Race Preview: Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica 2026
The Andorra MoraBanc Classic is set for its second edition this June. With an unchanged route from its first outing, and with the race figurehead Carlos Verona still firmly at the helm, the race is looking to build on its initial successful edition. Verona joined Nafent to reflect on the inaugural edition of the event; Andorra’s only representation with the professional road race calendar.
With the UCI calendar saturated throughout the year, successfully launching a new bike race is not an easy task. A race needs to be special and somewhat unique in order to attract the top teams and riders. With that context in mind, the Classic and its partners had a clear mission from the very start.
A one-day race in Andorra has several elements that could make it stand out, according to Verona. “First of all, there are few mountainous one-day races worldwide, especially with climbs as long as those the Principality of Andorra can offer. Secondly, you can train as much as you want, but a one-day race always gives you that extra edge, that racing instinct. And thirdly, we know June is a good time to hold a race since it coincides with a peak moment in the cycling season just before the Tour, with a lot of attention.”
History
The ‘Clàssica’ joined the UCI Europe Tour in 2025 as a 1.1 race, attracting elite teams to Andorra as preparation for the Tour de France. Backed by a budget of around €400,000, the route passes through all seven parishes of the country, turning the event into a nationwide cycling festival for a day.
The race is a statement of intent for the country, as the organiser of the one-day event explains. “This race is extremely important for the region and its sponsors. For a country that is already a global cycling destination, having its own professional event was the missing piece.”
In many ways, the race completes the cycling picture, anchoring Andorra more firmly on the map of international road cycling. At the same time, the high profile event opens a valuable window for national sponsors, offering visibility in more than 70 countries through television coverage.
Looking back, moving forward
Building something new rarely comes without challenges. Convincing teams to commit was no small task at the beginning. “The first year was tough”, organizer Gerard Riart from VSL admits. “As a new race, many teams didn’t have it planned in their calendars.”
For the second edition, Riart can already see momentum building, a sign that the race is beginning to earn its place as a world-class cycling event. The focus now is on consistency: creating an experience where riders feel at ease, welcomed, and eager to return. The Andorran organiser believes this will naturally raise the level of competition year after year, helping the event in its ambition to become a UCI 1.Pro race in the near future.
Beyond these short-term goals lies a bigger vision. “Our dream is to become a UCI WorldTour Classic”, Riart says, “a benchmark one-day race — the reference mountain classic on the calendar.”
It’s an ambition that matches the terrain itself: demanding, elevated, and impossible to ignore.
2025 edition
The first edition For the inaugural edition in 2025, the organisers planned a 138.5 km route with almost no flat sections and a total of 4,270 metres of climbing. However, heavy rain made it impossible to cover all parts of the original course.
Starting at Bici Lab in Andorra la Vella, the race headed straight uphill to Port d’Envalira, reaching its summit at 2,407 metres after 34.8 km. From there the riders tackled Coll d’Ordino and Coll de la Comella. After passing through Encamp, the next key climb was set to be Collada de Beixalis, coming 23 kilometres before the finish.
However, unfortunately the weather had other plans. Due to the risk of thunderstorms, organisers were forced to remove the gravel sector in the Comú d’Encamp and the ascent of Collada de Beixalis. Instead, the race passed through La Massana with 12 km to go, before tackling the final climb to the finish at Coll de la Botella (2,070 metres).
Mattias Skjelmose made a winning return after nearly two months out due to illness, taking victory in front of around 4,000 spectators along the route. The race was decided by a group of five riders, with the Dane proving fastest at the summit. He finished ahead of Cristián Rodríguez (Arkéa–B&B Hotels) and Enric Mas (Movistar) after a tight and tactical finale.
Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica 2026
The second edition will follow a similar concept to the first, although “hopefully with a different weather forecast!” remarks Riart. “Obviously, I hope that this time, on 21 June, we can race the full distance.”
Compared to last year, little changes were made to the parcours. The Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica 2026 covers a total distance of 125 kilometers with 3,780 meters of elevation gain. The route takes place entirely within Andorran territory, starting in Andorra la Vella and finishing in the parish of La Massana, passing through all parishes of the Principality along the way. The road will be closed and reopened in sections as the race progresses, allowing traffic to return once the peloton has passed each area.
Favourites
The 2026 edition will feature a strong international peloton with 20 teams in total, including 5 UCI WorldTeams, 11 ProTeams, 2 Continental teams, and 2 national federations. In total, around 140 riders are expected to take part.
EF Education–EasyPost, Groupama–FDJ United, Movistar Team, Lidl–Trek, and Team Visma | Lease a Bike headline the startlist, bringing strong climbing depth and GC-level riders suited to sustained altitude racing.
Behind them, ProTeams such as TotalEnergies, Burgos Burpellet BH, Caja Rural–Seguros RGA, Cofidis, Euskaltel–Euskadi, Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, Team Polti VisitMalta, Bardiani CSF 7 Saber, and Solution Tech–NIPPO Rali add aggressive racing options, especially for breakaways on the long climbs. National selections from Andorra and Spain complete the field, adding local motivation and familiarity with the terrain.
Favourites according to Nafent Magazine
***** Mathias Skjelmose
*** Jorgen Nordhagen, Sebastian Berwick
** Enric Mas, Markel Beloki, Ivan Ramiro Sosa
* Fernando Barcelo, Derek Gee, Diego Pescador, Archie Ryan
Weather forecast and television broadcasting
In Andorra la Vella, early afternoon on Sunday the 21st should be mostly sunny with some light cloud drifting through at times. Temperatures are likely to sit around 19–22°C, feeling comfortable rather than hot thanks to the altitude. Winds should stay light, with no strong gusts expected, so conditions will feel calm in the valleys and on sheltered streets. There’s only a low chance of a brief shower forming, but if anything does develop it would be short and isolated. Overall, it looks like a stable and pleasant early afternoon for being outside.
The Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica will be broadcast live in Andorra on national television through RTVA, with live coverage, commentary, and updates from key points along the route as the race moves through the country. Viewers can follow the full action from the start in Andorra la Vella through to the decisive climbs, with studio analysis and interviews before and after the finish. Outside Andorra, the race is expected to be available via HBO Max, depending on regional sports rights and subscription access, with live coverage or on-demand replay options where available.
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