team | 4h 48' 35" |
| 2 | Adam Yates (GBR) | Mitchelton–Scott | + 4" |
| 3 | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | Astana | s.t. |
| 4 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Cofidis | + 9" |
| 5 | Primož Roglič (SLO) | LottoNL–Jumbo | + 10" |
| 6 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | s.t. |
| 7 | Pello Bilbao (ESP) | Astana | + 15" |
| 8 | Roman Kreuziger (CZE) | Mitchelton–Scott | + 18" |
| 9 | Kilian Frankiny (SUI) | BMC Racing Team | + 24" |
| 10 | Ben Hermans (BEL) | Israel Cycling Academy | + 30" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Movistar Team | 13h 16' 23" |
| 2 | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | Astana | + 14" |
| 3 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | + 26" |
| 4 | Adam Yates (GBR) | Mitchelton–Scott | + 37" |
| 5 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Cofidis | + 48" |
| 6 | Primož Roglič (SLO) | LottoNL–Jumbo | + 49" |
| 7 | Pello Bilbao (ESP) | Astana | + 54" |
| 8 | Roman Kreuziger (CZE) | Mitchelton–Scott | + 57" |
| 9 | Kilian Frankiny (SUI) | BMC Racing Team | + 1' 03" |
| 10 | Amaro Antunes (POR) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 1' 09" |

### Stage 5

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Jürgen Roelandts (BEL) | BMC Racing Team | 2h 58' 26" |
| 2 | Danny van Poppel (NED) | LottoNL–Jumbo | s.t. |
| 3 | Clément Venturini (FRA) | AG2R La Mondiale | + 1" |
| 4 | Nelson Soto (COL) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | s.t. |
| 5 | Baptiste Planckaert (BEL) | Team Katusha–Alpecin | s.t. |
| 6 | Christophe Noppe (BEL) | Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise | s.t. |
| 7 | Marco Canola (ITA) | Nippo–Vini Fantini–Europa Ovini | s.t. |
| 8 | Yevgeniy Gidich (KAZ) | Astana | s.t. |
| 9 | Jonas Koch (GER) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | s.t. |
| 10 | Hugo Hofstetter (FRA) | Cofidis | s.t. |

## Classifications

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Movistar Team | 16h 14' 53" |
| 2 | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | Astana | + 14" |
| 3 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | + 26" |
| 4 | Adam Yates (GBR) | Mitchelton–Scott | + 37" |
| 5 | Jesús Herrada (ESP) | Cofidis | + 48" |
| 6 | Primož Roglič (SLO) | LottoNL–Jumbo | + 49" |
| 7 | Pello Bilbao (ESP) | Astana | + 54" |
| 8 | Roman Kreuziger (CZE) | Mitchelton–Scott | + 57" |
| 9 | Kilian Frankiny (SUI) | BMC Racing Team | + 1' 03" |
| 10 | Amaro Antunes (POR) | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 1' 09" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Thomas Sprengers (BEL) | Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise | 56 |
| 2 | Ibai Salas (ESP) | Burgos BH | 100 |
| 3 | Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) | Team Sky | 106 |
| 4 | Paul Ourselin (FRA) | Direct Énergie | 124 |
| 5 | Mathias Van Gompel (BEL) | Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise | 130 |
| 6 | Jon Ander Insausti (ESP) | Bahrain–Merida | 135 |
| 7 | José Manuel Díaz (ESP) | Israel Cycling Academy | 158 |
| 8 | Jesús Alberto Rubio (ESP) | Inteja Dominican Cycling Team | 179 |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Preben Van Hecke (BEL) | Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise | 27 |
| 2 | Cristián Rodríguez (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | 21 |
| 3 | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) | Movistar Team | 20 |
| 4 | Mathias Van Gompel (BEL) | Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise | 17 |
| 5 | Garikoitz Bravo (ESP) | Euskadi–Murias | 17 |
| 6 | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | Astana | 12 |
| 7 | Jon Ander Insausti (ESP) | Bahrain–Merida | 11 |
| 8 | Jakob Fuglsang (DEN) | Astana | 9 |
| 9 | Bryan Nauleau (FRA) | Direct Énergie | 9 |
| 10 | Adam Yates (GBR) | Mitchelton–Scott | 8 |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Kilian Frankiny (SUI) | BMC Racing Team | 16h 15' 56" |
| 2 | Gianni Moscon (ITA) | Team Sky | + 10" |
| 3 | Merhawi Kudus (ERI) | Team Dimension Data | + 18" |
| 4 | Neilson Powless (USA) | LottoNL–Jumbo | + 52" |
| 5 | Matteo Fabbro (ITA) | Team Katusha–Alpecin | + 1' 01" |
| 6 | Steff Cras (BEL) | Team Katusha–Alpecin | + 3' 20" |
| 7 | Alex Aranburu (ESP) | Caja Rural–Seguros RGA | + 3' 54" |
| 8 | Jaime Rosón (ESP) | Movistar Team | + 4' 24" |
| 9 | Aleksandr Vlasov (RUS) | Gazprom–RusVelo | + 4' 27" |
| 10 | Luka Pibernik (SLO) | Bahrain–Merida | + 4' 33" |
| Rank | Team | Time |
| 1 | Astana | 48h 46' 25" |
| 2 | Team Sky | + 2' 13" |
| 3 | BMC Racing Team | + 2' 29" |
| 4 | Mitchelton–Scott | + 3' 30" |
| 5 | AG2R La Mondiale | + 6' 25" |
| 6 | LottoNL–Jumbo | + 6' 40" |
| 7 | Bahrain–Merida | + 9' 53" |
| 8 | Team Katusha–Alpecin | + 11' 50" |
| 9 | CCC–Sprandi–Polkowice | + 13' 10" |
| 10 | Euskadi–Murias | + 14' 24" |