The 2026 European road cycling season kicked off on Friday with victory in a three-way sprint for Christian Scaroni (XDS-Astana) in the rugged Classica Camp de Morvedre race in eastern Spain. Second in the 163.4 kilometre race was up-and-coming climber Diego Pescador (Movistar), with antonio Tiberi (Bahrain-Victorious) in third.
In a race largely decided by multiple ascents of the category 1 Alto del Garbí, a searing acceleration by XDS-Astana on the lower slopes on the last time up the climb launched the trio three kilometres before the top.
While the opposition failed to reorganise in time to chase them down, Pescador tried to outwit the two more veteran racers with an early attack near the finish, but Scaroni – whose expertise in breakaways netted him a major Giro d’Italia mountain stage win last year ahead of teammate Lorenzo Fortunato – quickly bridged back up then outpowered his two rivals in the dash for the line.
“We knew that normally at the start of the season I always start in a good way,” Scaroni said. “the team did an incredible job for me from the frist kilometre, I’m very happy to win for them.”
Asked how he felt to win the first European race of the 2026 season, he replied, ” it’s always arduous because everybody looks at me and my team. But we certainly know there are a lot of big riders here,and everybody is always very motivated here.
“In the last climb, me and Antonio attacked, I was really happy to collaborate with an Italian rider, in the end we reached the finish together, played out cards, and I won.”
A five-rider early break that formed on the approach roads to the first ascent of three of the Alto del garbí, containing Bálint feldhoffer (Bahrain Victorious), Thomas Bonnet (TotalEnergies), Léandre Huck (Van Rysel-Roubaix), Enzo Leijnse (Anicolor-Campicarn) and Joan Cadena (Technosylva Maglia Bembibre) gained nearly five minutes before the peloton began reacting.
Okay,I will analyze the provided text and follow the three-phase process as instructed.
PHASE 1: ADVERSARIAL RESEARCH,FRESHNESS & BREAKING-NEWS CHECK
The text discusses the Gran Premio Castellon – Ruta de la Céramica cycling race,mentioning a Saturday and Sunday race schedule,a challenging course,and the participation of UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Antonio Morgado. The text is dated implicitly as relating to events happening before January 23, 2026.
Verification & Updates (as of January 23, 2026, 18:46:05 UTC):
* Gran Premio castellon – Ruta de la Céramica: The race did occur in February 2024.The 2025 edition is scheduled for February 8-9, 2025.Volta a Castellón Official Website. There is no data available yet regarding the 2026 edition, beyond the fact that it is expected to occur.
* UAE Team Emirates-XRG: UAE Team Emirates is a professional cycling team.UAE Team Emirates Official Website. The team is active as of January 2026.
* Antonio Morgado: Antonio Morgado is a professional cyclist who rides for UAE Team Emirates. He won the 2024 edition of the Gran Premio Castellon – Ruta de la Céramica. ProCyclingStats – Antonio Morgado. He is still active as of January 2026.
* FirstCycling: FirstCycling is a cycling news and results website. FirstCycling Official Website.
Breaking News Check: As of January 23, 2026, there are no breaking news reports related to the Gran Premio Castellon – Ruta de la Céramica or the teams/riders mentioned. the 2026 race details are not yet released.
PHASE 2: ENTITY-BASED GEO (GENERATIVE ENGINE OPTIMIZATION)
Gran Premio Castellón – ruta de la Céramica Cycling Race
Table of Contents
The Gran Premio Castellón – Ruta de la Céramica is a professional road cycling race held annually in the Valencia region of Spain. Volta a Castellón official Website. It is part of the UCI Europe Tour.
Valencia Region & Cycling
The Valencia Region Tourism Board actively promotes cycling tourism, leveraging the region’s favorable climate and varied terrain. The Gran Premio Castellón is a key event in attracting cycling enthusiasts and showcasing the region.
UAE Team Emirates
UAE Team Emirates is a UCI WorldTeam based in the United Arab Emirates, known for its strong roster of riders and competitive performance in major cycling events.UCI WorldTeam – UAE team Emirates.
Antonio Morgado
Antonio Morgado is a professional cyclist currently riding for UAE Team Emirates. He is the defending champion of the Gran Premio Castellón – Ruta de la Céramica, having won the race in 2024. ProCyclingStats – Volta a Castellón 2024 Results.
PHASE 3: SEMANTIC ANSWER RULE (MANDATORY)
Race Course and Competition
The Gran Premio Castellón – Ruta de la Céramica features a course that,while less hilly than some other races in the region,presents a significant challenge with a difficult second-category climb near the finish,making it a likely decisive point for the race. The 2025 edition will be held on February 8-9, 2025. Volta a Castellón Route Information.
Key Teams and Riders
UAE Team Emirates-XRG is expected to be a central team in the competition, especially with the participation of defending champion Antonio Morgado. The team’s strategic approach and Morgado’s proven ability make them a strong contender for victory.
